While many golfers focus on fixing their swing, it’s often the backswing that is forgotten as part of the equation. If you are finding that you are having difficulty with accuracy, or you are not hitting the ball as far as you would like, it may be due to your backswing. Here are some easy fixes.
The first thing to focus on isn’t actually the swing, but how you are standing. In order to get more power in your downward arc, your stance needs to be correct. The best position for most golfers is to stand with your knees slightly flexed. Practice this position at home until it feels natural. There should be a slight bend if your knees, but they don’t actually need to be bent.
You can think of your knees like a spring. If they are too flexed, the spring will pop around wildly when the pressure is released. If there is not enough flex, nothing will happen. Picture squeezing a small spring together just a little bit with your fingers. That is the right amount of flex to have in your knees.
Now, let’s move onto the rest of your body. Your shoulders and your torso will have a big impact on your swing, both back and down. Work on aligning them properly and you should see a big difference in accuracy. If you are pulling your shoulders one way or the other, it will pull your shot. Work on getting them square in your stance and then gradually and smoothly bring that right shoulder back as you bring the club back. Keep trying this until the motion feels fluid.
Your torso is the next area to target. If you are twisting too much, once again, you’ll be pulling that shot. Every motion needs to be fluid. Perhaps the best way to correct torso and shoulder problems is to swing in slow motion. Slow everything down until you can feel that exact moment when you twist the torso too far or move the shoulder too far. Then, take steps to correct it and try it again.
Last but not least, the hips also matter in the backswing. They should be facing forward in your stance and they should not move much during the backswing. In fact, if you are pulling them, this can reduce the overall power in your backswing, since much of it will be coming from your hips.
Imagine a straight line coming out from both of your hips. This line should remain straight all through the backswing and then through the downswing. Slow everything down again and focus on keeping your hips straight. Once you have that moment pinpointed, again, correct and redo until the right stance feels natural.
By working on your backswing and breaking down each component, you can be assured that you will find any areas that need improvement and you’ll have the ability to tell just when you’re going wrong. Practice at home and see if you can’t put together the perfect swing.
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