The Fundamentals of Golf

Ever wish you could have the basics of golf all in one place? Seems like you can get a little bit of everything if you browse around long enough, but maybe what your game needs is a return to the fundamentals and a quick reminder of what works best in the game of golf. Laura Dixon gets you back to basics with her definitive take on each aspect of the game, from grip to swing to how to get out of the beach. Read through each topic to tune-up your skills and then take it to the tee...good luck!

The Grip

Stand with normal posture (arms hanging by side) and allow golf club to rest in the fingers of the left hand. Close the rest of your left hand around the club. Your left thumb should be just right of the center of the shaft or at one o’clock. As you hold the club with your left hand you may place your right hand so that your fifth finger on your right hand interlocks or overlaps with your index finger on the left hand as it is on the club. Correct placement of the hands on the club can lead to easier hinging of the wrists, lighter grip pressure, faster club head speed and better direction.

• Grip Pressure

Grip pressure is very similar to the pressure you night use while shaking hands. No white knuckles.

• Set Up

The body posture is very important to your golf swing. The first bend is from the hip socket bending enough for your hands to swing freely back and forth. The second bend is a flex from your knees. The third position is a slight tilt to the right with the spine. Body weight is distributed evenly front to back and side to side.

• Ball Position

The general ball position is relative to your feel and sternum. L-PW is perhaps a bit back of center. 9-6 irons are at the center of your stance. If you have hybrids and/or 3-9 woods they would be one inch forward of center. Your driver would be 2 inches forward of center. This is a guide for new golfers to use. As you become more comfortable with your swing you will establish what is just right for you!

• Body and Club Face Alignment

Alignment is how your body and club face are aimed at the target. This is probably the most important fundamental because it has to do with accuracy toward the target. Remember golf is a target game. Your alignment should be parallel left of the target line. Your club face should see its target as if its face had eyes.

• Putting

Distance control is the name of this portion of the game. The stroke is moved approximately 90% with a metronome motion by the shoulders. 10% of the motion is with the hands, wrists and arms to give a sense of feel.

• Putting Set Up

The grip is more in the palm of the hands. Your arm should swing freely from the shoulders while there is a bend from the hip and slight flex in the knees. Your feet should be just under your hips for width. Your eyes should be over the ball. Use your feet as a distance control reminder not to take too big of a swing. Remember the clock!

• Chipping and Pitching

Contrary to some thinking, there is a difference between chipping and pitching. A chip shot is played close to the ground, resulting in maximum ground time and minimum air time. It is a shot to be used when there are no obstacles — bunkers, elevated greens, lakes —between the ball and the target. You should practice a variety of different club lofts to hit this shot. Do not limit yourself by using the same club all the time. “Think maximum ground, minimum air!”

Most of the weight should be on your forward leg. Position the ball off your rear ankle. Your chin should be slightly forward of your sternum while focusing your eyes on the back of your ball. Your lead shoulder should feel lower than your back or trailing shoulder. This helps you swing the club on the back swing and down on the golf ball with a descending blow.

A pitch shot is maximum air time and minimum ground time. Use a full-swing set up with the ball in the middle of your stance. Focus your eyes on the back of the ball.

• Ball Flight and Club Selection for Chip Shots

The rule of thumb – The more your shots roll, the more consistent you will be. Keep this in mind when determining which club to use for your shots.

Putter – If your ball is on the short grass next to the green, you should consider putting the ball.

7-iron – Use for shots around the green that can roll more to the hole than carry in the air (1/3 air time, 2/3 ground time).

Pitching Wedge – Use for shots around the green that can roll the same amount of time as carry in the air (1/2 air time, 1/2 ground time).

Sand Wedge – Use only for shots around the green that will need more carry in the air than on the ground (2/3 air time, 1/3 ground time).

• Sand Bunker Play

There is no ball club contact; the sand actually lifts the ball out of the bunker. Your ball will go where the sand goes. Open the clubs face to expose the bounce, and then take your grip. Lower your stance in the sand to lower your swing. Keep your weight on your forward leg. Position the ball in the middle of your stance and align parallel to target. Your minimum swing should be from 10 to 2. Adjust the club face to fit the lie of the ball. Your goal is to get out! The further the bunker is away from the green consider different clubs

by Laura L. Dixon
Laura Dixon has over 15 years of teaching and coaching experience

Lady Golfers

Beginner Golf Instruction

There is much more to golf than just hitting the ball but hitting the ball correctly is not an easy task. Beginner golf instruction lady clinics can help teach the basics in a relaxed atmosphere amongst other beginner ladies.

Mechanics Of The Swing

It is important that beginners learn the basics of setup, stance the swing and follow through in order to form good habits right from the beginning. Once a habit is formed it takes some changing and depending on what sport the lady has played before may determine how much time it will take to learn the basic skill of actually connecting with the ball.

For instance, hockey players should find it easier than say a swimmer, who has alway kept their body straight and streamlined and now has to learn to rotate. Learning to keep your head down and eye on the ball is something is so vital yet so hard to do and even years down the track a moments loss in concentration will see a good golfer lift their head and mess up a shot. Getting the proper grip on the club and the positioning of hands can make all the difference as to can correct movement of the arms and body as you swing back.

Following a swing right through even after you connect with the ball gives extra lift and distance. Balance is another factor to be controlled. All of this and more before you even walk onto a course.

• Ladies Clinics

Clinics are usually run at most golf courses and golf schools by the local golf professional and consist of 5 or more ladies. These clinics are great for learning not only the basics of setup etc but also teach you putting, pitching and so on.

You will also learn about the clubs, what they are designed for, how much distance you should get and in what circumstances to use them. Golf clinics also teach you about the rules of golf and you should invest in a book of the rules for yourself as you will find it invaluable.

Clinics provide you with the chance to meet other ladies with whom you may team up and play golf with on a regular basis. Ladies golf clinics can be used as a refresher at any time even as you handicap drops.

• Private Lessons

Learning to play by having private lessons ensure you are learning exactly what YOU need to learn at that particular time instead of what the planned lesson is for that day.

Although more expensive, having private lessens with a golf pro will definitely get you playing a lot quicker and sort out any bad habit immediately. Many golf pros will take a video of your swing so that you can see exactly what you are doing, then he or she will point out any problems and show you how to correct them.

No matter if you have private lesson or join in beginner golf instruction lady clinics the main thing is not only repartition, repartition and more repartition but to thoroughly enjoy playing golf, or learning to!