How many times have you heard the phrase, “Getting back to basics“?  Chances are you associate that phrase with how you spend your money or with major decisions you make about your life, but in general it’s good advice to follow for many situations.  Even on the course, remembering simple golf swing basics can improve not just your swing but your game and your score overall.  And of course if your score is improved you’ll probably enjoy the game that much more as well!  So what are these golf swing basics you need to remember and how can they help you improve?

One of the most important aspects of golf swing basics has to do with from where the swing originates. Too many golfers pull their arms across their body and back again when a golf swing should actually originate from the shoulders.  If the shoulders are not moving correctly then the body will create drag for the arms and create a block, which will mean a poor swing on a poor arc.  The golf swing basics that affect your arms and shoulders are often overlooked by golfers as they get used to smacking the ball with a direct shot rather than one that arcs gently.  If you notice that you’re hitting the ball very hard and it does feel as if you’re smacking it on impact, you may need to be mindful of using your shoulders with your swing.

Other golf swing basics to remember include the angle or arc of your swing.  It’s not uncommon for amateurs to pull their club up at too much of a vertical angle, which means they then pull it back down vertically as well.  This means that the club is not getting underneath the ball so there is very little arc or trajectory and the club cannot create the whip effect that gives the ball distance.  Understanding how the club’s striking the ball affects it is part of mastering those golf swing basics; if you can understand why a club should land a particular way then you better understand how to hold it and how to swing.

Learning golf swing basics is not typically as difficult as many golfers think.  Often they overwhelm themselves with various details that really don’t help their swing as much as they think, and they also get very nervous and tense as they try to remember everything.  Usually a simple swing is the best; trying to make every element “perfect” is usually counterproductive for most.  You can easily review your own golf swing basics every time you practice or are on the course; mentally review your stance, the arc of your swing, and your body’s position during the swing as well.  Most mistakes are made in one of those aspects of the swing.  This means that if you correct and implement these simple golf swing basics you’ll no doubt have a much better swing and a much better game overall!