We are all born with a natural golf swing.

There is no one perfect golf swing that will suit everybody. Your perfect swing will be the one that works best for you.

Because of our physical differences, body types and the level of golf we want to play. Most golfers will have to make some adjustments to the way they “swing the club” and to “the speed of their swing” to help them hit the ball more “accurately” and with more “consistency.”

How you swing the club and the tempo of your swing should be what is natural to you.

Your swing should be, “what you are comfortable with”, and “what your body is able and prepared to do.”

The key to developing your golf swing, will be in your fundamentals

1. Starting Position
2. Back-swing
3. Top of the Swing
4. Down-swing
5. Follow-Through and Finish

These are fundamentals that apply to every golf swing. But they do not apply “the same” for every golfer.

1. Starting Position

The purpose of your starting position is to set you up so you have a chance to make a balanced, strong and consistent swing. Where the club works on plane and your weight can rotate around your spine properly.

Grip
The grip is how you hold the club.

This will be one of the most important fundamentals you will learn.

The grip is where it all starts and it is the only contact you have with the club.

It plays an important role in controlling the club during the swing.

Your grip will help you swing the club more consistently and to make solid contact with the ball.

There are three types of grips to choose from:

The Overlapping is by far the most popular.

Which ever one you choose make sure it's comfortable to you.

Stance and Posture
Stance and posture are how you “set-up” to make the golf swing.

You must provide a solid platform for you golf swing. Your swing is built on this foundation.

The proper “set-up” is all about being “comfortable over the ball” and “in an athletic position.”

Most of you have played baseball, tennis or other sports that require a “get-set-posture”, where you feel balanced and ready to move in any direction.

Imagine being a shortstop in baseball set to react to an infield hit or a tennis player waiting to receive the serve.

You are bent over at the hips, your knees are slightly bent, your feet are placed about shoulder width a part, your back is straight, your eyes are looking straight ahead, your arms are slightly extended in front of you and your hands are about waist high.

“Notice how well balanced you are over both feet”

With a few adjustments, this pretty much describes the golf stance.

The path your club takes during your entire swing is dictated by your spine angle.

Learn to bend at the hips, it is essential to maintaining a straight spine.

Stand up straight (keep back straight), feet slightly apart and your arms hanging at your side.

Well maintaining your balance, slowly move your butt back over your heels and your head forward over your toes, keep your back straight and eyes looking forwards.

Learn and practice your set-up. Good posture will protect your back and put you in an athletic position to make a good swing.

Ball Position
Where your golf ball is positioned when you set-up will influence the alignment of your club-head at impact with the ball, this will determine the direction of the shot.

Many golfers will vary the position of the ball, depending on which club they use.They move the ball back from just inside their front foot, to the middle of their stance as the clubs get shorter.

Others will use the same ball position for all of their clubs.

Varying the ball position is probably the most popular, but again it’s a matter of personal choice and comfort.

Use whatever is most comfortable to you, and provides you with the best results.

Alignment
If you are not aiming at your target, then you will have to swing off line in order to get the ball to go towards your intended target.

Improper alignment will force you to make adjustments to your swing; you will have to correct this mistake with another mistake.

2. Back-swing

This is the first step to a balanced swing motion.

It starts with the take-away. Although the take-away is only a short portion of the back-swing it is critical in establishing the correct swing-path.

This is also where you will establish your swing tempo.

“Do not rush your back-swing.”

The back-swing stretches and coils your muscles to get the golf club into the correct position at the top of your swing.

With a great deal of flexibility, you will have several options available to you; with less flexibility your back swing will be limited.

It is very important to get your swing started properly.

3. Top of the swing

“This position is critical to the rest of your swing.

” If your golf club and body are not in the proper position at the top of your swing, it will adversely affect your down-swing and follow through.

Probably one of the most difficult parts of the golf swing is making the transition from the top of your swing to the down-swing.

4. Down-swing

The down-swing is where you deliver the club-head to the golf ball.

The path your club takes on your down-swing is a key factor in determining how accurate your shot will be.

5. Follow through and finish

If it is balanced than everything else was done properly.

Your finish will tell you how well you have completed the first four parts of the golf swing.

There is no one swing-path that is right for all golfers.

• Your build
• Your height
• Your stance and body angles in your set-up posture
• How far away you stand from the ball
• Your swing tempo and take-away

Learn and practice the fundamentals that work best for you.

Remember your golf swing doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be effective and repeatable.

Golf Ball Flight Patterns

Faster and more lasting gains can be achieved by improving your golf specific conditioning that will allow your body to perform the necessary movements of the golf swing.

Next: Ability and Conditioning

Return to: Getting Started

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