Hello, and Happy New Year from everyone at The Golf Club at La Quinta! If your new year’s resolutions are anything like ours, then you’re probably looking to improve your golf game in 2016. Well, look no further! We’ve taken the time to scour the internet for the best pro tips on improving your golf swing! Be sure to check back in the coming weeks – we’ll also be covering the best advice for perfecting your short game.
- Power the club with your body. The force of the swing should come from your body, not from your arms. PGA pro Brady Riggs recommends this practice exercise: “Put the club behind the ball at address, with your body in a dead-stop position. Without taking a backswing, try to drag the ball into the air… once you start moving the club with your body, you’ll begin to get the ball in the air more consistently.”
- Keep your right leg slightly flexed. While a lot of golfers straighten their right leg at the top of their swing, pro golfer Lanny Wadkins warns that doing that causes a loss of stability and control over the movement of the ball. Keep a bit of flex in your right knee throughout your swing to maintain better control. Reverse this if you’re a lefty.
- Watch your backswing. When you’re taking a swing, does your club swing back behind your body, or up over your shoulder? PGA instructor Chris Czaja says that the former position can actually reduce the distance of your drive! His recommendation: “Place your leading arm (left for right-handers) behind the elbow of your trailing arm (right for left-handers) and swing your club back until the arm pivots at a 90-degree angle. At that point, pause and add the leading arm before following through with the swing.”
- Keep it slow. Speed and power are not as inseparable as you think. Mike Diffley, 2013 Met PGA Teacher of the Year, regularly tells his students to slow it down – “You almost can’t swing too slowly”, he says. “Swinging in tempo lets your hands and body square the club face to the proper line.”
- Return your shoulder. As you take your swing, make sure to return your shoulder back to its original starting position. This will help you make clean contact and avoid slices and hooks, says PGA legend Johnny Miller. His practice tip: Picture a knife pointed at the outside of your left shoulder at address. “Don’t overdo the move to the point where the Knife plunges deep into your shoulder — just do it enough to feel a little puncture.”
With these pro tips, you’ll be at the top of your game in no time. Book your next tee time and put them to the test.
Image credit: David W. Leindecker / Shutterstock.com
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