Do you want to play GREAT Golf in 2024?
Well then you’re in the right place!
In this blog I will explain 10 VERY helpful tips in order for you to develop your swing into a perfect golf swing! I’ve learned these tips in my 3+ years of golf experience, allowing me to play as a 9 handicap golfer.
Lets get started…
Tempo:
What is Tempo?
- Tempo is the pace of your golf swing from backswing, transition, downswing, and follow-through
Why is it important?
- It is very important to have tempo, because this is where everything in your swing syncs up together. Without it, your swing will be inconsistent
How do I perfect it in my golf swing?
- The way you perfect tempo in your golf swing is through repetition and rhythm. Practicing your timing will add consistency and reliability into your swing, ultimately building a perfect golf swing.
Alignment:
What is Alignment?
Alignment is a concept focused on before you even swing your club. The purpose of having alignment is to create consistency in your golf swing through firstly aiming at the right target, but also replacing redundant, ineffective habits with key habits to success in your golf swing.
Why is it important?
Without it, it is very difficult to have a consistent golf swing, for 2 main reasons. First, you won’t be aiming at the right target, ultimately making it very difficult for the ball to end up on target. Second, to overcompensate for the inaccuracy, it is very common to experiment with flawed habits, making for an unreliable swing with many misses.
How do I perfect it in my golf swing?
To perfect your swing and include proper alignment, there are 2 simple steps.
1) Take a video of where you’re aiming
- In order to do this, take a video of you from down the line (behind you, able to see your swing and ball flight)
- Now take another video, but this time lay a club down on the ground pointing at the target you’re aiming for, and position your feet to stay parallel with this club that you just put down
- In addition to or instead of laying a golf club down, you could invest in an alignment rod as well
- The difference in the videos will be your setup. Many things will be impacted from having an un-aligned setup (posture, club path, balance, shoulders)
2) Practice with someone else
- They will be able to help position you and tell you where it looks like you’re aiming
Additional practice:
- Review pro’s swing through watching videos of them from a down the line camera angle. The video analysis you perform will go a long way in your game and will help you perfect your golf swing!
Weight Transfer
What is Weight Transfer?
Weight Transfer is how you gain power and properly compress the golf ball in your golf swing. It is the movement and shift of your weight during your backswing and downswing.
Why is it important?
Weight Transfer is very important in the golf swing, because without, many miss hits will occur, or, in the case you hit the ball well, loads of power will be missing due to your body weight being out of place and you won’t get fully through the ball.
How do I perfect it in my golf swing?
The way to perfect weight transfer in your golf swing is by ensuring your weight is on your backfoot, in the inside of the heel, during the backswing, and then during your downswing and through impact the weight will transfer to your lead side, allowing you to compress the golf ball.
There are many ways to fix this issue, and make sure it is solid for next time, including:
- Light swings while over-exaggerating where your weight is, and being very mindful of it
- Focus on rotating your hips and torso
- Do a practice swing with correct weight transfer, and then inverse it, and see why proper weight transfer feels better
- Watch the pro golfers
- Record your swing and see where you’re going wrong
Posture
What is Posture?
Posture is how you address the golf ball, as well as your body positioning through your entire swing and especially during impact.
Why is it important?
Without good posture, your swing won’t be as consistent because you’re always starting in different positions, sometimes you might be standing tall, and others you might be hunched over. Not to mention, improper posture can cause a lot of stress on your muscles and can create injuries.
How do I perfect it in my golf swing?
To perfect your posture when playing golf, make sure you’re not putting too much stress on your back. You can do this by bending your knees slightly and hinging over the golf ball, not hunching your back, and checking in with a certified individual to confirm you have proper posture.
- Watch the pros and compare it to videos of your own swing, and see what the key differences are in your posture versus theirs
- Any swing that works, works. So, if you have a posture technique that feels better and won’t cause pain in the short or long term, then it is probably worth it to swing that swing. However, be mindful that it is repeatable, that way you are maintaining a consistent swing still
Setup
What is Setup?
Setup is how you address the ball and everything you do before you even start your swing.
Why is it important?
Setup is very important in the golf swing, and it is similar to alignment. If you aren’t set up correctly, whether it be alignment, posture, club selection, distance from the ball, ball position, or numerous other factors, it is very difficult to make solid, consistent contact of the golf ball.
How do I perfect it in my golf swing?
To perfect setup, you need to have a pre-shot routine. This routine can include anything you want, as long as it is something that helps you get back to that ideal starting position.
Keys to remember in your setup:
- Correct posture is maintained
- You are aligned to your target
- You are a correct and comfortable distance away from the golf ball
Wrist Angles
What are Wrist Angles?
Wrist angles are the direction and bend in your wrists in all parts of the golf game. The 3 examples include:
- Cupped wrist: Where your lead wrist feels as if it is bent up and your knuckles feels as though they are close to the top of your forearm
- Straight/flat wrist: From your elbow to your knuckles is a straight line and is most commonly played by professional golfers
- Bowed wrist: Your knuckles are pushed down and your fingers can almost touch the underside of your forearm
Why are they important?
Wrist angles are very important in the golf swing because they can dictate a lot. Next time you are golfing, try each wrist angle out, and see the impact it has during your swing.
Each player is different, and some forms fit each player. That being said, a cupped wrist is commonly creating issues, like slices, and you don’t hear about professionals playing a cupped wrist.
How do I perfect them in my golf swing?
To perfect them, take a video of yourself, and see which wrist angle you use. If it works, or if it is naturally flat, it is most likely worth it to keep doing it. If not, watch a professional with a swing you look up to, and try to modify your wrist angles to match their wrist angles.
Takeaway
What is Takeaway?
Takeaway is the very first movement you do away from the golf ball at the initial address.
Why is it important?
It is very important because it can dictate the direction of your downswing and impact position very early on in your golf swing. Club path plays a significant factor in the shot shape you are going to hit. No, it’s not everything but it is crucial.
This ties into your takeaway, because the takeaway heavily influences your club path, ultimately influencing the shot shape and outcome of your golf swing.
How do I perfect it in my golf swing?
To perfect your takeaway, first figure out what type of shot shape you are working on hitting.
- Draw: Ball bends right to left (for right handed golfers)
- Straight
- Fade: Ball bends left to right (for right handed golfers)
Next, practice the club path through your takeaway:
- Draw: Bring the club more inside and the direction of your trail foot earlier, and then follow through by letting the club reach out in front of you after impact
- Straight: Try to keep the club on a straight back takeaway. Imagine there is a line directly behind your golf ball and you need to try and keep your club on that line for as long as you can
- Fade: Bring the club back a bit above the imaginary straight line. During impact your club is still going to be square but you will be hitting across the ball, coming from a wider, outside position, and swinging back in, across your lead foot, slightly
Rotation
What is Rotation?
This is how you generate power in your golf swing through allowing each part of your body to move in order to allow the club to continue on the backswing path, without compromising any positions, leading to errors.
Why is it important?
Without rotation you lose power, control, and consistency.
How do I perfect it in my golf swing?
To perfect rotation in your golf swing you need to move as one. What I mean is, move your entire body together, and your hands and club will automatically follow. Imagine there is a pole in the middle of your body and head that needs to stay straight and together the entire time. Now, how do you generate power if that pole can’t move up, down, forward, backward, or sideways? You rotate it. It can stay still but you’re turning. This will generate power and allow your club to get to the top, where you rotate back the opposite way creating power and lag in the golf swing.
Finding “The Pocket”
What is The Pocket?
The pocket is the position in your golf swing right at the start of your downswing, when the club drops with your trail elbow, allowing you to rotate through the ball and compress it.
Why is it important?
It is very important, because without it, power is lost, as well as you create potential for errors to occur.
How do I perfect it in my golf swing?
You can perfect the sequence to getting to the pocket by practicing your golf swing with a pause. Now, how do you do this? You need to setup, and begin your backswing as normal. Once you’re at the top of your swing, pause for a brief second or two. Now, as you rotate and weight transfer back to other side during your downswing, keep in mind your hands dropping slightly and finding the pocket. At this position, your rotation will carry out the rest of your swing and your hands will be in position to perfect impact.
Squared Club Face
What is a Squared Club Face?
This is when your club finds it way back to the position it was at address before the golf ball, but while you’re making contact with the golf ball.
Why is it important?
Without a squared club face it is very hard to make solid contact, and if you do, it won’t be consistent. This is because a good swing without a club face that is squared can result in a miss-hit. If the swing is over-compensating for the unsquared club face, it won’t be consistent because it relies on the timing of the overcompensation to make up for this error, ultimately losing power as well.
How do I perfect it in my golf swing?
To perfect it in your golf swing, first practice small swings. This is going to allow you to get the feel for having a squared club face through impact. Next, make a slightly larger golf swing. Only move onto the next stages when you master the smaller swings.
A great drill is doing a practice swing and pausing as best as you can right at impact. Take a look at your club path and if the club was squared to the ball.
If it is ever raining, and you use a turf mat, you can see your club hit the ground, and the way the mark left in the water is facing will tell you a lot about the contact and club face. Same goes for a divot. The way your divot faces tells you a lot about your club path, and if the club was even squared relative to the path.
Next, watch professionals and understand how they keep the club on plane throughout their entire golf swing, allowing them to have a square clubface when making contact with the golf club.
What tip are you going to use first?
Leave a comment down below and let me know!
For videos related to similar topics or if you want to reach out to me, checkout my Instagram account @ jimmyrodgegolf
Thank you for reading!
Jimmy