Trying to swing your golf club too fast or with too much effort can cause errant, inconsistent golf shots. There are a few helpful things you can do in your golf swing to gain more consistency, have better ball striking, and hit the ball farther. Implementing proper technique and fundamentals into your golf swing will go a long way in helping you gain more power with less effort.
The first problem I notice with many golfers who try too hard is they are way too tense in their setup and in their golf swing. In the setup position, the arms should hang down and be extended but it is important not to lock the elbows. Keeping the arms extended but flexible in this way will allow for a freer motion with your swing and you’ll actually be able to hit the ball farther. Tension is a killer and you’ll end up developing more bad habits in your swing if you aren’t relaxed enough.
The next issue that can come up and cause a loss of power is swinging too fast on the backswing. When the golf swing is rushed in the backswing, it is inevitable that the club must slow down when it is coming in to hit the golf ball. Ideally, the club head should be speeding up as it approaches the ball so the maximum amount of power can be unleashed to the golf ball at impact.
Sometimes when a golfer tries to swing too hard, they end up having too much body movement. They can lose their angles and good body position in the golf swing from moving too much. To hit the ball consistently, it’s important to have a compact golf swing that is simple. The more solidly you strike the golf ball, the farther it will go. You want to maintain the same good posture and good angles in your golf swing from your setup. Once you have a proper setup, you then simply swing and turn while maintaining those same angles. Trying too hard to get extra power or hit the ball farther can cause you to lose these angles. The spine angle should be the same at impact as it was in setup. The spine angle should also be the same at the top of the swing. Changing your angles by moving too much makes it quite difficult to get the club back to the ball in the same spot you addressed it.
Another mistake I see many golfers make is they try to steer or guide the golf club too much in an effort to hit it better. It is called a golf swing because that’s exactly what it is. It’s a swing which is a dynamic motion. Trying to put or force the golf club into the proper positions is not helpful and I don’t recommend this. Sometimes when a golfer is working on trying to improve their swing, this can happen without even being aware of it. It’s okay to work on technique in your swing, but just make sure you are combining proper technique with a smooth swinging motion.
Play better golf with our best golf tips. Start lowering your golf scores today!