9 Golf Swing Tips For Beginners To Help You Score Better

I talked to many PGA pros and asked them what their favourite golf swing tips are.

Most golf swing tips are technical and focus on the mechanics of the golf swing and don’t cover the mental aspect of golf. I set out to fix that.

Here are the golf swing tips:

• Never miss short again
• Aim small – miss small
• Tempo
• Relax your grip
• Impact
• Think-box / Play-box
• Play your game
• Move on
• Hammer that nail!

Keep reading to learn more about golf swing tips you can try right away.

#1 Never miss short again

According to Trackman, over 65% of amateur golfer’s approach shots finish short of the target. By adding 10 yards to every shot, you increase the percentage of hitting your target by a whopping 10%.

Take the club that gets you on the green, even with an imperfect strike! How often can you hit your perfect 150 yards shot with your 9 iron? If you are like most golfers, you will score lower by taking an extra club and make a smooth golf swing on your approaches.

#2 Aim small – miss small

Typical PGA tour fairways are 30 to 32 yards wide. Without a small target to aim for, it’s hard to line up and commit to a good shot.

Try this

Pick a small target that is behind your landing area. A leaf on a tree branch or window of a building is a far better aiming point and will allow you to commit to your next shot.

#3 Tempo

We all want effortless power! Practice the golf swing basics!

The triple bogey on the last hole makes us think we need to shoot level par going forward. It’s easy to get quick and lose your rhythm when under pressure. Without good tempo, you are more likely to duff and chunk your shots!

Try counting

1. When you take the Club back
2. When you finish your backswing
3. At Impact!
4. When you finish your golf swing

Use this simple drill as a tool in your arsenal whenever you need it.

#4 Relax your grip

A tight grip won’t allow you to swing without tension. Loosen your grip so your body and arms can move freely. Again, remember the golf swing basics.

Try this

1. Think of your grip pressure on a scale from 1-10.
2. Grip the club as tight as you can and slowly let go of the pressure.
3. Gradually let go the club, until you barely hold on to it anymore.

Once you feel that you have a good hold of the club, without squeezing it, you found your optimal grip pressure.

For most people, that will be a 4 out of 10.

Note: Don’t overdo this drill. Always grip the club tight enough to not throw it away when swinging it.

#5 Impact

The ball does not care if you have the same backswing position as Tiger Woods. Or if your spine-angle is 35 degrees at impact. All that matters is how your clubface interacts with the ball.

Try this

Ground Contact
Strike the ball first and take a divot after the ball!

Face direction
Close your clubface if you are hitting a fade. Open your clubface if you are hitting a draw.

Face strike
Spray a bit of Dr. Scholl’s foot spray on your clubface to analyse if you hit the centre, heel or toe of your clubs.

Work on one topic at the time.

#6 Think-box / Play-box

Swing thoughts often creep in, the second we take the club back. If you ever hit a perfect shot, you should be able to replicate that golf swing, right?

Try this

1. Create two mental think boxes. Your think box is behind the ball, and your play box is at address.
2. In the think Box, take 2-3 practice swings. Feel the shot you want to hit
3. Address the ball in the play box and execute your practice swings

Golf is a mental game. Think and play boxes allow you to focus on your shot. Drop complex swing thoughts when addressing the ball.

#7 Play your game

We all get worked up for slicing the ball 100 yards into the woods while we tried to hit a draw!

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Adjust to your current shot shape and accept the outcome. Many pro’s do fine with a fade! So can you, right?

#8 Move on

We’ve all done it. 30 Minutes on the range, 20 minutes on the putting green, bursting with confidence on the first tee.

First swing – Duckhook straight into the woods… That’s not how you were supposed to hit the ball...

Don’t let one bad shot or one bad hole dictate the rest of your round. After your clubface made an impact with the ball, move on!

Don’t follow a bad shot with a stupid shot!

#9 Hammer that nail!

Technical swing thoughts are detrimental to an amateur’s game.

Don’t try to get into Rory’s backswing position. Our bodies are not trained to do so.

When you hammer a nail into a piece of wood, do you have to think about how to increase lag on your strike? Or how far you take the hammer back? No, you do it!

Our bodies already know how to swing a golf club.

Try this

Imagine that you are hitting a nail into the back of that golf ball. You’ll notice that your swing path gets more in-to-out or visa versa. Eventually, you’ll start to hit the ball the way you wanted, without thinking about your technique.

What to do next

Try these drills during your next range session or round of golf. Start playing golf, not golf-swing and take charge of your game. Read our guide on how far average golfers hit it off the tee for even more insights!