Golf Swing Tricks

Mark Twain once described golf as "a good walk spoiled," but you can enjoy walking on the green and play good golf at the same time. You can improve your strokes, lower your score and increase your enjoyment of the game without costly lessons and months of re-learning technique with a variety of tried-and-true tricks to help you find quick fixes to your swing problems.

Parallel Club

An incorrect swing path, both backward and forward, can lead to the dreaded inside-out and outside-in golf swings which lead to slicing and hooking. An easy way to help you learn, and later visualize, a more even take back and forward swing is to place a golf club parallel to your feet on the opposite side of the ball you are hitting. Following the line of the club on your backswing will help you get your club in the correct position, which will then allow you to swing straight to the ball.
After you practice this way and achieve a straighter swing, remove the club from the ground but visualize that it's still there. When on the course, use this visualization technique to keep your swing straight. In some instances, it's legal to place your club on the tee box in this way as a stroke aid while you're playing a round. Check with someone in the pro shop before you play for a ruling.

1-2-3

The reference to a pendulum (even backswing and forward swing) to describe a golf swing interferes with the physiological processes which occur during that movement. The backswing uses eccentric muscle contractions (you extend the muscles), while the forward swing require concentric muscle contractions (you contract the muscles). In order to properly transfer the stored energy from the backswing to the forward swing, you must slow down at the top of your take back before starting your forward swing. Instead of thinking of your stroke as a 1-2 motion, learn a 1-2-3 motion to get more distance and control, as this is a more natural rhythm.

Loosen Your Grip

Too many players hold their club too tightly, trying to hit the ball "hard." A tight grip actually tenses your forearm muscles and causes you to decelerate, losing your yardage. Practice taking your club back with your pinkies off the club, to get a feel for how relaxed the rest of your fingers should be. You can also imagine that your club made of firm, dense clay: you can hold it loosely without it changing shape, but if you squeeze it too tightly, it will squish through your hands. Finally, think of swinging the club "fast," not "hard," and you'll get the acceleration you need for more distance.