How to Swing a Golf Club Correctly & Improve Your Game

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A beginner’s guide to getting the perfect golf swing
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Swinging a golf club might seem difficult at first, but you can sharpen your skills with a little knowledge and practice. This article breaks down the steps for how to swing a golf club to help you learn the basics or get the most out of your swing. Plus, we spoke with golf instructor Mike Metz to get his expert advice on the proper way to swing a golf club to help you master the fundamentals.

How to Swing a Golf Club: The Basics

Hold the club in a comfortable and relaxed grip. Stand with one foot ahead of the ball in a place where you can reach it with the club head. Shift your weight from your front to your back foot and swing the club back. Swing the club down, dragging the club head. Don’t forget to follow the swing all the way through.

Section 1 of 5:

Stance for a Proper Golf Swing

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  1. Place your feet so that your front foot is slightly ahead of the ball. Your club will be resting near the center of your body. Keep your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, with your golf ball toward the middle of your stance. [1]
    • When you’re swinging hybrids or drivers , play more towards your front foot. Move toward the middle of your stance with smaller clubs like irons.
    • If you're a right-handed player, it will be the opposite. Place your left foot about one foot or less closer to the hole than the ball is.
    • If you're a left-handed player, place your right foot closer to the hole than the ball.
  2. Get close enough to the ball so that the middle of the club face reaches the ball with your arms out straight but still relaxed. Don't stand so close to the ball that you have to bend your elbows to accommodate the club positioning. At the same time, don't stand so far away that your arms are fully outstretched. [2]
    • Keep your upper body bent toward the ball at a 35-40 degree angle. Lean your torso slightly away from the target.
    • Make sure your hands are hanging about a fist or a fist and a half away from your thighs—this promotes a proper spine angle.
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  3. Alignment is the direction your feet and shoulders are pointed in. Line up your feet and shoulders so that an imaginary line that passes from your back shoulder to front shoulder points directly at your target. This is called keeping your alignment “square.” [3]
    • To check your alignment, get into your stance and place a golf club on the teeing area along the tips of your toes.
    • Step back from the golf club and look at the direction it's pointing in. It should be pointed either at your target or at the hole itself.
  4. An athletic stance puts your body in a stable position that’s ready for efficient movement. [4] Shift your weight to the balls of your feet. This makes it easier to shift your weight forward and then backward as you perform your swinging motion.
    • Move the heels of your feet off the ground slightly as you shift your weight between your front and back foot to get a feel for an even stance.
    • Although you'll shift your weight during your swing, start off with an even weight distribution.
    • Try a practice swing with your knees totally straight to see how hard it is—and how unnatural it feels—to swing a golf club without slightly bent knees.
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Section 2 of 5:

Correct Grip for a Perfect Golf Swing

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  1. A relaxed grip allows the club head to turn over as you swing, giving you better accuracy and better distance. This is referred to as closing through impact. There are several types of grips, and no one grip works for everyone. But no matter what type you choose, keep it relaxed and natural for the best swing. [5]
    • Avoid holding the club too tightly. A tight grip may cause the rest of your muscles to tense, hindering your swing. Try to keep it comfortable and natural.
    • The type of grip you choose should match your body type and the natural movement of your swing.
  2. 2
    Test out different grips to see which is most comfortable. There are 3 basic grips for golf clubs. For all three, the left hand of a right-handed golfer (and the right hand of a left-handed golfer) is in the same position. This is also called the lead hand. Place your lead hand underneath the golf club, curving your fingers over the club so they grip it securely. The golf club will rest where your palm meets your fingers. Point your lead thumb down the club toward the club head. [6] The 3 grip-style positions for the opposite or trailing hand are:
    • Baseball grip: This basic grip, also called the 10-finger grip, is similar to how baseball players hold a baseball bat . It’s also a good choice for beginners.
      • Bring your trailing hand underneath the golf club below your lead hand so your trailing pinky finger touches your left index finger.
      • Tighten your grip so the lifeline portion of your trailing palm rests on top of the lead thumb.
      • Keep your thumb pointing slightly off-center on the club.
    • Overlapping grip: The overlap grip connects the fingers by overlapping them. This grip offers more stability than the baseball grip.
      • Start off with your hands in the baseball grip. Instead of keeping your trailing pinky and your lead index finger side-by-side, lift your trailing pinky up.
      • Move your trailing hand up on the grip.
      • Rest your trailing pinky on the joint between the lead index and middle fingers, or on top of the index finger.
    • Interlocking grip: This grip offers the most stability of the 3 by interlocking your hands on the underside of the club. Many top professional golfers like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods use this grip.
      • Start with the baseball grip. Lift the lead index finger between the joint of the trailing pinky and ring fingers.
      • Fit the trailing pinky between the lead index and middle fingers, so your trailing pinky and lead index hold each other in an interlocking "x."
  3. Every grip has advantages and disadvantages. There are many variations of these grips that are stronger or more neutral. Experiment with golf grips while swinging your irons or woods until your swing feels comfortable.
    • Golfers with small hands (like Nicklaus) commonly use an interlocking grip. The overlapping grip is more suited to people with larger hands.
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Section 3 of 5:

Swinging the Club

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  1. The backswing is where you swing the club back and up from its starting position. Rotate your torso on the backswing by shifting your weight from the ball of your front foot to the ball of your back foot. As you swing the club back, pay attention to these 3 distinct phases of the backswing: [7]
    • Phase one: Move your hands straight back while keeping them close to your back leg. Try to keep your front arm straight. As the club head hinges backward between your left arm and the club shaft, the shaft becomes almost parallel to the ground.
    • Phase two: Continue a slight wrist break as you move your arm parallel to the ground. The club will be roughly perpendicular to your lead arm. The end of the club will point slightly outside the golf ball.
    • Phase three: Rotate your torso back even further so the clubhead travels slightly behind your hands at the top of the backswing. Bend your front arm slightly during the last phase of the backswing.
  2. As you swing the club down (called the downswing), imagine you’re dragging or slightly pulling the clubhead so it lags behind the rest of the club. Allow the 90-degree forearm/shaft angle to increase. Then unwind rapidly through the impact area. This builds clubhead speed and allows your body to move relatively slowly and maintain control. [8]
    • Right before impact, try to lock your lead arm so it's completely straight again, just how it was when you started your backswing.
    • During your downswing, shift your weight from the ball of your back foot to the ball of your front foot.
    • Allow your knees to move toward your target. Try to keep your front knee flexed, especially if you're hitting a driver, as this will help your front leg take your weight.
    • Always remember to rotate your chest as you swing, cautions Metz.
  3. This keeps your hands ahead of the clubhead during impact, which helps the clubhead strike the ball before moving through the ground. Use your hips to swing energy into your shot and produce more power and distance. [9]
  4. Metz recommends that you focus on staying balanced and stable as you finish your swing. Swinging fast won't make a difference if you hit the ball off-center. Good follow-through on your swing makes your shot more consistent and accurate.
    • Make sure your belt buckle faces the target at the end of your swing.
    • End your swing with the club behind you over your lead shoulder. [10]
    • Shift your weight as you swing to end on your lead foot with the back foot balanced on its toe. Hold this position as you watch the ball fly off into the distance.
    • Keep your eyes on the ball during the backswing, downswing, and follow-through.
    • It’s tempting to lift your head as you hit the ball to see where it's going. This may cause you to mis-hit the ball.
  5. Some golfers are tempted to use arm and shoulder strength. Using proper form is more effective for achieving distance . Trying to add more muscle to your swing may sacrifice good form. [11]
    • Adjust how hard you hit the ball with the club you’re using.
    • For example, if swinging the club as hard as you can while staying on your feet is a 10 in effort. Use about an 8 for your driver, a 7 for your irons, and a 6 for your pitching wedge.
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Section 4 of 5:

Correcting Common Problems

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  1. A slice is when your ball curves toward the side of your dominant hand. It’s usually because the club face is open to the wrong direction. To correct a slice , try to hold the club in the fingers instead of the palm. [12]
    • Gripping the club in the palm of your hand makes your grip weaker and opens up the angle of the club face, which causes the slice.
    • Holding the club in your fingers helps you use a stronger grip that holds the club face in the correct position.
    Tiger Woods, Golfer

    Develop your intuition and detect your weaknesses. "I think that in itself, if you're a true golfer, you'll see specific things you need to work on. Plus, it's a much cheaper approach than paying for private lessons."

  2. A hook is when a ball travels slightly toward your dominant hand and then turns dramatically to the opposite side. This happens when the ball has a counterclockwise spin, meaning that it's being hit from right to left instead of from back to front. [13]
    • Some golfers subconsciously shift their grip as they set up their shot. Get into the habit of correctly placing your hands on the club and keeping them there.
    • Square your back foot to keep your downswing path straight.
    • Avoid adding too much curve to your backswing.
  3. Sometimes your swing is fat (when the club hits the ground before the ball) or thin (when the club strikes the ball too high on its surface). Hitting the ball fat or thin means your shot doesn’t get as much distance or height. One of the first things to check when you’re hitting fat or thin shots is that your hips are pivoting instead of swaying. [14]
    • Another way to correct fat or thin shots is to check that you’re maintaining the 35-40 degree angle of your spine throughout your swing.
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Section 5 of 5:

Frequently Asked Questions for Perfecting Your Golf Swing

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  1. 1
    How can you tell if you’re hitting the ball in the middle of the clubface? The easiest way to see exactly where your club hits the ball is by spraying a little dry shampoo on your clubface. When you hit the ball, it rubs away the dry shampoo at the point of impact. [15]
    • This will show you the exact spot on the club that’s hitting the ball.
  2. 2
    What easy drill can you do to work on your swing? L to L swings are a simple drill that helps improve your swing’s tempo, rhythm, and balance. Start with your feet together and holding your club in your preferred grip. Swing the club ¾ of the way back and then swing forward and follow through. Swing back and forth continuously without stopping. [16]
    • On the backswing, make a capital letter “L” with your lead arm and the club shaft when your arm is parallel to the ground.
    • On the forward swing, make an “L” with your trailing arm and the club shaft when your arm is parallel to the ground.
    • Point the butt of the club toward the ground along an imaginary line that extends out from the ball.
    • Make sure you hit the same spot on the ground in front of you during the back swing and the forward swing.
  3. 3
    What is the 20/20/20 Rule in golf? The 20/20/20 Rule is an excellent drill for practicing your swing or making adjustments to your swing. Start by hitting 20 golf balls swinging in slow motion and really focusing on form. [17]
    • Then, hit 20 normal golf shots, but rehearse your swing 5 times in an exaggerated way before each shot.
    • Finally, hit 20 normal practice shots without the rehearsals.
    • If you still feel like your swing is off, go through the process again or add repetitions.
  4. 4
    What are the “3 Ps” in golf? The “3 Ps” are the fundamental elements of a good golf swing: posture, pivot, and path. The posture refers to your stance, or where your swing begins and ends. The pivot is the slight shift and rotation of your hips that gives your swing power. The path is the curve the clubhead travels before and after it strikes the ball. [18]
    • If you master these 3 elements, you can develop a consistently effective and powerful golf swing.
  5. 5
    What is the sequence of a proper golf downswing? There are 3 steps in the proper golf downswing sequence. The first is the shift of your hips toward the target as you begin the downswing. [19]
    • The second happens as your body rotates through the instant when the clubface strikes the ball.
    • The final step of the sequence is during the follow-through, when you release out of your posture and your chest lifts and rotates toward the target.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I stop hitting the ground behind the ball with my wedges?
    Community Answer
    There could be many reasons. Bending your knees as you approach impact; straightening your arms as you approach impact; the ball too far forward, or you the club head may be passing your hands too soon through impact. There are many possible reasons. The best thing to do is find a credible golf-instructor in your area to work with.
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  • Question
    How do you know what club to use?
    Community Answer
    Go on the range, hit each club to each target 10 times. See how far you hit each one. Make note of the distances.
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  • Question
    How do I keep my head down when swinging?
    Community Answer
    Focus on the ball. Do some training, hitting the ball without looking where it goes. Just focus on the impact, and you will be fine.
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      • Direction is determined by the swing path and the club face angle at impact.
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      • Take a video lesson from a good pro. They are experts and can help you learn what works for you and stop you from developing bad habits that may be difficult to correct.
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      • Golf is a game, so have fun. Remember, Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh didn't get where they are by just luck. It takes practice. With the time and effort, you'll be hitting golf balls onto the fairway like a pro.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.golfmonthly.com/tips/long-game-tips/how-to-swing-a-golf-club
      2. ↑ http://perfectgolfswingreview.net/AddressSetup.htm
      3. ↑ https://englandigolf.co.uk/igolf-blog/how-to-hit-a-golf-ball/
      4. ↑ https://205sports.org/player-development/205-training/ltad/athletic-stance/
      5. ↑ https://golf.com/instruction/how-discover-best-grip-your-body-type/
      6. ↑ https://golf.com/instruction/6-step-plan-grip-better-than-ever/
      7. ↑ https://www.golfdistillery.com/swing-tips/backswing/
      8. ↑ https://www.golfdistillery.com/swing-tips/downswing/
      9. ↑ https://skillest.com/blog/golf-impact-position
      1. ↑ https://skillest.com/blog/mastering-the-follow-through-in-your-golf-swing/
      2. ↑ https://www.golfmonthly.com/tips/long-game-tips/how-to-swing-a-golf-club
      3. ↑ https://www.englandgolf.org/golf-tips-for-fixing-a-slice
      4. ↑ https://golf.com/instruction/10-ways-fix-hook-kellie-stenzel/
      5. ↑ https://www.golfdistillery.com/shot-errors/how-to-fix-fat/
      6. ↑ https://www.golfmonthly.com/tips/10-best-golf-drills-ever-195681
      7. ↑ https://www.pga.com/story/three-drills-to-improve-your-golf-performance
      8. ↑ https://www.golfdigest.com/story/10-scoring-rules-golf-course-strategy-tips-golf-iq-podcast
      9. ↑ https://womensgolf.com/posture-pivot-path
      10. ↑ https://www.golfdigest.com/story/how-to-sequence-golf-swing-explained-tip

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To swing a golf club, start by standing in front of the ball with your knees bent slightly and your arms out straight but still slightly relaxed. Then, hold your golf club with a relaxed grip and place the club face next to the ball. When you're ready, bring the club back and above your head while rotating your torso so your weight shifts from your front foot to your back foot. Next, swing the club down toward the ball and shift your weight back to your front foot. Finally, after you hit the ball, follow through with your swing so you're facing your target. To learn how to correct common problems when swinging a golf club, scroll down!

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