Remember, the finish position is an important ingredient to a good golf swing, as it is the key to what's going on during impact. (Nick Serrata/EclipseSportsWire.com)

Getting back to basics: Five steps to building a better golf swing

By Les Miller,
Contributor

No matter how good your golf swing is, it can always be better. A solid, repeatable golf swing requires a series of chain reactions. I encourage you to work on the basics listed below for an easier way to approach your golf swing, which will likely lead to lower scores.

Building a better golf swing: The setup

Bend from the hips, not from your back; let the hands and arms hang down naturally from the shoulders. At address position, your hands should be directly under your chin. (Most golfers reach out too far for the ball at address position.) Take a tip from Tiger Woods: hands under the chin!

Position the ball off your left heel for the driver, fairway woods, hybrids and long irons. Move the ball back a couple of inches in your stance for the middle and short irons. Your hands should be positioned just in front of your belt buckle on all shots. (PGA Tour pros check their ball position constantly.)

For the proper alignment, check and make sure you're swinging the club on the proper plane by laying a club along your feet at address. Your feet, hips and shoulders should all be parallel to the club on the ground (another thing tour pros check all the time.)

Building a better golf swing: The takeaway

How you take the club back away from the ball determines the route of your backswing.

The club should travel straight back the first few inches of the back swing, and then the wrist should start to break allowing your left thumb to point to the sky as the hands reach waist height. This is a natural move that starts the correct back swing.

From this position, the shoulders continue to make a full turn, which places the hands to the correct position at the top. In this position, the front shoulder should be slightly higher than the rear shoulder as this prevents you from hanging on the front side during the takeaway.

Building a better golf swing: The downswing

This is the key to solid ball striking. As you swing the hands down at the ball, the weight needs to start to shift off the back foot by sliding the back knee toward the target as you swing the club down.

The sensation should be that of pulling the hands down at the ball while sliding the back knee toward the target together. This will eliminate the over-the-top move most average golfers fight. As the right knee moves toward the target, you need to step off the back foot and let your weight move forward toward the target. (Practice this move in slow motion to get the feel of moving the hands and knee together.)

Building a better golf swing: Impact

Impact is the moment of truth, where the clubface striking the ball dictates the kind of shot you are going to hit.

Your head should be slightly behind the ball, the hips are opening with the front leg straightened. This position allows the wrists to release causing the right hand and arm to turn over (rotate) through the impact zone. This motion keeps the clubface square to the target eliminating off-line golf shots.

Building a better golf swing: Finish

Just because you've made contact doesn't mean your swing is complete. The finish position is an important ingredient to a good golf swing, as it is the key to what's going on during impact.

The correct finish ends with your weight primarily on the front foot, your back shoulder finishing up by your chin. Your head, chest and belt buckle should be facing the target.

Finally, hold that finish until you see the ball land. Watch how PGA Tour player Sergio Garcia holds his finish.

December 28, 2009

Les Miller was a longtime Golf Writers of America member who covered golf instruction for several newspapers and golf publications. His many years of experience as a golf professional, director of product development and tour relations for several major golf companies gave him a unique background and ability to help golfers increase their enjoyment of the game.