Golf Tips: The importance of being comfortable with your swing

In today’s edition of golf tips, I delve into why it’s important to be comfortable with the swing that works for you, and not the one you see on TV.

As a golfer, nearly all of us are trying to get better, or at the very least not get any worse. Whether it is asking people you play with for some golf tips, looking around online, or watching golf network for tips. We are always looking for that next tip. Here is one you might not hear that often.

Be comfortable with your swing, what it looks like doesn’t really matter.

Over the last ten years, we have seen an influx of golfers come onto the tour with swings that look like they were made in a workshop. Honestly, most of them were. Hours, days, months, and years spent in front of simulators creating slightly robotic swings. A lot of them look the same, and that works for those who list golf as their full-time job.

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For those of us that play a handful of times a month or less, it just isn’t reasonable to try and model your swing after someone you see on TV. Maybe if you are a 22-year-old college athlete who can generate 110+ MPH swing speed, then you can try to emulate Rory. Otherwise, it isn’t the right route to go.

You need to find a swing and a grip that works for you. Personally, I cannot overlap my fingers at all. I broke my hand ten years ago and never got surgery. If I overlap my fingers for 2-3 shots, my hand hurts so bad that my day is over.

Maybe you have arthritis. Or a shoulder issue, a back issue, or something with your knees or feet. Be honest, almost everyone has something that aches, especially by the time that your round is over.

As a high school boys golf coach, I see more swings than I could ever imagine in a year. A lot of them are wrong, or at least influenced by things that they have seen online or on TV, and normally it is detrimental.

Taking into account your body style and what feels right is incredibly important. I don’t suggest a Charles Barkley style swing, but having something a little different is 100% okay.

Look at Jim Furyk and Matthew Wolff. They both have unique swings. I’m not saying that you need to emulate them either. These golf tips are to remind you that you need to find what works for you.

I had a kid this year who was playing his first year of competitive golf. He was a football player first, and a baseball player second. We had to take into account his swing style and build in order to adjust his swing. A 5’8″ linebacker who is built like a brick doesn’t need a ton of speed behind his swing.

On the other end of the physical spectrum, I have a kid on the team who is a 6’4″ lean and lanky guy. He needs a little more speed on his swing to get more distance. We slowly increased his swing speed throughout the year to help him keep up with the rest of the golfers in the league.

Neither one of them looks similar at all when they swing. They both produce good results from being comfortable with their swing.

Next. Golf Tips: Understanding your Surroundings When Chipping. dark

Remember today’s golf tips. Take some time the next time you are on the range to find out what you are comfortable with. Not all of us are Dustin Johnson.

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