The golf swing is a specific application of the general sport skill of striking. The striking skill is used in baseball batting, the tennis forehand, a hockey shot and the golf swing. Knowing the fundamentals of the striking skill and how they apply to the golf swing will help you make more pars than divots.
Contact Point
To hit a golf shot with power (to make it go far), you must get your weight, not just your arms, into the ball on contact. The ball should be placed forward of the center of your body (between your front and back foot) and far enough in front of you so you can extend your arms.
For longer shots, the ball should be placed an inch or so forward or your center, with the ball moving back one ball width as you use shorter clubs. The ball should be back in your stance only for shorter shots (pitches and chips). If you place the ball too far forward in your stance, you'll pull the ball to the left (if you are right-handed), creating a hook. If you place the ball too far back in your stance, you'll hit late, lose power and create a slice (with the ball traveling from right to left).
If you stand with the ball too close to you, you have to stand on your toes to get out of the way of the downward swing, and that creates an outside-in swing path--and a slice. If you have to lean too far forward to reach the ball, you'll create an inside-out swing path--and a hook.
Grip
Gripping the club too tightly creates tension in the forearms and can cause deceleration in the club, decreasing your distance. Hold your club loosely, and let your legs, hips, core and trunk create your power. If your grip is too closed (right palm down for right-handers), you will slice more. If your grip is too open (right palm up), you'll hook. Experiment to find the right grip for you, based on your swing technique.
Swing Path
You generally will want your club to travel toward your target during your swing (unless you are trying to slice or hook around an obstacle). This means your club head should be squared toward your target at impact and continue to travel that direction until your natural body rotation turns the club. Your ball placement and grip will help you achieve this club-face angle at impact.
Power
You generate power using your big muscles (legs, hip, core and trunk). In fact, according to sport researcher Dr. Bruce Elliott of the University of Western Australia, most power comes from internal shoulder rotation during a striking skill. To get this shoulder rotation, open your hips shortly after you begin your downward swing. Think of it as "throwing" your trailing hip at the ball before contact, then letting your arms whip through.
Follow-Through
Many beginners are so intent on hitting the ball that they often stop at contact, creating a choppy swing that decelerates before impact and hits the ground before or after the swing. Following all the way through a golf swing is as crucial to success as a running across and past the finish line is for an Olympic runner.
Tempo
For long strokes, the rhythm of the golf swing is 1-2-3. The backswing is 1, the slight pause or slowdown at the top of the backswing is 2, and the forward swing is 3. For pitches, chips and putts, the rhythm is 1-2, with an equidistant backswing and follow-through.
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