“Learn to play golf!”, “It’ll be relaxing!”, “It’s not hard, it just takes practice!”, “Your feet are too far apart”, “Your feet are too close”, One day someone convinces you to play golf, and then everyone left and right starts providing unsolicited advice and “easy fixes”.
Meanwhile, you somehow feel like you’re getting even worse.
Before you know it, you’re snapping your clubs at 2:16 AM in the Starbucks parking lot. We’ve all been there… I think, right?
In all seriousness, let’s quickly dispel a couple misconceptions.
Golf is definitely easy to learn but extremely difficult to master.
Anyone who says they got everything figured out and are perfect, is straight-up lying. This is a sport that will ALWAYS require constant adjustments to your swing to play well. Even the Pros on Tour are making small changes all the time.
I assure you though, you are able to make those good swings more frequent and those bad ones less bad.
It is going to take a little time and effort, so patience is key.
However, to accelerate that process here are some resources to get your golf swing on point.
- Practice
Alright, this one is kinda obvious. It’s still extremely important. Sometimes, there’s no replacement for experience. Not every swing has to be out on the course. Go out to your local driving range or even just get a practice net. Learning to feel comfortable and used to swinging the club is half the battle.
Try to compartmentalize various aspects of your swing and notice how small variances in each affect the overall swing. Even if you feel you’re not able to “fix” your swing by yourself, this foundation will be useful for using the other resources we will mention.
- Utilize Your Friends
According to my therapist, most other people out there have at least a handful of friends. If you have any buddies who are decent at golf, ask them to watch your swing. This can help you sort out any egregious errors you’re making.
However, sometimes friends’ advice on your swing can become discouraging as everyone provides different and possibly even conflicting advice. Likewise, what works for them may not work for you. Everybody is different and will have a slightly different swing.
- Film Your Swing
If you’re not comfortable having your friends look at your swing or you’re like me and your only friend is a cat who doesn’t reciprocate your feelings, then try filming your swing. This will let you better objectively analyze yourself.
If we can learn anything from Friday Night Karaoke at the local Margaritaville, it’s that sometimes how we think we look in our head and what we are actually doing couldn’t be farther from one another. Filming yourself is immensely useful as it separates those two things. Professional golfers use this method a lot to notice changes they couldn’t feel by themselves.
- Watch Golf
This resource kinda piggybacks off the last one. Watching your own swing isn’t helpful unless you know what to look for. Turn on the tv and watch some golf. Watch how each player swings and the differences between them.
If you have a video of yourself swinging, now is the time to watch that a few times. Compare your swing to the ones you see. Obviously, your swing shouldn’t be identical because you’re not a professional athlete yet (this article is pretty good so who knows what you’ll be capable of when you finish reading it).
You can also just go to the local course and watch some casual golfers. Try to notice similarities between everyone’s swings. By this point you should be starting to form some understanding of the basics.
- YouTube Videos
This one is definitely a double edged sword. Contrary to popular belief, not everything online is true or accurate. There are many YouTube videos and channels that give poor information. Nonetheless, there are others who can give valuable tutorials.
Search around online and try to find some good ones. This can also be a good place to learn some of the more unique terminologies. WARNING SHAMELESS PLUG: We suggest checking out our YouTube channel and subsequent video tutorials like this one HERE
- Lessons
Alright, this is the end of the list so now I’m gonna drop the unpopular one. Just go schedule some golf lessons.
Obviously, try the other tips first. However, this is by far the easiest and quickest way to get good.
Ask around and find a qualified golf instructor.
They are going to be able to give you tips, drills, and suggestions for your specific swing.
There’s honestly no better alternative.
Already having some golf proficiency is suggested but not mandatory. You’ll definitely get more out of your time though if you have a solid foundation of knowledge to start with.
