LEARN TO HIT LONGER STRAIGHTER DRIVES CONSISTENTLY!
How would you like to hit a longer, straighter drives every time?
Don’t kid yourself any longer learn how to hit the ball further than ever.
Here are some great tips to help you hit your driver longer, straighter and more consistently.
How to Position Your Hands During the Golf Swing for More Distance and Control
I have written extensively about how the hands operate during the golf swing because their function is probably one of the most critical aspects of the entire swing.
I have received several requests from readers asking about various aspects of hand technique, so I thought I would use this article to share some of the main points that came from their questions.
Before I dig in, I just want share some thoughts about how I approach golf instruction with students because the overall sense I get from the nature of the questions that have been raised is that readers are searching for answers about the hands that are often over analyzed and impractical to control…
The golf swing can be a very simple and efficient action if it is approached that way…
It can also be an extremely complex action if you try to break down and analyze all the moving parts of the swing with the aim of trying in some way to consciously control each little element.
I simplify the swing into two critical moving parts:
1. The rotation of the shoulders and trunk
2. The rotation of the hands
With each of these motions you are aiming to achieve two objectives:
1. A simple single plane swing
2. Fully cocked and relaxed hands
Unlike other sports such as tennis where you have to have complex variation in your hand action and swing action to out maneuver your opponent, I encourage students to keep everything simple to make the golf swing easier.
The reason for this is purely to achieve consistency from shot to shot. That is the key to scoring success.
Not the ability to bend and curve the ball using complex hand action…
Setup Routine
Most of the swing motion and requirements that impact both hand action and swing plane are dealt with in your setup prior to you pulling the trigger on the swing.
Once your swing is in motion, there is very little you can do to adjust it after that.
Here are several key elements I focus on regarding your hands that are all taken care of in your setup routine:
1. The alignment and stance routine gets your hands in the correct position relative to the ball, club face and target before the swing starts. In the set up I always advise that the hands are positioned slightly ahead of the ball to place them in a “strong” wrist position.
2. The correct grip will create a “stable” take away and will cause the hands to break with the correct action and plane when they are cocked. I always advise a “strong” grip with the left thumb positioned right of the grip centerline. (Right thumb for left handers).
3. The left side which creates unison of the left arm and wrist at the start of the swing and during the first stage of the backswing should be firm. This gets you into the correct hand position at the top of the swing. I advise the elbow of the left arm to be pointing towards the ground to achieve this. (Right elbow for left handers).
Take Away
The next critical point of your swing after your setup is the take away. Many hand/swing problems can be created from that first critical movement of your shoulders and hands on the take away if it is not done correctly.
Again, the takeaway should be kept as simple as possible by focusing on two things only:
4. The backswing should start with the downward rotational motion of the left shoulder, not a hand motion. This action places the swing on a mid to upright swing plane, it improves back swing balance by encouraging trunk rotation, and it reduces unwanted hand action on the take away.
5. Within the first 6 inches of the take away, there should be ZERO motion of your hands. They need to be firm with your left side.
Backswing
As you progress into the backswing you have had only “one thought” on your mind to this point, and that was a “trigger thought” to initiate the downward rotation of your left shoulder to start the backswing.
Everything else up to that point has been taken care of in your setup to create that firm left side to solidify your left arm and hands in preparation for the takeaway.
So there is no need to think of anything else…other thoughts will only complicate the backswing.
All that remains on the backswing is:
6. Make sure you work within the range of motion of your natural swing muscle flexibility to avoid a left elbow break.
If you are able to concentrate on these techniques alone, your hands will reach the top of the swing in the correct position without you even having to worry or think about their orientation.
Critical: If a left elbow break occurs on the backswing, all bets are off on being on the correct swing plane and having the correct hand action.
Downswing
Now as for the downswing, the most important aspect to think about is:
1. Rotate the hips to initiate the turn – one more trigger thought
2. Delay the hand release by simply letting your hands relax totally from the top of the swing.
Starting the downswing turn with the hips keeps the swing on correct plane. As long as the hands are relaxed and not pre releasing, they will be in the correct orientation going into the impact position. So again you do not even have to think about them.
As for the release itself, that is governed purely by the timing of the downswing…not by the orientation of your hands or how they are turning over into the ball. Your hand orientation and how they react at impact is determined mostly by your grip which you have already taken care of in your setup.
If you approach the release by worrying about the orientation or action of your hands on the downswing you will find the swing extremely difficult to control with any consistency and you will end up losing distance.
Timing is a function of simply coordinating the release of the hands with the rotation of the shoulders.
If you are looking for some characteristic of the hand release that has a more complex explanation than this, I am sorry to disappoint you.
The reality is there is not much more to it than this. Big hitters simply let their hands relax and go for the ride on the downswing..
Above all the clear message from this article is keep everything as simple as possible.
Hone your setup techniques because they are so important in getting the swing started on the correct track where attention to small details is not necessary…the hands and swing will work naturally by themselves if you follow those simple guidelines.
Keep your head down and swing sweetly,
This video is about Improving Your Backswing – Full Shoulder Turn Drills For Golf.
During the golf lesson you will learn chipping and pitching tips that will improve your chipping around the green.
Pitch Shot Golf Tips
George Gankas golf theory assists golfers from around the world through the GG Swing Method.
While many players recognize GG’s contributions to developing well composed golf swings that deliver expanded depth and accuracy, George Ganaks golf lessons also provide insight into calculated short game strategies that lead to reduced handicaps in golfers of all skill sets.
Developing a strong pitch shot requires that golfers optimize several elements of their short game golf strategies in order to make the most of their shot.
This begins with choosing the correct golf club for the shot.
A pitching wedge can be best utilized to achieve the perfect pitch shot in situations where the golfer has an expanded amount of green available for play.
When pitching shots under golf course circumstances that require an increased amount of roll after impact, gap wedges are the most efficient golf club to obtain the ideal pitch shot.
Larger course obstacles can dictate that a lob or sand wedge be used in order to deliver the desired results otherwise unattainable with a pitching wedge or gap wedge.
When deciding which golf club to use during our pitch shots, golfers must ask themselves how deep the golf ball needs to travel in order to reach then green and how to best ensure that the golf ball lands as close to the hole as possible.
Setting up the ideal pitch shots requires consistency above all else, as golfers that address the golf ball slightly more forward than normal have found. Our desired flight path can be easily achieved by simply maintaining a high level of consistent motion in our pitching setup.
Keeping all of our motion in an open swing position allows the clubface to be pointing just right of our desired target, with our shoulders, hips, and feet aligned left of the target as a result.
As our body opens up in our swing, our clubhead also opens itself upon impact with the golf ball, providing the correct level of loft needed to secure ample flight path to pitch the golf ball onto the green.
FREE Video Series and WATCH THIS METHODOLOGY TO SEE IF IT’S RIGHT FOR YOUR GAME – CLICK HERE
The game of golf can be challenging. There are many people who have played for 5-10 years who still take lessons. There are online lessons, group lessons, and private lessons. For the purposes of this article, we are going to focus on group and private lessons.
Group lessons are often a good, cheap method to learn the game. The average cost will be around $30-60 per session. The amount of students brings the cost down of providing the instructor. This is by far the greatest benefit of the group lesson. The trouble with the class is that you will be limited to the amount of individual instruction. If you’re a faster learner than the average new golfer, than you will most likely learn less.
In a private lesson, you will have far more individual attention. If you’ve already tried golfing, you may have specific requests for tips. You may be interested in correcting specific problems. In this case, a private lesson will be far more advantageous for you.
Some may not like the higher cost of a private session, and there’s no denying that they can be expensive. However, cost should not be the factor. You should first consider value. A private lesson may cost 40% more, but you may learn 80% more. In this case, you should definitely sign up for the private lesson.
The pricing for private lessons varies widely based on where you find them. A private lesson off of Craigslist can be $20/hour plus green fees while a private lesson run by the club can run upwards of $120/hour. It would be wise to first call around to all of the local golf courses and get their rates prior to going with the first course that you call.
If you find your private instructor off of Craigslist, ask if he’s certified. If so, ask what organizations he is certified by. Also, find out how long he has been teaching lessons for. There is a big difference between knowing how to play and knowing how to teach. Find a teacher who has lots of experience.
Getting started with golf can be intimidating. It is good to find a teacher who is patient, understanding, and will help you increase your confidence. Most experienced teachers have gained a level of patience and are often a better instructor for newbies.
When signing up for lessons, we recommend always signing up for 4-6 lessons. In order to improve, you will need to make a serious commitment to the game and one lesson, simply isn’t enough. There are several ways to learn golf, but the most effective way is by hiring a private golf instructor.
Source by Ron Darien
Developing More Consistency in Your Golf Swing
Imagine every one of your shots in the middle of the fairway, every chip two feet from the hole, and every putt nailing the center of the cup. Well, maybe some of us dream of never having to put put and each approach approach goes into the hole, but I think you get the picture. A consistent swing is probably what many golfers dream of when our heads hit the pillow.
The majority of us are aware that golf is a game that requires consistent shot making to be successful (and have fun). If we are hooking, slicing, and lining our wedges fat, it can really start to get frustrating. Consistency is key to hitting a low score and enjoying the game. So how do we get there?
First, let us do a little review of the golf swing. To hit the ball squarely on the center of the club head you must take the club through the proper swing path. A proper swing path will allow the club to align itself correctly with the ball to hit the shot you are trying to hit. For more advanced players this could have been in the form of a draw, fade, cut, or some other variation. Higher handicappers will be happy with just plain old straight shots. Any, this process begins with your address, moves through your take away, into the back swing, onto the transition between back swing and down swing, into contact, and finishes with the follow through.
Quite a complex sequence of events for the body to perform! And we all know that if our timing is slightly off, or we are just a little off mechanically, disaster is the result.
Knowing that a consistent swing requires the execution of these complex moves over and over again is quite mind-blowing. But let’s get back to our question: how do we develop a consistent golf swing? The answer is two-fold, and I imagine most golfers are aware of the first point but probably only a few are aware of the second. The keys to a consistent swing are: 1) efficient golf swing mechanics and 2) the body. Got it? Good, now I can stop writing this article and all of us can become scratch golfers, right? Well, not exactly, and I imagine some of you are saying, “I already know all this stuff.” Others may be quite intrigued. Regardless of which category you fall into, let me expand on each of these topics a little.
Golf Swing Mechanics
Golf Swing mechanics is probably the easier of the two areas to understand. It is the reason why we take golf lessons and practice so much at the range. Beginning at address, moving through all the stages of the golf swing, and finishing with the follow through, the body is required to move through a specific sequence of movements to perform the golf swing correctly. If the body does not move through this sequence properly then the result will be a poor, inefficient and awkward looking swing. Over time, a poor swing results in poor consistency (every once in awhile you hit a good shot regardless of your swing, that’s what keeps us coming back for more). An easy example of this is when you “come over the top” with the club. This usually results in a slice (I know, easy thing to do and very hard to correct).
In addition to the body performing an intricate number of biomechanical movements in the golf swing, timing of these movements is critical for you to hit the ball successfully. Each and every biomechanical movement within the golf swing has a certain sequence and timing. If they are not performed in the correct order or timing, then the golf swing will not be efficient. Poor timing results in those wonderful slices, snap hooks, chili dips and topping the ball that we know all too well.
Now, how do we improve on the mechanics of the golf swing? I would have to say it is through two things:
1) Proper instruction (Find a good teacher and stick with that teacher.) Most of the pros do, why not you?) And
2) Practice, practice, practice. As they say “practice makes perfect”, and I believe this is true when it comes to the golf swing.
Fix the Engine that Swings the Club
Now, on to the second point when it comes to consistency in golf. Again, this is probably the lesser known of the two points about consistency in the swing. It is also equally as important as the mechanics of your swing. One question may help you realize the importance of “the body” when it comes to the golf swing. What swings the golf club?
Some of the answers I have heard are: “my hands,” “the swing,” “my hips” and even “the grip.” Well, these answers are in the ballpark and are close to being right, but let me simplify it for you. The answer is your body. Quite simple when you think about it: The club head is attached to the shaft, your hands grip the shaft, your arms are attached to your shoulders, your hips rotate through the swing, and on and on we go. It is the body that swings the club. So why is this so important to consistency in your golf game?
We know from our golf lessons, that there are certain positions the body is required to be during the golf swing. For example, at address we know that the feet are slightly wider than shoulder width, knees slightly bent, back at a certain angle, head in a specific position, and our hands gripping the club a certain way. This is only the beginning of what the body has to do to swing the club correctly. Now, from the address position your body must move the club on the correct path and generate club head speed to hit the ball accurately and with power. Doing this over and over is what we define as consistency.
What most people do not understand is that for the body to perform the golf swing correctly, certain parameters need to be met by the body. The body must have certain levels of flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, stability, and power. If your body does not have the minimal levels of these factors in relation to the golf swing, then what do you think will happen? Well, let me tell you, it will be very difficult for the body to swing the club with the correct mechanics. And what will this result in over time? A large amount of time spent on the range with little improvement on the course and a swing that looks less than desirable.
So what does consistency in my golf swing really come down to?
It is vital to understand that improvements in your golf swing mechanics and improvements in your body specific to golf are equally important when it comes to creating a consistent golf swing. If you ignore either the body or the mechanics, it would be safe to say that your golf swing and game will suffer. Take some time on a routine basis to address both the mechanics of your swing and the body supporting it. I think you will find the benefits to be very rewarding.
The CORRECT Way to Play an Uphill Golf Shot
Shawn Clement explains how to play a shot from an uphill lie, in this unique golf lesson.
HOW TO SYNC UP YOUR BODY AND ARMS IN THE GOLF SWING
Chris Ryan shows you what checkpoints you can have in your golf swing to ensure your arm and body are working together in your golf swing.
