5 Golf Swing Tips From A Pro: Teeing Off in Michigan? Learn How to Improve Your Golf Swing Technique!
5 Golf Swing Tips From A Pro: Teeing Off in Michigan? Learn How to Improve Your Golf Swing Technique
By: Jordan Fuller for Travel-Mi.com | Updated: June 9, 2023
Teeing off in Michigan soon? Here are our top 5 golf tips on how to improve your golf swing technique so you can make the most of the incredible bucket-list courses throughout Michigan. These golf tips are for golfers of all levels so you can improve your game!
Did you know Michigan is ranked in the top 10 places in the country to play an amazing round of golf?
Each spring, summer and fall, the Wolverine State is a spectacular golfing destination and home to some of the most elite public courses in the country. If you want to see experts on the greens, check out the LPGA in Midland Michigan!
Tip 1: Make Sure Your Stance Is Correct
Many golfers forget that the way they stand is actually part of their swing, especially if it’s something they didn’t learn as a junior!
A good golf swing begins with a good stance. Get this right, and everything else will be vastly easier.
One of the biggest consequences of a bad stance is struggling to hit the ball consistently in the middle of the club face. Something as simple as getting your stance right can fix this problem… And add yards to every drive!
Here’s how to set yourself up in an athletic, balanced, and freely-rotating golf stance:
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Maintain a slight bend in your knees.
- Keep your weight evenly distributed between both feet.
- Relax your shoulders and keep your spine straight.
- Your club face should be positioned with the ball in the center.
- Throughout your shot, try to maintain even weight distribution and a straight spine.
Also, when you’re making changes to your stance, try practicing a few really slow swings so your body can begin to adjust to what it should feel like to be in the proper stance.
We advise videoing your swing so you can spot small things that need to be improved. You may not feel it while you’re swinging, but it can be much easier to see on a video!
Tip 2: Master the Grip
Once you’ve got the stance down, the grip is the next thing to tackle. Again, this is something many golfers take for granted because how hard can it be to hold a golf club?
The truth is...
If your grip isn’t correct, you’re shooting yourself in the foot with your swing.
An incorrect grip reduces your control and your power during your golf swing. But get your grip right, and it can give you almost superhuman control over each shot, as well as more powerful than you thought possible.
Here’s how to hold your club the right way:
- Grab the club in your lead hand (the opposite of your dominant hand), placing the grip across the base of your fingers (your inner knuckles!).
- Wrap your fingers around the grip firmly (but don’t squeeze).
- Add your other hand (known as your trailing hand) to the club, locking your pinky fingers with the index finger of your leading hand.
- Don’t tighten your grip during the swing.
It takes a bit of practice, but once you get it right, you’ll notice how this simple thing can change your own club control drastically.
Tip 3: Focus on the Backswing
Ah, the first part of the actual swing! Getting your backswing right sets the stage for a powerful and controlled downswing, so while the backswing might seem a little less important, making small changes to this part of your swing can make a big difference.
Here’s how your backswing should go:
- Get into the perfect stance for your shot.
- As your backswing starts, rotate your torso away from the target area.
- Take care not to rotate your lower half.
- Keep your lead arm straight as you swing back.
- Allow your wrists to rotate to around a 90-degree angle between the lead arm and the club.
- Just before its highest point, shift your weight slightly onto your back foot.
Watch the best of the best!!
Tip 4: Master the Downswing and Impact
The obvious next step is the downswing, followed by making contact with the ball. If your stance, grip, and backswing are all correct, your downswing and impact will come naturally.
Here’s how to get it right:
- Right before you begin your downswing, shift your weight back onto your lead foot.
- At the same time, rotate your hips and shoulders back downwards.
- Keep your lead arm straight as you drive it down to make contact with the ball.
- Maintain a smooth motion with no jerks or wobbles!
- As you make contact, rotate your hips diagonally to face your target.
- Follow through with your arms.
The “tripod” position of your feet and hips should NOT change. Only the direction in which your hips are facing should change—you should not lean your hips one way or the other during your swing.
Tip 5: Practice with Purpose
Mastering your golf swing doesn’t happen overnight.
Just like any sport, it requires consistent practice to get right… Which means you need to make the most of your practice time.
Practicing with purpose is one of the most underrated tips when it comes to improving your swing.
Put dedicated time towards working on your swing, rather than just sort of working on it during every round of golf or hitting balls on the driving range without a second thought.
We recommend:
- Videotaping your swing.
- Identifying problems.
- Making the necessary changes.
- Setting aside dedicated “swing practice” time.
- Practicing your swing slowly and building it up in speed.
- Taking your time with your swing… Every time.
- Reassessing (and videoing) your swing on a regular basis.
Practice Your New Golf Skills in Bay Harbor, MI!
Book a golfing getaway at the Inn at Bay Harbor and tee off at Bay Harbor Golf Club. It's a spectacular West Michigan Golf Resort.
Conclusion
Learning how to improve your golf swing isn’t hard. If you’re serious about it, this is your blueprint for mastering the perfect golf swing form… All that remains is for you to set aside dedicated time to work on it.
Trust us—spend some time on these fundamentals, and you’ll see your entire game improve. After all, your swing is the most basic part of the game of golf… If you get this right from the start, everything else will follow.
We hope you learned some great golf takeaway tips to take on the scenic public courses in Michigan.
About the Author
Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer and businessman. When he’s not on the course working on his own game or mentoring young golfers, he writes in-depth articles for his website, Golf Influence.
If You Love Golf...
Come on out to the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational LPGA in Midland, Michigan in July! It's an incredible day of professional women golfers!
Oh, and check out the Best Southwest Michigan Golf Courses!