Swinging the golf club properly is a skill many golfers spend years trying to learn. To swing the club consistently and hit a good shot more than just every once in a while, golfers must learn the proper grip, stance, backswing, downswing and follow-through. Most importantly, golfers have to learn how to put all of these factors together to build a repeatable swing.
Address
To hit the ball correctly, you must address the ball consistently. If you are a right-handed golfer, make sure your left shoulder is facing the target. Your left foot should be directly beneath your left shoulder and your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Play the ball about one ball-width closer to your front foot than your back foot. Your knees should be bent in an athletic position so you can transfer your weight from your back leg to your front leg.
Grip
The grip is an essential issue in how your will swing the club. Take the club in your left hand and hold it about 1/4-inch from the top. Wrap your fingers around the club and place your thumb down the shaft of the club. Place the small finger of your right hand in the gap between your forefinger and middle finger of your left hand. Wrap the rest of your fingers around the club and place your right thumb down the shaft. Grip the club at about a "6" on a scale of 1 to 10. If you hold the club tighter than that, you won't get a full rotation of your shoulder when you swing. If you hold it more loosely than that, the club head won't be steady on impact with the ball and you'll likely hit it poorly.
Backwing
Start your backswing by rotating your hips to the rear. As you rotate your hips, start bringing your arms back. You want to rotate your hips as far as they will go, and you want forearms and the shaft of the club to be perpendicular to each other at the top of your backswing. Just as you are ready to come forward, your weight and momentum will be on your back leg.
Downswing
Rotate your hips forward to begin your downswing. Your weight will be on your back leg but your momentum will come through your hips and midsection as you swing the club. Keep your eyes focused on the rear and center portion of the ball as the club head descends into the hitting zone. Shift your weight to your front leg and then make contact with the ball.
Follow-Through
Continue driving forward with your club once you make contact. Do not stop your swing or pick your head up to look at your shot. Slowing down or stopping after impact will result in a loss of distance or accuracy --- or both. Make sure you bring the club up to shoulder height before you take your eye off the ball and finish your swing.
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