Photo: Kevitivity

The classic golf swing is the traditional “over-the-top” swing that almost every person who has ever picked up a club is using. It is the most straightforward golf swing, however like anything in the game of golf it is very hard to master.

To make it easier, the classic golf swing will divided into two parts, and each has its own difficulties to master. The back swing and down swing are the two main elements that you have to consider when trying to strike a golf ball. Remember that this is not a putting stroke, but a swing to drive the ball, so the approach is different.

With the back swing you have to remember to keep the head down, even when the arms go up and the shoulders twist back. Keeping your head down and eyes on the ball will be the most important factor to keep your swing consistent. You have to keep your head down, no matter how much you would like to pull your head back and look at the club as it hangs over your head.

Tilting your head up will completely throw off the swing and in essence cause you to either chop the top of the ball or to twist the club in the down swing as your head twists. This will cause you to slice the ball to the left or right as your hands will twist with your head and make the club head go one way or the other, not allowing a straight shot.

For the down swing there are a couple of things to keep in mind when you are working on your classic golf swing. It is the golf swing release that will allow you to get the most power for your drive and to let the ball go along its path. Think of your club as a pendulum and it will gather more power as it goes along its natural path.

In other words: Follow through. Continue to drive that ball all the way through and do not try to slow down as you strike the ball. Try to drive the ball more with your legs than with your arms. Keeping your elbows and arms straight will give you more power and drive for the ball.

Remember that consistency is the key when it comes to your golf swing release. Sure, you should try different things and different release points, however once you find one that is comfortable you should stick with it. By being able to maintain the same swing and improve accuracy and power with small tweaks for your swing, this will lead to more rapid improvement than trying something new.

Learn to trust yourself and your golf swing. Try to move your hands up a little bit, or bend your knees a little more when you do the back swing. Small changes like this rather than completely changing your whole approach will eventually provide the results that you are looking for in your game.

Photo: myyogaonline

You may not have thought about it yet, but golf swing exercises can be extremely beneficial for your game. Most people do not realize that there are certain exercises that are particularly good for golf. After all, hitting the ball with maximum strength isn’t good enough, right? What you should know is that by improving your ability to hit the golf ball well and by toning your muscles and increasing flexibility, you will improve your game play as well.

What Kind of Exercise is Required?

Many people don’t like to hear the word “Exercise”, no matter what it is related to. Bring it up in the world golf and people are even more skeptical. What exercises can possibly help you with the game? Here are some ideas. Remember that by doing these exercises you can also work on fixing some of the golf swing problems that you might be battling with.

Tone your muscles - You can choose almost any exercise you want, but yoga and stretching are some of the best. When your muscles are toned, they are less likely to tense up and are able to relax and contract properly, which gives you an advantage on the green.

Choose a golf exercise that has been designed for improving strength, like weight training. You need to have some muscle strength in your arms, legs, lower back and shoulders to get the distance you need when you are hitting the ball. For this type of golf swing exercise, work out using some light weights to strengthen your muscles.

Improve your flexibility - If you have every worked with a golf swing coach on your game, you may have been told to loosen up. Unfortunately this is not always easy to do. When you are doing some flexibility exercises, such as stretching and again, yoga, you can really feel that you are able to move your body a lot easier. This will ultimately help you to improve your game.

But how does this help you to get rid of the golf swing problems that you might be encountering? It will help in many ways. For example, consider the way that you hold your club. It could be that you do not have the flexibility to hold it comfortably. You may be unable to swing it high enough or with enough force while still being accurate. Exercises can help you to overcome these problems.

It is not hard to see how golf swing exercises can help you to improve your golf abilities. It is important to take note that not all exercises will have the same effect on your game. Determine where your problems lie and pinpoint specific weaknesses. If you really want to have a strong game, incorporate a good diet and shed a few pounds if you need to loose some. These things will help you to improve your ability to be the best physical athlete you can be - on and off the green.

Photo: ehavir

Simply put, your golf swing path is the path in which you swing a golf club. There are two different parts to take into consideration when you look at your swing path. The first is the backswing, or bringing the club back and over your shoulder, and then of course the downswing in which you strike the ball. These are the two common parts of all golf swing sequences. First, let’s have a look at the backswing.

The Backswing

• Maximize the distance between your club head and the ball as you bring the club back

• Use one fluid motion when bringing back the club

• Keep the club straight as you swing it back

• Maximize the distance between your hands and the club head, use the entire shaft length to provide more drive

Following these simple instructions will help you to improve the backswing part of your golf swing path. By practicing this and using different approaches until you are comfortable, it will allow you to develop consistency and accuracy when you are driving the ball.

The Downswing

• Keep the club straight as well as your hands

• Use your legs more than your arms to drive the ball

• Follow through on the swing, letting up as you hit will eliminate much of the power in your swing

• Hit the ball straight-on to eliminate slicing

• Be comfortable

Using these tips to improve the downswing part of your golf swing path will improve your game dramatically. Using your entire body and practicing your swing repeatedly and as often as possible will allow you to develop consistency. Using the same golf swing sequences consistently will improve and enhance your game.

Please be aware that preparing and getting the right swing for a putt is completely different from preparing for a drive and a tee shot. This is not only a mental change, but a physical change as well. Your body will not be exerting maximum force on a putt where as in many cases you will want maximum power for a drive.

The mental portion of your swing may be just as hard to master as any physical problems that you may face with your game. Not believing that you can hit the ball straight or believing that if you had the top line equipment you could achieve a perfect swing, are mistakes that many will make.

Finding a comfort level for your game and knowing your limitations will enable you to become better and to improve not only your driving ability and putting, but your handicap as well.

So practice, get comfortable and master your swing. Know how you have to hold your hands and elbows as you go into your back swing, let muscle memory take over and then let the ball fly off the clubface and onto the green as you show everyone else how your game has improved.