If you’re just starting out playing golf, you’re not going to make it very far past the tee if you don’t know how to grip and swing a golf club!
But don’t worry! Here at Big Buck Golf, we are all about learning, practicing, and perfecting the game.
To get you started, here’s a guide on how to grip and swing a golf club:
Setting Up Your Swing
Gripping Your Golf Club
How you grip your golf club depends on your level of expertise and comfort, but no matter how you hold your club, grip is an important element of your entire swing!
First, hold your golf club with your left hand, resting the heel of your palm along the top edge of the handle.
Next, rotate your right hand to the right until you can look down and see two knuckles of your left hand.
From here, move the heel of your right hand to overlap your left thumb. Close your hand to form a “V” that points to your mid-sternum.
Hold your golf club at waist height and horizontal to the ground to adjust your grip.
Proper Golf Swing Stance
Swinging all starts with the perfect stance.
Your front foot should be slightly ahead of the ball, with your club resting near the centre of your body and the golf ball positioned around the middle of your stance.
You should be close enough to the ball so that you can reach it with your arms straight and relaxed. Avoid bending your elbows or overstretching your arms.
Bend your knees slightly and balance your weight on the balls of your feet, distributing your weight between both feet.
Relax your grip and get ready to swing!
The Golf Swing
The Backswing
The backswing is the first step to delivering an amazing swing!
Relaxing your grip is important since a tight grip can hinder your shoulders and wrists.
To backswing, lift the club back and bring it above your head. Be sure to rotate your torso as you shift your weight to your back foot.
Your hands, arms, and shoulders should move away from the ball as you reach hip level and your wrists should rotate as you go higher.
By the end of your backswing, your shoulders should be at a 90-degree angle, with your left arm comfortably stretched and your right arm slightly bent.
Be sure to keep your eye on the ball during your backswing! In fact, you want to look at the ball throughout the entire swing.
The Downswing
Once you are in the backswing position, it’s time to downswing. Downswinging begins when you start to lower your club to hit the ball.
Basically, you want to perform a reverse movement to the backswing, lowering your arms and rotating your body in the opposite direction.
Once you hit the ball, your body should be in a similar position to the start of your backswing.
Following Through On Your Swing
Your swing doesn’t end once your club makes contact with the ball.
To properly follow through on your swing, allow your arms to continue moving forward, keeping your wrists firm and turning your body until it aligns with your target.
Your body weight should shift and rest on your left leg while your right knee moves to the left. Lift your right heel and stop your hands at eye level (or a little behind).
Now you are done with your swing!
Swing A Golf Driver
When you are swinging your driver, you want to make sure you get enough power into your shot for distance and accuracy.
Here are some tips for swinging your driver:
Do a practice swing to get a feel for your grip and flow.
Widen your stance to accommodate the driver’s larger swing arc.
Tilt your spine back in order to hit up on the ball and get more distance.
Practice with a lighter club to work on getting more power to the ball.
Swing A Golf Putter
Technically, when you are using your putter you are not swinging - you’re stroking. That’s because putting involves precision instead of distance.
Here are some tips for using your putter:
Set up your putt by squaring your feet, legs, arms, and shoulders to your target line.
Bend from the waist until your eyes are directly over the ball.
Keep your feet parallel to the target.
Swing your putter using a gentle arc, moving it further away from the ball for longer putts.
On the follow-through, maintain a consistent speed and don’t slow down.
The Chip Shot
A chip shot is a short game stroke where the ball rolls along the ground as far as it travels through the air. This produces a lower ball flight at a shorter distance.
Here are some tips for your chip shot swing:
Hit down to make the ball go up by tilting your body toward the target.
Keep your stance narrow.
Center the ball to launch it higher and position it back to launch it lower with more spin.
Practice Makes Perfect!
Are you ready to get practicing? Come visit our state-of-the-art golf range to perfect your grip and swing!
Located east of Wainwright, Alberta, we offer multiple hitting stalls, an array of targets, and a beautiful view!
Come visit us or contact us for more information.