5 quick tips every golfer should know from a Hall of Fame golf coach

Mike Adams’ esteemed career in teaching has propelled him into our World GOLF Teachers Hall of Fame, and more recently, onto Instagram (you can follow him right here).

At the core of Adams’ teaching is the idea of customization: That no two golfers are the same, so they shouldn’t be taught to swing the club the same way. The best swing for you is like a suit: tailored to your unique body.

Which brings us to a recent Q&A Adams did with his followers on Instagram. It was packed with interesting tidbits the rest of us can use, so let’s highlight a few of them.

1. Look closely at your grip

The golf grip is the only connection you have to the golf club, and it was interesting to hear Adams say that almost 100 percent of golfers need to adjust their grip when they arrive for their first lesson. For the rest of us, that means taking a good hard look at your grip before diving deep into anything else.

2. Don’t fret about ‘staying in posture’

A lot of golfers worry about staying in posture — and that losing it is the root of all their problems. But Adams has a unique on view on the matter: That the idea of “staying in posture” isn’t as important as you might think. For many golfers, it’s more important to use the ground to launch up, which will give you extra speed.

3. Drills for solid contact

All you need is one towel, strategically placed, in order to improve your contact, Adams says. Put it behind the ball if you’re catching it chunky; outside the ball for heel contact, and inside to correct toe contact. Simply by missing the towel, you’ll be reorienting your swing in a way that improves the quality of your strike.

4. How to get shallow

If you’re coming over the top, and hitting a big slice, it’s probably because you’re too steep. How do you go about shallowing-out your golf swing? One way is to simply close your stance (AKA, aiming your feet more to the right of your target), which will encourage a in-to-out swing path relative to your target.

5. How to get steeper

And the opposite of getting shallow? Getting steeper, which is great for golfers who hit blocks and get stuck. By aiming your feet more to the left, you’ll swing more out-to-in relative to your target, which will get you more steed.

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