To properly hit a golf ball, you will need to use the same basic biomechanics employed in other sport striking skills, such as hitting a baseball or a tennis forehand. Understanding the fundamentals of a golf stroke--including proper grip, ball address, backswing and forward swing--will start you on the path to a game you can play for a lifetime.
Holding the Club
Before you worry about swing technique, you need to make sure you are holding the club correctly. Start by gripping the club with both hands, using a hand alignment that will prevent you from sending the ball to the right or left when you're aiming straight. The basic golf grip for a right-handed golfer places the left hand above the right hand on the club, with the two hands touching. The more you can see the palm of your right hand, the "stronger" the grip, which helps prevent a slice, or a spinning ball that travels to the right. Too strong a grip can create a hook, sending the ball to the left. For you to get more distance, the club will need to travel fast. Gripping your club tightly increases tension in your forearm muscles, leading to deceleration of the club.
Standing Over the Ball
The "address" refers to your position in relation to the ball as you prepare to hit it. If you are too close to the ball, you will swing outside to inside, creating a slice. If you stand too far away from the ball, you'll hook your shot. Placing the ball forward in your stance, or closer to your front foot, gives you more power, but can create a hook on long-distance shots. A ball placement farther back in your swing gives you more control, and you'll use this placement for shorter shots. The wider apart you place your feet, the lower your center of gravity, which will help you create more power on your shots. If you move your right foot farther back under you, meaning the big toe of your right foot is closer to the middle of your left foot, you will create a closed stance, which helps you get more body rotation to create power on longer shots. Move the right foot slightly forward and you will have a more open stance.
Hitting the Ball
The golf swing includes a backswing, the forward swing and the follow-through. Taking the club back in a smooth motion, using a natural body movement that lets you take the club straight back and swing straight forward, may seem simple enough, but there are many variables that can affect the club path. Assuming that you have correctly addressed the ball, you can still dip your knees, head or shoulder at the wrong time, snap your wrists too early or too late, stand on your toes during the forward swing or create other movements that disrupt the swing.
Begin your swing by "pushing" the club back with your shoulders instead of using your arms to pull your torso back with them. At the top of your swing, slow down slightly so you can effectively transfer the energy you created during the backswing into the forward swing. As you drop your club and begin your forward swing, open your hips to pull your arms into the shot and let your club come forward naturally. Just before contact, snap your wrists by turning your hands over so that you can see the top of you right hand and palm of your left hand. Don't stop at contact. Slow your swing down after you hit the ball, using a natural follow-through that brings your hands back up to your shoulder.
Basic Practice
The Graduated Length method of learning will help you learn to simplify the golf swing by forcing you to start small, adding a little more backswing and forward swing at each stage, instead of trying to coordinate all of the elements of a full swing at once. Start with putting to get a feel for holding, addressing and moving the club. Move to chipping, which is a slightly longer putting swing played from off the green. Move to pitching, which has you use a longer, but still abbreviated, swing with an iron. Continue to increase the length of your swing until you have worked your way up to a driver.
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