GOLF INSTRUCTION

Why Golf Instruction is Important for Planet Divot

Planet Divot is an online golf resource and community for people who love the game of golf, are interested in elevating their game, and also are seeking trustworthy content about the sport. Part of the reason why we exist is to help people play their best golf, and golf instruction can be a vital part of that journey. In fact, we really encourage all golfers to seek out golf teachers in whatever form best fits your lifestyle. For some, online and digital golf instruction is a great way to hone in your game. The convenience of online golf instruction allows for people to engage when they can, how they can, and from the comfort of their laptop. Of course, digital teaching and instruction relies heavily on the individual to apply the teachings, take on their own curriculum, and make sure that drills and tips are incorporated correctly. That might be too much for some.

In that case, we'd encourage people to seek out golf instruction in their local community. In person golf instruction from certified teaching professionals is a fantastic way to boost your skills and incorporate more tangible support for your learning experience. The benefit of using an in-person golf instructor is that they are able to watch for a wide array of indicators about whether or not the instruction is working for you, if you're applying their direction and advice in the proper way to yield the best results, and also having accountability can be a big blessing for anyone who needs that. I know that I am personally someone who responds much more and holds myself more accountable when someone else is involved. That's of course a subjective experience of mine, and I would encourage you all to seek out golf instruction that helps advance your game, fit your lifestyle, and fulfills your expectations.

Below is a list of 5 golf tips and essentials for beginners of the game. I find that essentials are often geared towards beginners, but even the most skilled players could use refreshers on how to best approach golf fundamentals. I've also included a wonderful golf instruction video featuring Martin Hall's "Educated Hands" breakdown.

5 Golf Tips & Essentials for Beginners

We rely on our internal golfers, their research, and outside reliable sources to provide you with the best tips in the game for your game. Our aim is to address specific areas of your golf game that you're looking to improve, from tee to green, so that you have more confidence at every addressed shot. The tips that we publish are backed by certified teaching professionals and have proven success for players of all ages, ranges, and skill levels.

Introduction

If you're a beginner golfer eager to improve your game, you've come to the right place! Mastering the fundamentals is key to becoming a successful golfer. In this article, we provide five golf tips that will set you on the right path to success. Let's dive in!

1. Gripping the Club - 'Baby Bird'

A solid grip is the foundation of a successful golf swing. Begin by placing your left hand on the club with your thumb pointing down the grip's shaft. The club should not rest in your palm, but instead be grasped with the strength of your fingers. Wrap your left-hand's fingers around the club, ensuring a firm but not overly tight hold. The old adage is to use the same amount of grip pressure on the club that would to safely contain a baby bird.

Next, place your right hand over your left thumb, pressing the padding of your palm on the top of your left thumb (for right-handed players...lefties will place the left padding on the right thumb).

There are several ways in which you can interlock, overlap, and/or grip the club. An interlocking grip for righties entails passing your right finger's pinky between the pointer and middle fingers of your left hand at grip. An overlapping grip involves the same positioning, only the right hand pinky will overlay between the same fingers as opposed to interlock with them. Another option is the 10-finger grip which allows all fingers to be engaged with the grip of the club. Since this is a beginner's guide, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable. Do what feels right!

Maintaining a correct grip will provide you with better control over the club, leading to more accurate shots. The best part about practicing your grip is that you do not need a driving range or golf course to get it right! Practice your grip at home until you feel comfortable with the club in your hands. This will make a world of difference when you're out on the course.

2. Stance & Alignment - Set Yourself Up for Success

Your stance and alignment significantly impact your swing. Depending on how you're set up when addressing the ball has a direct impact on your swing plane, the club's contact with the ball, and most importantly, where the golf ball will go after impact.

You want to feel comfortable at address with your knees slightly bent, in an athletic stance, and with an even weight distribution in your feet. You should feel as if you're grounded in your feet, slightly tight in the core of your body, and maintaining the 'baby bird' grip we offered in Tip #1.

Position your feet shoulder-width apart and ensure your weight is evenly distributed on both feet. Aim your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to the target line. Aligning your body correctly will promote a smoother swing and enhance your shot accuracy.

To ensure that you are aligned properly to your target at address, let go of the club with your left hand, stand up straight, and point your left hand (or right for lefties) directly left of your should, creating an L-shape with your arm and torso. If your left hand is pointed at the desired target then you are set up correctly. If not, make adjustments with your feet, hips, and torso so that your left arm is eventually pointed at the appropriate target. You can do this exercise on every addressed shot until you start to pick it up with more muscle memory. I promise that it'll only get easier and more intuitive over time.

3. Golf Swing Tempo: 1-2-3

One of the most common problems with beginners is that they want to swing the club as hard as possible in order to achieve distance on their shots. Making solid contact is infinitely more important than 'crushing the ball' to use a golf term. Even the best golfers in the world who have lightning fast swing speeds lose control when appropriate contact is not made.

My favorite tip is the 1-2-3 rule. To simplify it, your backswing from address to the very top of your swing should be a 3-count before transitioning into the downswing. Practice this a few times during your practice swings before addressing the ball. I have found it helpful to count in my head on those practice swings to ensure I have a solid tempo. If you're only getting to 1 or 2 on your counts, your backswing is probably too accelerated at this stage.

A fair warning that this drill can be challenging at first because it may feel as though you are not generating enough power to launch the ball. I can assure you that the metal club you're holding will do most of the work for you. Trust the club and an even swing tempo to make better contact on all full swing golf shots. If you get this down, you will notice more consistent shots, better misses, and hopefully a better overall score on each of your rounds.

4. Hone in Your Pre-Shot Routine

If you watch the most talented golfers in the world, you will notice that all of them have a pre-shot routine at every shot that they follow. This helps for a few reasons, but most importantly, it allows you to go through a mental checklist and get as comfortable as possible before taking the swing that counts. Golf is as much a mental game as it is about physical dynamics and abilities.

Common pre-shot routines include a few practice swings, stepping behind the ball to visualize your shot and path, waggling your hands and wrists to alleviate extra tension, picking a spot in front of your ball to aim to that lies between your ball and its desired destination, taking a deep breath, situating your feet with even weight distribution, and anything else that will get you comfortable.

If you're not comfortable or ready, DO NOT TAKE THE SWING! Golfers of all skill levels will tell you that, if they are not mentally comfortable or ready to take the shot but take it any way, it usually results in an undesirable outcome. Take your time, take a deep breath, go through your pre-shot routine, and swing when you feel most comfortable.

5. Shake Hands with your Target

One of my favorite tips of all time is to shake hands with your target. This process entails, for righties, bringing your right hand through at impact in a way that rotates the wrist and hand over the left and towards your target as if you are extending a handshake to your destination.

On your downswing and after counting to 3 to get to the top of your swing, the hands and golf club make their journey towards the ball, the hands should work together to square up the club face to the ball at impact. This involves some rotation and 'turning the hands over'. One great way to ensure you are making square contact at the driving range is to take a set of 5-10 balls and hit them using your dominant hand only. Take half swings on every shot and ensure that you're dominant arm is pointing towards your target after impact as if you are shaking hands with it.

This tip is primarily meant for full swings at the golf ball and can be a bit tricky to master. Although, if you are swinging the club properly and finishing with your weight mostly distributed to your left leg after impact, your body will do some of this rotation naturally. If you are losing the ball off to the right then your club face isn't square at impact. This tip will help improve those misses and straighten them out.

Conclusion

5 tips alone may not result in breaking 100 or 90 for the first time, but these are meant to be foundational for improving your game at the beginner stage. Keep in mind that golf swing tips are meant to be practiced continuously and that one session with these tips in mind alone will not solve all of your 'spraying'. However, with time, commitment, and repetition, you will stand to improve your golf game by following Planet Divot's 5 essential golf tips for beginners.