The 3 Most Common Golf Swing Mistakes

Although it may look easy, swinging a golf club the correct way is extremely difficult, and there are a lot of mistakes that can be made along the way.  From improper hand placement to a poor transfer of weight, even the slightest mistake can throw off a golf swing completely.  This is one reason why fixing these small mistakes is so vital, as you could be just one tweak away from a dramatic improvement in your golf game.  The key is figuring out where you are making mistakes and fixing them as efficiently as possible.  Since a golf swing has the same basic components no matter who is performing it, people tend to make the same mistakes.  In addition to practicing your own swing, it can be useful to watch and learn from others.  To help you gain the perfect golf swing, read below for information on the three most common golf swing mistakes.

Using Your Arms Too Much

One of the most common mistakes novice golfers make is trying to use their upper body power to drive the ball.  In reality, almost all of the power you use to hit a gold ball comes from your legs and hips.  It is an efficient and powerful hip drive that makes a golf ball go, but excessive upper body motion.  Actually, your arms and hands are really just a tool through which you can utilize your lower body power to drive the ball.  Think of your arms and hands as hinges.  While their movement is important, their movement should be the result of proper weight distribution, not the other way around.

Wrist Movement

While upper body power and arm movement is overrated in golf, wrist movement is not.  When you swing a golf club, your wrists should turn over as a result of the motion.  To do this, your grip must be quite loose and your wrists relaxed.  If your wrists are too tight and you hold onto the golf club with too much force, you will either not be able to turn your wrists or you will turn them too late.  Needless to say, this will not provide you with great results.  To help you with this, do not cock your wrists from the start.  Many golfers start their swing with a tight grip and cocked wrists, then try to loosen it as they move the club back.  If you do not start with cocked wrists, though, you will never need to un-cock them.

Finishing Low

The final common mistake golfers make is not properly following through.  Regardless of the club you use or the length of the shot you are taking, the golf club should keep moving through the location of the ball and should finish high around your shoulders.  Too often, golfers do not properly follow through, and this results with the club ending up around their waist.  There is no way to drive a golf ball without a proper follow through.  Finishing high is a direct result of that follow through.