More and more Tour players are changing their swings. Why? They want to match the latest advances in equipment and physical conditioning. These changes add power and efficiency to their swings. The result: They’re hitting longer, more accurate shots. And they’re doing it more consistently.
You, too, can add power and accuracy using recent changes in equipment and physical conditioning. Beefing up your swing and increasing accuracy can help you card more birdies and pars, which will help whittle down your golf handicap. But the changes you make must fit your swing. Otherwise, the change won’t help you much. The golf tips below detail four swing changes we teach in golf lessons that we think can help any golfer.
Below are 4 swing changes that will boost your game:
• Bunker Shots
The standard approach to hitting bunker shots calls for you to open your stance and clubface and use an outside-in swing path. This approach works well in many cases. But the approach has drawbacks—especially when it comes to trajectory, distance, and spin.
Today’s pros set up square to the target, not open to it. They also squat down a bit, stand farther from the ball, and position the ball more forward to match recent advances in wedge design. This in turn produces a more rounded swing that helps slide the clubface under the ball—providing better control of trajectory, distance, and spin.
• Releasing The Club
The standard way of releasing the club requires you to rotate your hands. How well you do this depends heavily on timing. If your timing is off even a little, your shot is off.
Today’s tour players release the club using the big muscles in their bodies to control the club’s release. Why the change? Thanks to advances in physical conditioning, today’s tour players have stronger cores, which let them use the larger muscles in their body more efficiently.
• Pitch Shots
Pitching is another aspect of the game where technology and conditioning impact the swing. The standard way of hitting a pitch shot, which is still being taught in many golf instruction sessions, requires you to cut across the ball with an open clubface. This way of hitting a pitch works well in many situations. But it doesn’t work well if the pin is in the middle or the back of the green or you’re hitting into a head wind.
Many Tour players hit pitches with a low trajectory shot to pins in the green’s middle or back or when hitting into a headwind. Hitting lower shots requites a more rounded swing. The rounded swing produces a draw that doesn’t spin as much and releases when it hits the green. To practice this shot, we have players in our golf instruction sessions hit pitch shots off a tee, so they can get the feel of a more rounded swing.
• Swing Efficiency
Tour players’ swings tend to be much more efficient than previously. That’s because they stay centered over the ball during the backswing. Staying centered means you don’t have to time your swing to make up for swaying or sliding. It also encourages less body movement. But be careful. You don’t want to fall into the trap of a reverse pivot.
We use this simple drill in our golf lessons to teach students to stay centered over the ball. Address the ball as you normally would. Place your golf bag against your right side. Now swing. If you push the bag, you moved back during your backswing. If you don’t, you’ve stayed centered. Staying center helps you load your body for storing efficient power.
Many Tour players are capitalizing on recent advances in equipment and physical conditioning to make beneficial swing change. These 4 swing changes will boost your game and help you card more pars and birdies. Making more pars and birdies will help you break 80 and cut strokes from your golf handicap.
