What makes a golf swing effective? Rhythm? Speed? Tempo? While these elements are factors, a golf swing works best when a player strikes the ball with the clubhead square to the line of flight, pointing at the target and with the right angle of attack. It’s the one fundamental that all great golfers share—and it’s a point I cover in my golf lessons. In fact, many golf instruction sessions revolve around the idea.
The five stages of a golf swing are set-up, takeaway, backswing, impact, and follow-through. If each stage is executed properly, the player will strike the ball at the bottom of his or her swing at exactly the right time and in exactly the right position. The five stages are as common to your swing as they are to Greg Norman’s, Arnold Palmer’s, or Sergio Garcia’s. My golf tips often address each of these stages.
Let’s examine each:
The setup is critical in the swing, a point I stress in my golf lessons. The foundation of your swing, the setup, is the one component that you completely control. A good setup— feet and shoulders aligned to the target line, weight evenly distributed, knees slightly bent, head high, chin up so as not to impede the shoulder turn—gives the swing the best chance of succeeding. A bad setup severely limits the chances of success and contributes to a bad swing.
The takeaway is also critical. Mistakes made here often lead to destructive compensations later in the swing. My golf instruction emphasizes that the first 24 inches or so of the takeaway is crucial. It helps determine the swing’s width and the clubhead’s path. Hands and arms take the club away in a slow movement, bringing the club to the top of the swing. A full shoulder turn accompanies the takeaway and moves in unison with the hands and arms.
The backswing begins in one piece. The club should be as close to parallel to the target line as possible. The left knee works in toward the ball. This is the ideal position from which to deliver a square blow to the ball. At the top of the swing the club changes direction, from backward to forward. The transfer of weight from your right side to your left side accompanies the start of the downswing. The shoulders turn in unison with the hands and arms as the club moves forward. It’s vital that this move be smooth. Any jerkiness throws the club off the correct arc or plane.
The point of impact, as my golf tips point out, is the most important stage of the swing. At this point, the swing should mirror the address position, except that your weight has moved to the left side. The player’s head remains behind the ball while his hands and arms move inside the ball along the target line, and the shoulders turn in unison with the hands and arms.
Solid impact is the common element in all great golf swings, regardless what the rest looks like. It’s a point my golf instruction stresses to every student, experienced or inexperienced.
The follow-through results from the impetus of the club through impact. The follow-through carries the club around in a freewheeling motion. The right heel comes off the ground after the weight moves to the left side, and the club remains in control in a balanced finish. The follow-through is a good indicator of the shot’s quality. If it ends with a nice finish, chances are the swing was effective.
Naturally, there will be some slight variations to this sequence. No two golf swings are the same, golf lessons not withstanding. In fact, if you watch three players on the PGA Tour closely, you’ll probably see three different swings. Ian Woosnam, for example, who is short and stocky, has a slightly flatter swing than Ernie Els, who’s taller and thinner. Woosnam also stands farther away from the ball at address than Els does. Despite these differences, both players deliver the clubhead square to the target line at the right angle of attack. Every great player does.
The components of an effective swing are well known. Now that I’ve covered them, there’s only one thing left for you to do. That’s practice. It’s the one thing golf instructions can’t help you with. I can work with students for hours and provide them with countless golf tips, but if they don’t practice, they’ll never lower their golf handicaps.
Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80…And Shoot Like The Pros!”. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that was able to figure out the secrets of shooting in the 70’s on a consistent basis without quitting your day job. Jack has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately.
