The average male amateur golf player’s speed sits at 93.4 miles per hour. But are you looking to swing like the pros at the Masters? Or just looking to one-up your buddies at the next local golf tournament? Then you’ll have to get practicing!
There’s a lot that goes into making a good golf swing. Accuracy, power, and alignment all factor into it. So we’ve got the top seven golf practice tips to up your game that consider all these factors. Keep reading, then get to swinging!
1. Stretch Before You Swing
Flexibility in your body makes for a good swing. And you’ll want to avoid injury at all costs!
For golf, you’ll want to focus on stretching the hamstrings, neck and shoulders, and spine. Twisting stretches and warmups are particularly good for preparing your body to swing.
2. Target Practice
To improve the accuracy of your swing, you’ll want to practice visualizing your target. The pros have a saying: “Aim small, miss small.” If you visualize a small area to aim the swing, you’ll have a smaller margin for error.
Drop the general “aiming for the fairway” and start getting specific. One exercise you can use is imagining a ring of fire over your target for your ball to glide through.
3. Approach and Stance
The approach is everything. Ensure your club is aimed next to the ball before you take your stance next to it. On the range, you can use alignment sticks to help get your feet and club in line.
Middle irons need a shoulder-width stance. Other clubs require a wider or shorter stance depending on the club length. Play around with each to find what works best for you with each club.
4. Find Your Grip
Grip varies from player to player and from club to club. But one grip lesson is universal- relax your grip. If you hold on too tightly, you’ll lose power in your swing.
Find a happy medium of grip pressure that allows you to keep control while staying relaxed. Then, repeat that routine with each club you have so you’re ready for anything!
5. Alignment and Movement
Alignment before and after the swing is key. You don’t want to sway too much and learn to separate shoulders from the hips during a downswing. Tuck your right elbow and keep it in throughout the swing.
Movement during the swing is all about proper weight transfer. Practice moving your weight to your left foot on the downswing and pointing your knee towards the ball.
6. Practice Off the Range
If you’re really dedicated, look into indoor golf equipment so you can practice your golf at home. With just enough room, you can practice even when you can’t make it to the driving range with products like an indoor digital swing trainer!
7. Keep Swinging
Once you get into the groove of your swing, it can feel good! But you’ll want a good swing to become muscle memory. Your best bet is repitition.
Whatever you do, make sure to practice one element at a time. Spend time with stance, grip, swing, and speed individually so you can figure out what works and what needs improvement.
Golf Practice Makes Perfect
Now that you’re armed with the best tips for golf practice, make sure to get out there and have fun! Find the best exercises and drills for your golf game so you can play to your strengths on the course.
Keep browsing the blog for more sports and health tips!