What Are The Five Keys To Starting Golf?

There are five key elements when starting golf. These include having knowledge of a solid set-up, posture, grip and basic backswing and downswing motions. The most important are the first three as how you form your posture, grip and set-up will have a large impact on your balance, swing path and impact position. It can feel methodical at the beginning but once you form your foundation, the swing will start to naturally evolve from there.

Now in terms of the posture, you just want to make sure that you have your back reasonably straight and tilled from the waist at a 45 degree angle. This is extremely important as this will influence your swing path. Your swing path moves around the body at a 45 degree angle so having your posture set at this angle will help form the ideal path. Now in terms of your set-up, you just want to ensure the left hip is slightly bumped to the left and your right shoulder tilted down. The goal is to have your left shoulder and and left hip in a straight line. You want to also have the ball position just forward of middle for all numbered irons, middle of your stance for wedges and for fairway woods and hybrids just back from your left heel and the driver opposite your left heel.

Now with the grip there are three different types of grips. However the foundation of the grip remains the same no matter which variation you choose. First of all you want to place the club in your left hand (this would be opposite for a left hander) and then position the club just on the line below your pinkie and then angle it across to the middle of your index finger. You then wrap your left hand and have the line created by your index finger and thumb pointed at your right shoulder.

With your right hand, you then want to hold the club through the centre of your bottom three fingers and place the groove below the pad of your thumb into your left thumb. You then want to also have the line created by the index finger and thumb also pointed at the right shoulder. Lastly the three variations include the Overlap where the pinkie of the right hand sits on top of the index finger of the left hand and the Interlock is where the pinkie sits underneath the index finger of the left hand. Now as a Beginner you could choose the Ten Finger grip for the short term which means you don't interlock or overlap any fingers however you for the longer term you would be recommended in connecting your fingers as this will give you the ability to control impact even more.

Now with the Backswing you simply just want to ensure that the left shoulder moves under the chin while your head remains relatively stable. For the Downswing we want to make sure that you move your weight onto your left foot. We want to see 100% of weight is transferred onto your left foot at the end of your swing with your body including your chest, hips and back foot is pointing at the target. You want to have the goal at the beginning to try an pose at the end of your shot for around three seconds holding the ideal finish in order to condition muscle memory.

If you'd like any further help with starting golf just contact myself at David Waters Golf located at Emerald Lakes Golf Coaching Centre.