The
Grip
Posture
Ball Placement
Aiming The Ball
Routine
The Grip
There are three types of grips that are widely accepted.
The first grip is the oldest of the group. It is called
the baseball grip. This was the grip that was used in the
beginning of golf. It entails two, hands that hold on to
the club much like a baseball player would hold on to a
baseball bat. The second type of grips is called the
Overlapping Grip. In this grip, players hold their hands
much like the baseball grip, but when the hands are
together the right pinky finger lays on top of the left
index finger. (Opposite for left handed hitters.) This
type of golf grip became a major gripping style because
it allowed players hands to work in unison.
The final type of golf grip is called the interlocking grip. It is probably the most used grip by the professional and non-professional players alike. In this grip, instead of the right pinky finger overlapping the left index finger, the two fingers actually cross. What I mean is that the right pinky fine is in the place of left index finger and the left index finger is in the place of the right pinky. (This is kind of like folding your hands with the first and last fingers of each hand.
Posture
Posture is one of the most important features of a
golfer's game. It is important for a comfortable swing.
It is important for balance. And because it is such an
important feature, it deserves a good look. The stance
and posture, come into play as you set up to hit the
ball. It is in the stance, that there are definitive
steps to setting up and certain positions that the player
should be in.
As a golfer, in the stance, you should find yourself in a comfortable position, with a body slightly bent forward. Your knees should be bent and your arms should be holding the golf club comfortably. Below are a set of quick instruction to get into your swing:
- Stand up with a club in your hand.
- Hold the golf club in your hands parallel to the ground.
- Slowly bring your hands down to the ground and bend forward at the waist.
- (This should be a comfortable position.)
- Now bend your knees slightly.
Congratualations! This should be your ready position to hit the ball. In this position, your legs should be spread out far enough that you can support your swing without being off balance, yet your legs shouldn't be spread out so much that you can't make your swing correctly. Also, when using a driver, your stance will have to be wider that for a sand wedge. So the bigger the club the wider the stance. This is a general rule of thumb.
Ball Placement
Now that you have the correct stance to make your swing,
let's discss where to place the ball for your swing. Now
the proper position for ball placement changes with the
club. There is a very logical order for the ball
placement, so I will give it to you. When using a driver,
the golf ball should be just inside of your front foot.
When using a 9 iron, the ball should be placed center
between your feet. And the other clubs fall somewhere in
between. The exact position will have to be found out by
trial and error.
Aiming The Ball
Aiming the ball, occurs by a few things. First, in your
stance, the front of the toes should line up parallel to
the line between the ball and the target. The club should
be perpendicular to the line between the ball and the
target. These lines are all visual lines on the course,
so when you practice, I have a suggest. When you decide
where your target line is, line up an extra golf club on
the ground parallel to this line and then use it to line
up your feet. That way your feet will line up parallel to
the target.
Routine
In the final steps of a golf shot, many pros recommend
something called a routine. A routine is something that
you do exactly the same every time you swing a club that
blocks out everything else around you and gets your ready
for your shot. Some people take a few practice swings to
warm up. Some people adjust their club. And still others
just plain block everything out. Do whatever makes you
happy and comfortable ... just do it everytime. This
helps you to relax.