| A typical golf instructor might use the following | | | | back tends to bow and your weight slips back on |
| commands when teaching golf to beginners: "Keep | | | | your heels, making an in-balance swing difficult at |
| your head down! Keep your left arm straight! Don't | | | | best." |
| look up! Swing easy!" This approach can lead to an | | | | The backswing and the downswing must be focused |
| information overload, and is therefore a typical | | | | on next. The correct backswing starts with a proper |
| mistake instructors make. Many golf instructors using | | | | takeaway. Emphasis must be placed on pushing the |
| this approach cloud their students' minds and bring | | | | club with the arms and hands at the start of the |
| about a level of paralysis by analysis. Beginners in the | | | | backswing. There should be virtually no movement of |
| sport of golf learn most quickly when they limit their | | | | the lower body until the shaft of the club is parallel to |
| focus to the most important aspects of the golf | | | | the ground. Once again, it is critical to keep flexion in |
| swing; that is, the grip, the stance, the takeaway, | | | | the back knee. This will create a wide, level shoulder |
| and the downswing. | | | | turn that generates tremendous power. According to |
| Gripping the golf club is the foremost component of | | | | professional golfer Hal Sutton, "the hands should |
| the swing that beginning golfers must grasp. To | | | | remain in front of the chest all the way to the top of |
| identify the top hand position, a golfer has to let his/ | | | | the backswing." When properly executed, the upper |
| her hand hang down to allow a natural position to | | | | body will turn ninety degrees, and the lower body will |
| form. The club must then be gripped in this position, | | | | resist by turning only forty five degrees. |
| and the golfer must mirror the position with the | | | | The last point of emphasis for beginners is to hit |
| bottom hand. J. D. Turner, a professional golfer has | | | | down on the ball. The beginning golfer should swing |
| said, "for a good shot to occur, the grip must | | | | the club so it travels slightly downward at the point |
| support the club at the top of the swing and rotate | | | | of impact. By mastering a downward swing, where |
| the clubface back to square at impact." A natural | | | | the bottom hand delivers the club face in a |
| position will duly accomplish this. A golfer may | | | | palm-down position, golfers learn how to trap the ball |
| overlap, interlock, or grip with all ten fingers, but he/ | | | | against the club face to produce powerful, accurate |
| she should make sure the grip is not in the palm of | | | | shots. This movement is initiated by letting the arms |
| the hand and that the grip pressure is moderate. | | | | and hands drop naturally with a quiet lower body. |
| The second focus that is essential to a good swing is | | | | Once the hands drop below the waist, the lower |
| a balanced, steady stance. The golf swing must start | | | | body will have a more active role. |
| with a solid base of support with the feet | | | | When starting out, beginning golfers can go a long |
| shoulder-width apart, and weight evenly distributed | | | | way with a good grip and setup, focusing only on the |
| with slight flexion in the knees. The upper body | | | | takeaway and hitting down and through the ball. This |
| posture is central. The back ought to be fairly | | | | limited focus allows students to develop a swing |
| straight with the arms hanging naturally from the | | | | rhythm that is not easily influenced by an |
| shoulders. The chin should be held up. Tiger Woods | | | | over-analysis of all aspects of the swing by an |
| advises the beginning golfer to "avoid burying your | | | | over-zealous instructor. |
| chin in your chest. When your chin goes down, your | | | | |