Golf Basics
by Jeff O'Brien
I would like to focus the jest of this article on the basis
of the golf swing... the grip. With spring in the air and
golf on our minds let's get this year off to a good start
by not overlooking the basics.
Unquestionably the biggest mistake I see in people's golf
swing isn't in their golf swing itself.
Nope. Not at all.
More often than not the mistakes happen before the swing
even begins. The first mistake is made in how the golfer holds
the golf club. After that the next mistake usually comes in
with how they stand up to the ball. Poor posture. Then after
having two strikes against them, they then finish the job
of making it almost impossible to hit a good golf shot by
improperly lining up to their intended target.
Of course, after hitting several (possibly several hundred)
balls with only a minute few being what they think is acceptable
the tired frustrated golfer asks... what am I doing wrong
with my swing?
For the purposes of this article I want to discuss the very
first part of the proper golf swing ... the golf grip. In
fact, let's be even more precise here; the left hand grip
on the golf club. Oh sure... there's much more than just the
grip including the aforementioned posture and alignment. But
there's only so much typing I can do at one time so let's
stay with the grip for this communication.
The position of your club face is greatly influenced by
your grip. And this is especially true as your club face enters
the impact zone and contacts the ball. Certainly there is
an abundance of golf swing peccadillo's that can occur that
can cause those woeful golf shots. You know the ones I'm talking
about: the banana ball, the smothered hook, skied, skulled,
and chili dipped. Ok, I'll stop... If you'll stop trying to
correct your golf swing by in incessantly hitting ball after
ball trying to make every physical adjustment known to man
(and some that aren't) within your golf swing itself and begin
by using a fundamentally sound grip.
So you're going to continue on with me... great! Let's talk
about the left hand (right handed golfers) first and foremost.
The left had should come in contact with the grip of the
club in such a manner that the grip cuts a diagonal across
the palm of the left hand from the crook in the index finger
down and across to the bottom right pad of the left hand.
When you close your left hand, your club should be held in
the first to fingers and your palm.
The key that you look for out of your left had grip is quite
simple. As you address your ball and look down, you should
only see two knuckles of your left hand. As an instructor
standing directly across from you, I too should only see the
same. If I don't see EXACTLY two knuckles of your left hand
then we take a step back and re-grip until we get it right.
And don't try to cheat and re-grip club just as you begin
to take the golf club away and into your back swing. FOUL
I say. And I will stop you.
Ok. I certainly haven't given you that much to remember
here. But seriously golfers, resign yourself to go through
a quick, short checklist before you begin the journey we call
the golf swing. Start with your grip. Get used to it. A proper
grip will feel awkward to you particularly if your grip has
been way off. Stay with it. Know that it's the right way to
grip the golf club. Piece by piece let's lay the foundation
for a good swing.
About the Author
Jeff O'Brien is a youth and beginning golfer instructor with
a real insight on getting your golf swing and game off to
a start by establishing a good foundation onto which you build
your golf swing and game. Be sure to visit (http://www.golf-ology.com)
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