As a beginner golfer, you are advised to book a session with a professional golf instructor to get a grip of the basics. Starting off in golf and doing things all your own way can feel great but ultimately you will reach a stage where your development stagnates.
This could be due to a few reasons but one of which comes from accepting advice from friends or other casual golfers.
There are many swing myths which are common on golf courses around the world and while the underlying principle of the advice may be good, the way it is delivered and acted upon is way off the mark.
For example, how often have you heard someone say, ‘keep your head down’ after you have topped a shot. While looking up on the shot before contacting the ball can cause a mishit, simply keeping the head down is not going to solve this problem.
Beginner golfers often take advice and apply it to the extreme. In this instance, that means focussing on keeping the head down, with eyes on the ball always. This leads to a build up of tension in the shoulders and neck and inhibits the whole swing process.
Chances are, the result of the shot is no better than the previous one you played. The head should be allowed to swivel a little and come up towards the target with the leading shoulder following impact with the ball.
‘Keep your left/right arm straight’ is another tip often shouted across the golf course among a group of beginner golfers.
Yes, many of the top players in the world do play with a straight leading arm but you should not be forcing yourself to try and keep it straight throughout the swing. This will only increase the tension in the shot and that’s the last thing you want when playing golf.
There is nothing wrong with having a little bend in your leading arm when playing golf, just ask Jordan Spieth. While it is not encouraged to actively try and bend your arm during your swing, if you do so naturally, there is no need to try and force it to remain straight. This will only hinder and not improve your shot, so focus on the other fundamentals of your swing before addressing the bend in your leading arm.
Another piece of advice often handed out free of charge on the golf course is ‘swing slowly’ and this can cause all sorts of problems.
If you start concentrating on swinging slowly, this can see all the acceleration required to play a good shot lost. A lack of clubhead speed will see the distance of the shot reduced and can also result in mishit shots.
Every golfer has their own tempo and you should play to the one which produces the best results for you. This may be different to the typical tempo expected but swinging slowly is not going to solve anything.
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