Thinking about picking up golf can often feel overwhelming, but the basic swing is much simpler than you might believe. Forget the complicated theories you've heard, a good golf swing is built on a few core fundamentals that anyone can learn. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from holding the club correctly to finishing your swing with confidence, all in a way that feels less like a textbook and more like a friendly chat with a coach.
How you hold the golf club is the single biggest influence on where the ball goes. Think of your grip as the steering wheel of your golf shots. If it's not positioned correctly, you'll spend your time making all sorts of odd compensations in your swing just to get the ball to fly straight. Getting this right from the start makes everything else much easier.
First, place the clubhead on the ground behind the ball so it's aiming directly at your target. Look at the front edge of the club - that’s called the leading edge. You want that to be perfectly straight, not tilted open (to the right for a right-handed golfer) or closed (to the left). Many grips have a logo on them, you can use that as a guide to make sure the face is square.
For a right-handed golfer, this is your left hand. As you bring your hand to the side of the grip, let it hang naturally. You want to place the club primarily in the fingers, running from the base of your little finger to the middle part of your index finger. Once the fingers are on, simply wrap the top of your hand over.
Here are two simple checkpoints:
A word of warning: a correct golf grip often feelsweird at first. It’s unlike holding anything else. Trust the process, as this neutral position is what allows the clubface to return to the ball in a square position without extra effort.
Now for your right hand. As you approach the club, let your palm face slightly inward, just like it was with your left hand. The "lifeline" area in the palm of your right hand should cover your left thumb. Then, just wrap your fingers around the rest of the grip.
You have three common options for what to do with your fingers on the back:
Honestly? Don't get hung up on this. Choose whichever of the three feels most comfortable and secure for you. As long as your hands work together as one unit, you're in a good spot.
Your setup, or stance, is how you create an athletic and consistent base for your swing. Just like the grip, it can feel a bit odd at first because you probably don't stand like this for any other activity. The goal is to create a powerful, balanced position you can repeat every single time.
The sequence here can make a big difference.
Where the ball is positioned in relation to your feet changes based on the club, but we can keep it simple for now. For shorter and mid-irons (like a 9-iron, 8-iron, or 7-iron), the ball should be placed in the very middle of your stance, right beneath your chest. As you use longer clubs like a 5-iron or woods, you'll move it slightly forward, and with the driver, it will be off the inside of your lead foot. For now, just think "middle."
The golf swing is a rotation. It is not an up-and-down "chopping" motion with your arms. The goal of the backswing is to turn your body and "load" energy that you'll release through the ball on the way down. The club should move around your body in a circle-like path, powered by the turn of your hips and shoulders.
Think imagine yourself standing inside a barrel or cylinder. As you start your backswing, your goal is to rotate inside that cylinder, not sway from side to side. You’re turning, not shifting your whole body to the right.
So, from your setup, the first move away from the ball should involve your chest and hips turning together. As you do this, there is one small but important move to make with your wrists. Just as the club starts to move away, allow a little bit of hinge to happen in your top wrist. Don't force it, just let a gentle angle form. This small action helps set the club on the proper path, preventing it from swinging too far inside or being lifted straight up.
Continue turning your shoulders and hips until you reach a comfortable top position. Tour pros have incredibly flexible swings, but you should only turn as far as your body allows without losing balance. That’s your limit, and that’s perfectly fine.
You’ve loaded all that energy at the top of your swing, and now it's time to deliver it to the ball. This part of the swing is probably the most misunderstood, but it can be simplified. We already know the swing is powered by the body's rotation, so what starts the downswing?
The very first move from the top is a slight shift of your weight towards the target - your left side. This small hip movement to the left is what ensures you strike the ball first, then the ground, which is what you want with an iron shot.
Once that slight shift happens, it’s time to unwind. Rotate everything - your hips, your torso, your shoulders - through the ball. Your body leads the way, and your arms and the club just follow along for the ride. The single biggest mistake golfers make is trying to "help" the ball into the air by leaning back and scooping it. You have 14 clubs in your bag, all designed with loft to get the ball airborne. Trust the club to do its job!
Focus on just rotating through the ball. If you do it right, your club will make contact with the ball first and then take a shallow strip of grass (a divot) just in front of where the ball was. That is the sign of a pure strike.
The part of the swing after you hit the ball is just as important as the rest. It's often overlooked, but a good finish is a sign that you've stayed in balance and released all your power correctly.
Don't stop your rotation at impact. Keep turning your body a a through until your chest and hips are facing your target. As this happens, your body weight will naturally move onto your lead foot. In a good finish, about 90% of your weight should be on your left foot (for right-handers). You’ll see your right heel come up off the ground. That’s not something you need to 'do' actively, it just happens as a result of a full turn
Your arms, having extended through impact, will naturally fold and finish around your head and neck. Hold this balanced finish position for a few seconds. Even if the shot isn’t perfect, finishing in a balanced pose shows your swing had good rhythm and flow. You should be able to hold the pose comfortably without falling over.
Learning golf is about mastering a few simple, repeatable movements. It’s not about having a "perfect" looking swing, but rather about building a solid grip and an athletic setup, then using your body to rotate the club around you in a balanced motion. Focus on these fundamentals, and you'll build a swing you can trust.
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