How to Golf Step by Step

Learning how to swing a golf club can feel like tackling a giant puzzle, but it’s really just a series of simple, connected movements. This guide will take you step-by-step through the entire motion, breaking down the fundamentals from your grip to your finish. We'll give you a clear roadmap to build a consistent, powerful, and repeatable golf swing.

The Goal of the Golf Swing: Power, Accuracy, & Consistency

Before we touch a club, it's important to understand the main goal. A golf swing is a rotational action. The club moves around your body in a circle, not just up and down. This motion is primarily powered by turning your big muscles - your shoulders and hips - to generate effortless power and help you make the same swing over and over again.

Many new golfers make the mistake of trying to hit the ball with only their arms, leading to a chopping motion that lacks force and consistency. If you can remember that the swing is a circle powered by your body's rotation, you're already ahead of the game. Every step that follows is designed to make that rotational movement as efficient and natural as possible.

Step 1: How to Hold the Golf Club (The Grip)

Your grip is your only connection to the club, making it the steering wheel for your golf shots. An improper hold can force you to make all sorts of compensations in your swing just to get the ball to go straight. Getting this right from the start makes everything else much easier.

First, make sure the clubface is pointing straight at your target. The leading edge of the club should be perfectly vertical. You can use the logo on your grip as a guide to ensure it’s aligned correctly.

For Right-Handed Golfers:

The Left Hand (Lead Hand)

Place your left hand on the club so it hangs naturally down the side. Your goal is to hold the club more in your fingers than in your palm. Run the grip diagonally from the base of your little finger to the middle of your index finger.

• As you close your hand, your palm should rest comfortably on the side of the grip.
• Looking down, you should be able to see the first two knuckles of your left hand.
• The "V" shape created by your thumb and index finger should point towards your right shoulder.

Heads up: A correct golf grip feels strange at first. It's unlike holding anything else. Don't worry if it feels weird, that often means you're doing it right!

The Right Hand (Trail Hand)

Next, bring your right hand to the club. Let the palm of your right hand rest on the side of your left thumb. Much like your lead hand, your trail hand should feel like it's holding the club in the fingers.

• The "lifeline" in your right palm should fit snugly over your left thumb.
• The "V" from your right thumb and index finger should also point generally toward your right shoulder or the center of your chest.
• Now, you have three common options for connecting your hands:
  • Interlock: Your right pinky finger hooks under your left index finger.
  • Overlap (Vardon): Your right pinky finger rests on top of the space between your left index and middle finger.
  • Ten Finger (Baseball): All ten fingers are on the club, with no overlap or interlock.

There is no "best" option here. Choose the one that feels most comfortable and secure for you. The goal is to make your hands work together as a single unit.

Step 2: How to Set Up for a Golf Swing (Posture and Stance)

Your setup creates the foundation for a balanced, athletic swing. It might feel a little awkward, but this posture is what puts your body in a position to rotate effectively.

1. Club First: Start by placing the clubhead on the ground directly behind the golf ball, taking aim at your target.
2. Posture: Hinge forward from your hips, not your waist. Feel like you’re pushing your bum straight back, which will keep your spine relatively straight. From this position, let your arms hang naturally down from your shoulders. If they are hanging properly, your hands should be directly below your shoulders. Many new players don't bend over enough, don't be shy about sticking your glutes out.
3. Stance Width: Position your feet about shoulder-width apart for a mid-iron. This creates a stable base that’s wide enough for balance but not so wide that it stops your hips from turning.
4. Weight Distribution: For a standard iron shot, distribute your weight evenly, 50/50 between both feet.
5. Ball Position: This changes depending on the club. As a simple guide:
   • Short Irons (Wedge, 9-iron, 8-iron): Place the ball in the very middle of your stance.
   • Mid-Irons (7-iron, 6-iron): A ball-width forward of center.
   • Longer Clubs (Hybrids, Fairway Woods): Two or three balls forward of center.
   • Driver: Align the ball with the inside of your lead heel (your left heel for a right-handed player).

Once you’re in this position, relax. Tension is a power-killer. Take a deep breath and let your arms and shoulders feel loose.

Step 3: The Backswing

The backswing sets up your downswing. The objective is to coil your upper body against your lower body, loading up power like a spring. We're keeping things simple: this move is all about rotation, not lifting.

The Takeaway

This is the first move away from the ball. Begin by turning your chest, shoulders, and hips together as one unit. As you start the rotation, allow your wrists to hinge naturally. A simple thought is to feel your lead hand’s wrist (left hand for righties) start to bend back slightly as the club reaches parallel to the ground. This hinge gets the club on the right path or "plane."

Turning to the Top

Continue rotating your torso until your back is facing the target. Only turn as far as your flexibility allows you to while maintaining balance. A common error is swaying side-to-side instead of rotating. Imagine you are standing inside a large barrel, your goal is to turn without hitting the sides. This rotation, while staying centered, stores the power you need for the downswing.

Step 4: The Downswing and Impact

You’ve loaded up your backswing, and now it’s time to unleash that power. The downswing happens in a specific sequence to produce a solid, downward strike on the ball - which is what gets the ball to pop up into the air.

1. Start From the Ground Up: The very first move from the top of the swing is a slight shift of your weight and hips toward the target. Think about shifting your front hip (your left hip) slightly forward. This slight lateral move ensures you hit the ball first, then the ground, which is the secret to a pure strike with an iron.
2. Unwind the Rotation: Once your weight has shifted, begin unwinding your body. Your hips lead, followed by your torso, shoulders, and lastly, your arms and the club. This creates what’s called "lag," a massive source of clubhead speed. You are simply undoing the turn you made in the backswing.
3. Trust the Loft: Let the club do the work. Don't try to "help" or "scoop" the ball into the air. The loft built into the clubface is designed to get the ball airborne. The key to a good shot is hitting down and through the ball. Focus on finding the middle of the clubface for the most consistent results.

Step 5: The Follow-Through and Finish Position

A good finish isn’t just for looks, it’s proof that you've released all your energy toward the target in a balanced and complete motion.

As you swing through impact, keep rotating. Don’t stop turning. Allow your body to fully turn until your chest and hips are facing where you want the ball to go. As you turn completely:

• Your hands and club will naturally finish high, often wrapping around your head or neck.
• Your right heel will come completely off the ground, leaving you balancing on the tip of your right toe.
• Nearly all of your weight, about 90%, should be on your front (left) foot.

Hold this finish! Try to stay balanced in this position for a few seconds. If you can hold a steady, balanced finish facing the target, it's a great sign that you’ve performed the entire motion correctly.

Final Thoughts

Building a golf swing is a process - take it one step at a time, focusing on one element at a time, from your grip to your finish. By understanding that the swing is a rotation powered by your body, you can practice these movements and build a reliable motion that generates power without over-exertion.

When you're out there on the course, uncertainty can creep in, making it hard to commit to these steps. That's where we believed technology could help. With Caddie AI, we wanted to give you a personal golf expert in your pocket. If you're stuck on a tricky lie or unsure how to play a hole, you can get instant, simple advice. You can even take a photo of your ball's lie, and our Caddie will analyze the situation and recommend the smartest way to play the shot, removing that a lot of that guesswork in golf so you can swing with confidence.