When it comes to playing the game of golf the first time, it might seem to be a simple process.  Grab a golf club, swing it back, and then power it forward thru the golf ball.  And although there are some people within the world that can do this naturally, there are others which do not have the proper coordination or skill to just pick up a golf club and swing it smoothly.  Your entire golf game is based upon the swing you have, and therefore, you need to have a swing which will maximize your ability.  Because everyone is shaped differently, there are some basic body actions you should take in order to figure out the best swing for you.

Within this article, we’re going to list five the top body actions you should learn as you start playing the game of golf.

1. To start with, your hands should be low on the golf club

Often times, new golfers want to grip the club and rip it, and see how far they can actually hit a golf ball.  And this is very understandable, as there are few things which give you the rush of hitting a golf ball long and straight.  However, this is not the right foundation for building a good golf swing which will offer you consistency.

When new golfers attempt to grip it and rip it, they typically hold the golf club towards the end of the club; rather than doing this, you should choke down on the golf club.  By doing this, you limit the amount of backswing you will have, but this will provide a great foundation for you as you learn more about your swing, and what you are capable of.

Once you have played a couple of rounds, you can start moving your hands up on the golf club to give you a little bit more power, but this should only be practiced on the driving range.

2. Manipulate your body to give you more power

If you were to ask random people on the street, who do not play golf, where the power of a swing comes from, a majority of those people would no doubt say the arms.  And although the arms can have a small portion to do with it, this is not the correct answer (which is why we don’t recommend having your hands at the end of the golf club to start with).  The legs are another common answer, but this is not accurate either.

Your main power source with your golf swing actually comes from your body, and how it is positioned and rotated.  Within any swing, if you move the arms first before you move your body, then you will have a very unbalanced and inconsistent swing.

In addition to this, if your club swing movements are at a different tempo than how your body is moving, it will cause your club to not be squared as it comes down and hits the golf ball.  Once your golf club is not square, there is no way to get it back into the right position unless you just start your swing over.  If you continue to swing with your arms as the main power source, your club will swing wildly and your shot will very rarely go in the direction you intend for it to go.

It is very important for you to learn how to control your body during your swing, and allow your body to be the leading aspect of your swing.  By rotating your hips, and having your arms follow the tempo of your hips, you will develop a great foundation for your swing moving forward.

3. Find the proper stopping place for your backswing

One of the hardest things for any golfer to figure out is where to stop your backswing.  Stopping the backswing too soon, or taking it back to far, and you can mess up the entire tempo of your swing.  Your swing needs to be on the same tempo as the rotation of your body, and any portion of your swing which upsets the tempo will cause your swing to be out of balance.

Finding the proper stopping place with your backswing will take some time and some practice.  This is best done on the practice range; trying out different placements of your back swing to see how it feels.  If you go thru your backswing, and you can feel there is some extra strain within your arms or within your back, then you know that you have taken your backswing too far.

However, in contrast, if your swing seems reserved and you can tell you can go a little further, you should.  There is no advantage initially to actually having a backswing which does not feel natural.  If you leave your backswing to short, it will throw off the tempo of your swing.  It is better to find the exact right position of your backswing, so you can have a natural feeling swing.

Find where that natural fit is for you, and then keep going to that spot.  There are times where you will want to hit the golf ball a little bit harder, or softer, and adjusting your backswing to make this happen can be a tool you can use.  But, this should not be at the expense  of ensuring you have the proper backswing motion for each and every shot.

4. Keep your head down

This portion of your golf swing seems so simple, yet it is very difficult to always control.  Because your body and arms are in a forward momentum moving forward, it is difficult for your head to continue to look down at the ball.  It naturally wants to look up and forward as you go thru your swing, especially if you have a small portion of your mind that wants to ensure it sees where the golf ball is heading after you hit it.

Sometimes, the excitement of knowing you are going to hit a great shot can actually prevent you from hitting that shot, as if you take your eye off the golf ball before you actually hit it.  Keeping your head down is one of the most important aspects of hitting a golf ball – if you can’t see the ball, you can’t hit it properly.  This is true within every sport, and golf is no exception.  Keeping your head down, so you can see the golf club striking the golf ball is vital towards getting the ball to go in the direction and trajectory you desire.

5. Bend your knees

When you swing a golf club, you should not feel stiff; which means your knees should be bent and relaxed.  The more you tense up during a swing, the more your club will turn within your hand and will cause your golf ball to veer off of course.  When you bend your knees, you need to find the angle which best fits with your swing.  When you are starting out, it is recommended that you have a frame which creates angles which look like a “K”.

When you first start your swing, your knees should be bent, and they should stay bent all the way thru your backswing as well.  Once you strike the ball, and you turn your torso out, your knees then should end up in a locked and straight position.  No matter where you are on the golf course, your knees should never be in a locked position as you strike the ball.

This is true whether you are using a driver, hitting a shot out of the sand trap or if you are on the green ready to address your putt.  Your knees should always be bent as you get ready to hit a golf ball.

Conclusion

As a new golfer, there are many things you need to concern yourself with.  Finding the right golf clubs which fit you is very important.  Not only this, but you need to ensure you have the right length of clubs and the grip on the clubs meets your preferences.

Ensuring you having the right golf cleats, glove and golf balls will ensure you have some success.  However, how you address the golf ball, and the way your body sets up and moves while striking the golf ball could be the most vital aspect of the game of golf.

The golf club is the only thing which strikes the golf ball, so ensuring you are set up to properly strike the ball is vital towards your success.  Having your body positioned in the correct manner as you address the golf ball, swing the golf club and strike the golf ball will ensure you have success in making the golf ball go in the direction you desire.  Taking the time to make sure your stance is proper will help your golf game more than any other tactic which can provide power and accuracy.

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