Hall of Fame teacher shares 3 swing thoughts for 3 different types of golfers

Golf instructor Mike Adams demonstrates swing dynamics in three panels

Mike Adams believes every golfer is different and should find match-ups that are best suited to their body.

@mikeadamsgolf on Instagram

Mike Adams is a Hall of Fame golf instructor, and throughout his career he’s shared a simple message: That no two people are built the same, so it’s wrong to teach them to swing the golf club the same way. A golf swing is like a suit: Best tailored around your own, unique body.

He’s also a great follow on Instagram (you can check him out right here), and I especially enjoyed his most recent video describing different lower body actions for different swings. You can watch it below, or scroll down for a quick summary of it all.

1. Stronger grip, more lateral movement

The first step is gripping the club in a way that suits best your unique biodynamics, which then influences the way you swing. Some golfers — Zach Johnson, for instance — are best suited to a strong grip. To compliment this hold on the club, Mike says these golfers need more side-to-side, lateral movement in their hips.

“Whatever grip you are, that’s going to determine your predominant power source,” he says. “The more I’m under [with my trail hand], the more I want to slide toward the target so the hips move lateral and the upper body hangs back, creating side bend.”

2. Neutral grip, more rotation

Many golfers are first taught a neutral, side-on grip, and for some it’s the perfect option. Think Adam Scott. It’s a common hold on the club and one that’s in-between both extremes. Those golfers need to think about adding more turn in their swing.

“With a side-on grip, if I was to push against a wall, my hips are going to open up, creating more rotation,” he says.

3. Weaker grip, more up-and-down

On the other end of the spectrum are the golfers who are best suited to a weaker trail hand grip. In order to match-up this move, Adams says these golfers need to focuses on pushing into and out of the ground, rather than sliding across it.

“When your trail hand is more on top [of the club], the more I push down, the more my body is going to want to launch up,” he says.

Luke Kerr-Dineen

Golf.com Contributor

Luke Kerr-Dineen is the Game Improvement Editor at GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com. In his role he oversees the brand’s game improvement content spanning instruction, equipment, health and fitness, across all of GOLF’s multimedia platforms.

An alumni of the International Junior Golf Academy and the University of South Carolina–Beaufort golf team, where he helped them to No. 1 in the national NAIA rankings, Luke moved to New York in 2012 to pursue his Masters degree in Journalism from Columbia University. His work has also appeared in USA Today, Golf Digest, Newsweek and The Daily Beast.