Greg The Golf Guy
Develop a Golf Swing Step By Step
Building a swing from the ground up is much easier than tearing it down.
The 1/4 Swing
We want to begin building a swing, and building it correctly, with a simple movement that a novice golfer would find easy to perform. Think of the club as the hands on a clock. Starting with the club at 6:00, or the address position, push the club away with a one-piece motion until you reach 7:30 on your clock. At this point the back swing is finished and we now need to push the club through with our right arm until we reach 4:30 to finish the follow-through. Our weight should not shift in the back swing, but should shift in the follow through with our shoulders, hips, and knees beginning to turn towards our final destination with the majority of our weight (85%) shifted to our target side. We will refer to this motion as a quarter/quarter swing or a “level 1” swing.
The 1/2 Swing
Now let’s move on to a “level 2” swing or a half/half swing, which is very similar to the “level 1” swing with a few changes. Starting with the club at 6:00 or the address position, push the club away with a one piece motion and stop at the 9:00 position. At this point, the back swing is finished and we now need to push the club through with our right arm until we reach the 3:00 position to finish the follow-through. Our weight should not shift in the back swing, but should shift in the follow-through with our shoulders, hips, and knees facing our final destination with the majority of our weight (95%) shifted to our target side.
The 3/4 Swing
Now let’s move on to a “level 2” swing or a half/half swing, which is very similar to the “level 1” swing with a few changes. Starting with the club at 6:00 or the address position, push the club away with a one piece motion and stop at the 11:00 position. At this point, the back swing is finished and we now need to push the club through with our right arm until we reach the 1:00 position to finish the follow-through. Our weight should not shift in the back swing, but should shift in the follow-through with our shoulders, hips, and knees facing our final destination with the majority of our weight (95%) shifted to our target side.
The Full Swing
The full golf wwing or “Level 4” consists of three parts: the Back Swing/Takeaway, the Down Swing and the Follow-Through. The Full Swing is used primarily to tee off with and also commonly used on longer shots from the fairway.
To begin a full swing, push the club away using your left hand while turning your left shoulder from the address position until the club is at 9:00. At this point, the shaft should be parallel to the ground and even with the end of your toes. The shoulder rotation will help the hands and arms continue to lift until your hands are above your right shoulder and your left shoulder has come in contact with your chin. When you reach this position, the back swing is finished.
The lower body will follow the shoulder turn causing a weight shift. It is important to keep the left arm straight with your right elbow pointing down and your left heel on the ground.
To execute your down swing, drop your left arm on the toe line and your right elbow into your right hip. The angle of your club shaft and left forearm at the top of the swing should remain the same as your club returns to the 9:00 position.
Follow through the shot with your right shoulder and release the club through the ball by allowing your right arm to pass over your left arm as you make impact. Your right arm should extend in a straight line and continue through the arc until your hands are over your left shoulder and 95% of your weight is on your left foot.
Understanding where we need to be positioned at each of those points (the top of the back swing and the end of the follow through) will help us in achieving the desired ball flight. This video discusses the proper positioning of the backswing and three follow though positions that lead to a straight ball flight, a cut, and a draw.
