How to Make the Smooth Swing when Playing on the Course
A common complaint among golfers – especially among beginners – is that they can’t make the same swing on the golf course that they make on the driving range. When practicing, they are able to make a nice, smooth swing which sends the ball straight and long. However, after they step out onto the course, that rhythm disappears and suddenly they are struggling to make solid contact. One of the biggest steps toward improving your game is being able to go from the range to the first tee successfully.
So how do you do it? Putting the pressure aside and making a smooth swing isn’t easy at first, but it can be done. The three tips below should help you accomplish that goal.
- Don’t be obsessed with distance. Many golfers get out onto the course and suddenly are more concerned with how far the ball is going than they ever were on the range. Forget about trying to impress people with your distance and just worry about making solid contact with the ball. It is the extra effort to hit the ball farther that often pulls people out of their natural tempo and causes them to lost control of the swing they had built on the practice tee.
- Pick a clear target. It is easy to be distracted by everything else happening out on the course and forget to pick a good target for each shot. When you don’t have a clear target in mind, your swing suffers and lose track of the fundamentals that you have learned through your practice sessions. Pick a good target, get aimed properly, and let your mind focus on executing the swing to the best of your ability.
- Relax. At the end of the day, it’s just golf. Unless you are a professional golfer playing for a paycheck, relax and have fun on the course. By putting undue pressure on yourself to play well, you make the game harder – and have less fun in the process. Take each shot as it comes, and don’t get too caught up in worrying about what other people are thinking about you, or anything else that gets your mind off the task at hand. Instead, remember to enjoy your time on the course, focus on doing your best on each shot, and keeping a good tempo all day long.
