Golf Swing Analysis & Tips - Increase Swing Speed | Swing Golf Club Like Tiger Woods without Any Training Aids

A good Golf Club Grip helps you achieve a good Golf Swing and a better chance of hitting the ball towards your target. The perfect Golf Grip allows you to comfortably keep control of the club and helps you feel the connection of your hands and the clubhead.

There are three most common Types of Golf Grip. Choose the one which gives you the best feeling of control and is most comfortable for you.

Ten-finger / Baseball Golf Grip

On this type of Golf Grip, your right hand rests next to the side of the index finger of your left hand. All your fingers are holding the club. This grip is ideal for golfers with hands that are not that strong. The grip becomes firmer with the support of all your ten fingers. This kind of grip also allows you to uncock your wrist easier in the swing to give it a little more force. This grip, however, makes it harder to control the clubhead.

To do the Baseball Grip, hold the club with your left hand. Slide your right hand, make sure all your knuckles are lined up underneath your shaft. The forefinger, middle finger, ring finger and small finger are placed on the handle.

Interlock Golf Grip

In this Type of Golf Grip, the pinkie of your right hand is intertwined with the index finger of your left hand. The Interlock Golf Grip keeps your hands connected during the swing. The fact that this grip requires less strength than the Overlapping Golf Grip makes it ideal for women golfers and other golfers with small hands or short fingers.

For the Interlocking Golf Grip, hold your club with your left hand - three of your knuckles should be visible and your left thumb should be slightly at the right of the center of the Grip. Then, place your right hand. The index finger, middle finger and ring finger should touch the end of the club handle and the pinkie of your right hand should interlock with the left index finger.

Overlap Golf Grip

This grip is also called the Vardon Grip since it is popularized by Harry Vardon. In this Golf Grip, the pinkie of your right hand rests on the top of the index finger of your left hand. The ring finger of your right hand also touches the index finger of your left. This kind of grip gives you the feeling that your hands are connected and are working together during the swing. This grip is mostly used by professional golfers. This grip type requires strong hands since you will be using fewer fingers to control your club.

Doing the Overlap Golf Grip is almost the same as the Interlock Golf Grip. The main difference is that for the Overlap Golf Grip, the pinkie of your right hand should be under the index finger of your left hand.

Putting Golf Grip

The Putting Golf Grip is the way you hold your club in Putting. These are modified types of the ones you used on the Tee-Box and the Fairway. Putting Grips are commonly an Overlapping Golf Grip or a Cross-Handed Golf Grip.

• The Overlapping Golf Grip is a modified Vardon Grip. In this type, you putt with your left index finger lying on the groove between the pinkie and ring finger of your right hand.


• Cross-Handed Golf Grip. Put your right hand near the butt end of your Putter grip. Then slide your left hand until it rests against the side of your right hand index finger.

To check if your are doing it right, check your club. The clubface should not create any angle with the shaft. The sole should lie flat on the ground and the palm of your right hand should be perpendicular to the ground. Some modifications can be made on the grip to fit your swing but try not to modify too much. To create a strong grip, rotate your left hand more towards the top end of the club handle. Doing this with your right hand will create a weak grip.

The most important thing to remember in the Golf Grip is to hold the club with enough force to control it, but not tight enough that you can get blisters. If you grip your club too tight, you will likely get blisters at the part of your hand that touches the butt end of your club. It will also create tension in your hands and arms, making you less flexible for the swing. Also, remember that your palm and finger position should not change throughout the swing.

How you stand affects the direction of your Golf Ball. Your feet should be perfectly aligned with your target. Pulling your foot away from the target will cause you to have a Slice or a Fade. Pulling it closer will have a similar bad effect. The direction where the Clubface is pointing also has a great effect on Ball Flight. When you set up, make sure that you are aiming with the bottom groove of the Clubface. Here are the Types of Golf Stance based on how your feet are aligned with the target:
==square stance<================>open stance<==================>closed stance
<============><============>
Square Stance:In this type of Golf Stance, your feet and the Clubface of your Golf Club are all directed towards the target. The toes of both feet are parallel to the target and the Clubface should be perpendicular to the target.
Open Stance:For this Golf Stance, your left foot or the foot closest to the target, is pulled away while the shoulders are still in line with the target. This type of stance usually leads to a Slice or a Fade because the force comes from the outside-in and because of the left-to-right direction of the Golf Ball. This Type of Stance is most useful for Chip Shots.
Closed Stance:To achieve a Closed Stance, the left foot or the foot closest to the target, is moved towards the imaginary line. It may appear that you are aiming to the right. Your shoulders and feet are pointed straight ahead but you are pointing to the right of the target. The result of this Golf Stance is a right-to-left spin of your Golf Ball since you are hitting it from the inside-out.

For the Golf Stance and the entire Golf Set-Up, the distance between your feet and ball position will need to be changed depending on the type of club you use. For the short Irons, your ball needs to be positioned at the center of your feet. Using long Irons and the Five-Wood will require you to put your ball just in front of the center of your feet. For long Woods - including the Driver, the ball is positioned just inside your front foot. In these cases, the Clubface should be square to the target line on the Downswing.

Many golfers are obsessed with learning how to make the perfect Golf Swing and are practicing it constantly on the driving range and the Golf Course. The Golf Full Swing consists of three parts: the Back Swing/Takeaway, the Down Swing and the Follow-Through. The Golf Full Swing is used to tee off and it is also commonly used in the fairway. Other shots with Irons or Wedges are just modified and generally shorter versions of the Golf Full Swing.

STEP 1: Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. Slighty lean forward and keep your knees slightly bent. Hold the club snugly with the interlock grip (the pinkie of your right hand and index finger of your left are wrapped around each other). Your grip should not be too tight that there's no more room for wrist movement, or too loose that the club slips off your fingers.

STEP 2: Turn your hands clockwise and bring the club parallel with the toe line: the shaft should be parallel to the ground, your left knee should naturally move towards the right knee, and your club and your hands should be hip high.

STEP 3: Move your back towards the target, keeping the weight on the inside of your right knee.

STEP 4: Swing your hands up over your right shoulder. Your shoulders are turned to help the hand and arms go up. The hips will follow your shoulder, then the left foot rolls on its inner side and makes your left knee move slightly to the right. Keep your left heel flat on the ground and your right elbow pointing down.

STEP 5: Turn your left hip towards the target and return your left foot to its original position at address. Your right foot should roll to its inner side, sending the right knee to the left, turning your left knee towards the target, and pulling the right shoulder and the club down and around.

STEP 6: Drop your left arm in front of the toe line as your right elbow drops to your right hip.

STEP 7: Turn your hip towards the target and move your right knee towards the left followed by your shoulders. The angle of your club shaft and left forearm should remain unchanged as your club and hands move towards the toe line.

STEP 8: Hit the ball. Your right shoulder should be lower than your left. Turn your belt buckle towards your target.

STEP 9: Your right heel may rise due to the momentum. Your right arm and club should extend in a straight line. The V position of your arms should be retained in the follow-through. This is the sign that your club hit the ball with maximum speed.

STEP 10: At follow-through, your hand should be over your left shoulder. Most of your weight should be on the left foot and your right foot is on its toe to retain balance.

Knowing the detailed steps and the principles behind each step in the Golf Swing will help you avoid Slices, hitting too short or too far, and hitting towards the hazards. Each step is important in executing the perfect Swing. The Back Swing puts force into your swing - the better the Back Swing, the farther your ball will go. In the Down Swing, you take your club towards the ball and make contact. A bad aim will make you hit the left or the right side of the ball, creating either a Hook or a Slice. The Follow-Through smoothly completes the movement and doing it properly is important in making good ball contact.

Having a Good Golf Stance gives you stable footing throughout your Golf Swing and puts you in better control of the ball. The position of your feet and your posture affects the angle of your Swing which strongly determines the direction of your ball. A Good Set-Up or Stance is one that keeps you balanced as you do the Swing, allowing you to hit the ball with the center of the clubface. You may be able to make one hell of a swing, but without a Proper Stance, your Golf Ball will just end up anywhere in the Course except your target.

Here are some pointers on how you can achieve the Perfect Golf Stance:

• Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. The shoulder-width stance is best for mid-irons. For shorter irons, you will need to take a narrower stance, a wider stance will be required for longer clubs. The general rule is, the longer your club, the wider your stance; and, the shorter your club, the narrower your stance should be.


• The toe of the foot closest to the target should be rotated three inches towards the target


• The toe of foot the farthest from the target should be pointed to a spot perpendicular to the target


• Your knees should be slightly bent but keep your back straight.


• The sole of your Golf Club should rest flatly on the ground


• Your weight must rest lightly on the balls of your feet.


• Your arms should be stretched, forming a "V"-like shape.


• The clubface should be square to the target, somewhere from the middle of the stance-leftward.

The position of your ball during set-up greatly depends on the type of club you are using.

Here are some guidelines on the position of your Golf Ball based on the club you use:

• Short Irons: the ball needs to be positioned at the center of your stance.


• Long Irons and the Five-Wood: put your ball just in front of the center of your stance- that is about a Golf Ball width from the center of your stance towards the target.


• Long Woods, including the Driver: the ball is set just in front of your front foot. This is about two Golf Ball width from the center of your stance towards the target.

To check if you are at the right position from the ball, hold your club with your arms outstretched at waist height and parallel to the ground. Then bend forward, let your arms drop. The ball must be placed where the clubhead touches the ground. Having your ball positioned farther makes you slouch or stoop forward too much, thus creating a bad posture and a bad swing.

Aside from the ball distance and positioning, you need to keep a good posture. A good posture is characterized by a fairly straight back, head angled with your spine and behind the ball. Your knees should be slightly bent, and your weight equally divided between the balls and heels of your feet. Keep your chin tucked in and your arms should hang loosely with your right arm lower than your left. Following these guidelines will definitely result to a proper Swing.

After you make your long Tee Drive, you will hopefully be on the Fairway ready to make your next shot. On Par 4 holes, this will often leave you with a distance of about 100 yards to cover. This distance is often ideal in making a Pitch Shot. A Pitch Shot is an intermediate length Golf Shot made approximately 40-90 yards from the Green. The Pitch Shot is done with a Lofted Golf Club which may either be the Pitching Wedge (PW) or the Sand Wedge (SW). Irons 5 or 6 can be used for longer Pitch Shots. Learn how to do the Pitching technique in this section:

STEP 1: Set up with a slightly Open Stance with your feet positioned at the left of the target line.

STEP 2: Check the area first before hitting the Golf Ball. Shift your weight on your forward foot.

STEP 3: Make a Back Swing. This can be waist-high or shoulder-high or you may need to do a Full Swing. It will be based on the type of shot you need to make. Slightly cock your wrist so you can create a downward blow on your shot. The back of your left hand and the clubface should face the front.

STEP 4: In the follow-through, do not rotate your hands and the clubhead so you can keep the clubface square to the target longer and thus increase the probability that your ball will go up and keep its direction.

Remember that the goal in Pitching is to send the ball high in the air over the Rough or the Hazards. The Golf Ball will then have less roll when it lands. The higher your Golf Ball flies, the shorter roll it will have.

After the Tee Shot or a fairway drive, you are likely to end up just outside the Green with only a short distance to go to the hole. This is where the Chip Shot and Pitch Shot come into play. The Chip Shot is a technical short distance shot taken from about 30 yards around the Green. Pitch Shots are mostly made with less lofted Irons like the 5 or 7 Iron. There are two general shot types that can be achieved with Chipping:

• Bump and Run Shot: A Bump and Run Shot will cause the Golf Ball to jump in a relatively low trajectory, bump on the Green, run over the Green and hopefully into the hole. When making this type of Golf Shot, it is advisable to use lower loft Golf Clubs, like an 8, 7 or 6 Iron. Take an Open Stance and play the ball back. The Clubface should be hooded so that the club plays with less loft than normal. Make a Back Swing that is just enough to give you some shot power. Then strike with a downward blow, hitting the ground and the Golf Ball at the same time. Finish the shot with a sweep on the hitting area and follow-through.



• Flop Shot: This type of Golf Shot is used when you want your ball to have a very high trajectory for instance if something is in your way, Sand and Water Hazard for instance. The trick is to open the Clubface and get the club under the ball to pop it up.

STEP 1: Open your stance so you will be able to see the target line clearly. Your feet should be positioned a little to the left of the Golf Ball. Lean a bit forward and slightly bend your knees.

STEP 2: Check the area first before hitting the Golf Ball. Look at the spot where you want the ball to land.

STEP 3: Make a Back Swing. Cock your wrist a little to promote a downward blow through the shot.

STEP 4: In the follow-through, do not flip your left wrist. It should be in a straight line after hitting the ball.

Chipping is quite an easy thing to do. Have the correct stance and learn the proper technique of making a chip shot. Mastering the right Chipping technique will help you a lot on your game.

Putting is one of the most essential skills you will have to learn in Golf. Putting decides the outcome of each hole and good Putting skills can make the difference between bogeys and birdies. Unlike the Full Golf Swing, the Putting Swing is much more subtle and the movements are much smaller. The Putting Swing is also called the Pendulum-like Swing since you move your Golf Club like a pendulum. In this Golf Swing, your elbow and wrist retain their positions from address to finish.


STEP 1: Stand behind the Golf Ball and check the area first, particularly the line of putt.

STEP 2: Practice your Putting stroke a few times before actually doing it.

STEP 3: Move towards the ball. Your eyes should be directly over the ball. Check the line of putt to make sure that you are in the right position. Take your Putter about ten inches away from the ball.

STEP 4: Strike the ball.

STEP 5: Go ten inches into the Follow-Through. Note that the movement of your Golf Club must be like the movement of a clock pendulum. With all things equal, the ball will travel longer downhill and shorter uphill. The trick in Putting stroke is distance control. Try practicing with different distances in the Backswing and the Forward Swing.This way you determine how far the golf ball will roll on the ground when a swing of a certain length is applied to it.

Becoming good at Putting is a matter of practice in which you gain a feeling for Putting and learn how to better read the Green. Still, having a good Putting technique will help tremendously.

Dealing with Golf Course Hazards is actually the greatest challenge in Golf. It is always frustrating when you think that you have made a good Golf Swing and yet, you miscalculated the distance, making your Golf Ball land into a Golf Hazard - Water Hazard, Sand Trap, Under a Tree or a Divot. However, one of the greatest achievements in Golf is to have your ball in a Bunker, almost completely buried, and then be able to hit it out of the hazard and towards the hole. Making good Golf Shots from Golf Course Hazards is the greatest challenge and will give the biggest sense of accomplishment. In this section, know how to make a Bunker Shot and how to deal with other Golf Course Hazards:

Sand Traps & Fairway Bunkers
Description: A Bunker is a depression situated around the Golf Course. If it contains sand, it is called a Sand Trap. If the Bunker is on the Fairway, it is called Fairway Bunker. You won't have a penalty shot hitting into this hazard, the only trouble is that you'll have to get your ball back to the Fairway and into the Green.

Solution: To get the ball out of the Sand Trap or the Fairway Bunker, use the sand wedge or pitching wedge. Forget about distance, this shot requires a lot of accuracy. However, if you are still a bit too far from the Green, you can also use the Six-Iron for more distance. Open your stance and make a point that is 20 yards outside the Bunker. Slightly dig in the sand with your Golf Club and pick the ball directly off to the surface. Be sure to hit the ball and the sand at the same time.

Bunker Lies
A Lie in Golf is the position your ball is in after you make a Golf Shot. A Lie may be good or bad. If you hit your ball towards the Fairway, you will definitely have a good Lie and it will be easy for you to get your ball into the Green. However, if you hit your ball in a Sand Bunker, you will have a bad Lie. If you are a bit lucky, your ball may just sit on a flat surface, if not, your ball can be hopelessly buried in the sand. To get your ball back to the Fairway or onto the Green, you will first need to analyze the Type of Lie your Golf Ball is in. A special Golf Club called the Sand Wedge can then be used to try and hit your ball out of the hazard and back on track towards the hole. In this section, you will learn the Different Types of Lie and How to Deal with Bad Lies.

• Good Lie: Description: Hitting into the Bunker is a problem golfers must sometimes face. The only thing you can hope for is to have your Golf Ball sit on an area of relatively flat surface also known as a Good Lie. A Good Lie is the easiest to deal with, in case your ball falls into this Hazard.
  
  Solution: To get the ball out of the sand, open your stance and try digging your feet into the sand so you won't lose balance when you take this shot. Focus on a spot that is about two inches behind your ball, slide your Golf Club towards it and take it off the sand. See the animation at the right.



• Fried Egg Lie: Description: The name Fried Egg Lie is taken from the way your Golf Ball looks like. It looks like an egg yolk and the explosion around it looks like cooked egg white.
  
  Solution: Use an aggressive Bump and Run Shot. Open your stance and rotate the Golf Club Grip to make the clubface point more at the Golf Ball and less on the sky. Then try hitting the ball and the sand at the same time.



• Buried Lie: Description: Your Golf Ball is in a Buried Lie if it is buried deep into the sand with a large part of the Golf Ball under the sand. This is a harder Golf Lie to deal with than a Fried Egg Lie.
  
  Solution: You can do the same trick you did with your Fried Egg Lie. Use a Bump and Run Shot but you need to swing harder. Use a Pitching Wedge instead of a Sand Wedge to "blast" the Golf Ball out of the sand.

Water Hazards
Description: The thing most beginner golfers dread is to make a shot in front of a Water Hazard - a pond, a lake, or a swamp situated along or across the Golf Course. It is really disconcerting to face a Water Hazard especially when you are still having a hard time getting your ball airborne and knowing that hitting into it will cost you a Penalty Stroke.

Solution: If there is a Water Hazard in front of you, all you need to do is focus on a spot that is about 15 yards past the Water Hazard. Keep your eye on that spot, make it your goal and take a full, aggressive swing. Take a good margin in your target. It is better to swing too far than to swing your ball into the water hazard.

Trees & Other Obstacles
Description: Missing the Fairway may mean your ball will get stuck in the trees surrounding the Golf Course or you will have to take a Blindshot or take a shot without seeing your target.

Solution: To get out of tight situations in the Golf Course, like being stuck in the trees, try to find a small opening that leads to the Fairway. If there is an opening, use a three or four-iron Golf Club and make an aggressive Bump and Run Shot. This will give your Golf Ball a low, quick hop, then it will come running along out of the opening and back to the Fairway. Don't make your ball fly since the tree branches get more and more tangled as you go higher; you do not want your ball to get caught between branches.

Blindshots
Description: As mentioned earlier, your ball may sometimes accidentally fall into the area where you can no longer see the Green or even the Fairway. Trees, rocks or other obstacles may block your vision of the Green, making it difficult to take a shot.

Solution: In taking Blindshots, the trick is to try to find your vision. Walk or drive ahead and look at your target. Search for some marks that will guide you when you go back to your ball. For example, you found a tree growing in the background behind your target. The top of this tree will be your aim when you take your Blindshot.

Swamps and Weedy Areas
Description: At some point in your Golf round, you may see yourself facing a weedy area, a swamp or other similar obstructions.

Solution: If your distance to the Fairway is around 150 yards or shorter, do the same trick you did with the Water Hazard in front of you. Aim for a 15-yard point past the Golf Hazard and use a Mid-Iron Golf Club to give your shot extra loft. Doing this will give you a greater error margin and better chance to overcome that Golf Hazard.

Dealing with other Bad Lies
Your ball will not always be in a good position for your next shot. It may sometimes land in a Divot which is almost like a miniature Sand Trap, or under a tree. These Kinds of Lies also require some specific Golf Skills and Techniques.

• In a Divot: Description: A Divot is the mark or the gash of dirt and grass you take with your swing. In some instances, your ball may also fall into one. It is often frustrating to find your ball landed on a Divot that some other player just left behind. It is part of Golf Etiquette to repair Divots. Most golfers carry a Divot repair kit with them as they go through their rounds.
  
  Solution: When your ball ends up landing in a Divot, it is advisable to use a Golf Club with more Loft to propel your ball out of it. Then, adjust your Golf Stance in a way that the ball is positioned further back. Then make a steep Golf Swing and come down quickly on the ball. Your Golf Ball will most likely roll more than normal since there will be no Backspin on this shot.



• Under a Tree: Description: Accidentally hitting your ball into the Rough can leave you with your ball under a tree. Tree branches get more and more tangled as you go up, so you also risk the danger of getting your ball up in a tree when you accidentally make your ball fly really high.
  
  Solution: When your Golf Ball lands Under a Tree, the Golf Clubs three or four-iron will be good choices. Your goal here is to make the ball roll along out of the Golf Hazard. Take your shot as if you are making a hard Putt. Keep your shot low to avoid getting your ball caught up in the tree branches.



• Hardpan: Description: A Hardpan is a rock solid surface. The problem with hitting in a Hardpan is that you get too much roll, thus, getting additional distance. When you take your shot from a Hardpan, your Golf Club will have a tendency to bounce off and make it easy to top the ball.
  
  Solution: It is best to play this Golf Hazard with a nine-iron or a Pitching Wedge and use the same technique as for Fried Egg Lie.



• Pine Needles or Leaves: Description: Since there are trees along the Golf Course, leaves or pine needles are also everywhere. Though you may sweep away these obstructions, you may also sometimes need to take your shot with your ball surrounded by leaves. These leaves act like a Sand Trap.
  
  Solution: To get out of this problem, use the shot you make for a Fairway Bunker. Open your stance, focusing on a spot located two inches behind your ball, slide your club, and take your shot.



• Awkward Golf Stance: Description: An Awkward Golf Stance is when you stand on an uneven surface, making it more difficult to get a good stance. For instance, with one foot inside and the other outside the Bunker or on a steep slope.
  
  Solution: To deal with an Awkward Golf Stance, bend your knees and attempt to create a level position. Swing a little harder than normal using a Sand Wedge to make it through.

Trying to get your ball out of trouble will not be easy. It requires you to have a lot of patience, a lot of practice and a good Follow-Through.

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