The golf swing is a complicated thing. It requires precision, coordination and power. And if just one little thing is off, it can lead to a disastrous result.
Learning how to make all these parts work in complement is no easy task. It can take years of training to groove a swing that works — and even then, there’s no guarantee you’ll find success. It can be a maddening pursuit.
One way to make things a little easier is by heeding the advice of those who actually have found success in this game. In this case, we turn our attention to nine-time major winner Gary Player.
Solid advice from Gary Player on taking the hands out of the golf swing.
— Tour Pro 🏌️♂️ (@OfficialTourPro) October 14, 2024
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Player’s ball-striking advice
The golf swing might be complicated, but the ultimate goal is simple: square up the clubface at the moment of impact. Everything you do during the backswing and downswing influences the way the clubface reacts at that moment, but having a square clubface at impact is the main goal.
The most efficient way to reach that goal is by focusing on the big muscles during your swing. Sure, you’ll use many small muscles as well, but the big muscles are easier to control and therefore should be your focus.
“You’ve got to do something to make it easy,” Player says. “You take your [lead] hip, and from there you just rotate it.”
Your hands are your body’s closest connection to the club, but they should not be your focus during the swing. Instead, think about keeping them quiet and focus on using your bid muscles to do the work.
“The hands come in automatically,” Player says. “The weakest part of your body are your hands. So why hit the ball with the weakest part of your body?”
Focus on quieting your hands and instead let your core be the engine of your swing. If you do that, you’ll be amazed at how much more consistent your ball striking becomes.
