Padraig Harrington on the most ‘dangerous’ amateur swing mistake

Padraig Harrington loves golf more than most. Not only is he a successful pro golfer, he’s also a YouTube golf personality, amassing nearly 200,000 subscribers on his channel, Paddy’s Golf Tips. There aren’t many who are more obsessed with the game than Harrington.

With how much time the three-time major winner spends around the game, it’s no surprise that he’s picked up some useful knowledge along the way. He shares lots of it on his previously mentioned YouTube channel, and he shared his wealth of knowledge recently when he sat down with GOLF.com‘s Claire Rogers for an episode of The Scoop.

During the episode, the two discussed a flurry of topics, but the one that stood out most to me had to do with how to properly swing the golf club. Check out the video below or read on to learn more.

The most ‘dangerous’ swing tip

Harrington has played in countless pro-ams, so he’s seen a lot of recreational players swing the club. And when it comes to the worst mistake he commonly sees made, the answer is an easy one.

“Probably the most dangerous thing an amateur can do is try to keep their head still or their feet still,” Harrington says. “You don’t want to lock things down.”

That’s likely contrary to what you’ve commonly heard, but that doesn’t mean Harrington is off his rocker. By teaching golfers to keep too still, it often robs the player of their natural athleticism.

“You’re trying to swing the club the same way you would swing any stick as a kid,” he says. “Get that movement going, get that speed going, and then we can tidy it up later on.”

Dynamic movement is crucial for generating speed, and restricting your body movements too much will rob you of that power. So, next time someone instructs you to keep everything still, don’t listen. Instead, heed the advice of a three-time major champ.