There is an old saying: “Tension kills the swing.” Golf is a game that, for whatever reason, creates a ton of tension and anxiety for many players. Unfortunately, this tension is a counter-productive for your natural momentum, speed and touch — all necessary components if you want to be a great golfer.
If you find yourself suffering from the effects of tension in your swing, the easiest thing you can do to help yourself out on the golf course is to find a way to eliminate or reduce your tension levels. But how?
Tension is stored in four primary areas of the body: the jaw, shoulders, forearms, and hands. To determine where your tension is stored, hit some balls and concentrate on what you feel in these areas. Then, try hitting some shots and doing the following:
-Soften your jaw, and perhaps even keep it open a bit to let some air in. This is really key when you’re working on your short game!
-Relax your shoulders. Now, try swinging the club. Notice a difference?
-Allow your forearms to relax. Those muscles shouldn’t be tightening when you grip the club.
-Experiment with different grip pressures. Try firm, medium and light. Ideally, on a scale of 1-10, your grip pressure should feel like a 4. On short game shots, try for a 3, or even 2! Most importantly, keep your grip pressure consistent throughout the entire swing. Change in grip pressure is a killer in both the short game and full-swing shots.
The other thing you’ll likely notice as you eliminate tension in your swing is an increase in your swing speed. Squeezing the club or increasing tension in the downswing puts the brakes on the clubhead and diminishes all your speed. The downswing and release should feel like just that — letting go! Stay free in your swing and allow the clubhead to be swung with more speed. Don’t squeeze or tighten your grip on the downswing or right before impact. That’s like slamming on the brakes in a middle of an intersection.
Once you experience the benefits of a tension-free swing, you’ll never want to go back. I guarantee you will be amazed by the results!
To add more pop to your swing, get a driver fitting from the experts at our sister company, True Spec Golf.
