Have you ever had someone tell you that your golf swing was too long? Chances are they were right!

So many amateur golfers take the club back much further than needed. This ends up causing issues with accuracy and balance that doesn’t need to be a problem.

Since taking the golf club back this far is not necessary, here are some tips to help shorten your swing and get everything under control.

Who Should Shorten Their Golf Swing?

Golfers should shorter their golf swing if they are swinging past parallel, losing accuracy, or feeling like they are unable to be consistent in their golf shots. Taking the club back too far does not help you play better.

In fact, if you want to increase swing speed and hit more consistent golf shots, a shorter swing is typically the better choice.

It does not matter if you are a low or high handicap player; golf swing length should never go past parallel. Of course, you have seen golfers like John Daly make a career out of swinging the club too long; this takes a lot of athletic ability.

My favorite way to think about this is to consider the clubface of the golf club. Think about taking the golf club back about five inches; wouldn’t it be pretty easy to keep the clubface square?

Now consider taking it back to waist-high. Still not that difficult to keep the clubface square.

You can probably tell where I’m going with this. The further you take the club back away from the ball, the harder it is to return it to square. You may be able to do it several times but to do it over and over again and get consistent results is much harder than it needs to be.

Keeping the golf club in control is the key to seeing more consistent scores on the golf course.

How to Tell If Your Backswing is Too Long

The best way to tell if your backswing is too long is to take a video of it. There are so many great ways to record a golf swing, and this can be as simple as using your phone and the help of a friend.

When you take the video, the easiest way to do this is to do a forward facing video. This means that the person recording stands face to face with you as you set up to hit.

Once you have the video, play it in slow motion until you reach the top of your golf swing. Just when you start to make the transition to the downswing, take a look at where the golf club is.

If the club is past parallel to the ground, you have taken it back too far.

4 Tips to Shorten Your Golf Swing

Now that you can identify how far back a golf swing should go and why it’s important not to overdo this motion, it’s time to shorter your golf swing. Here are some of my favorite ways to go about this process. You will be glad you decided to shorten your swing; it should make the game of golf considerably easier.

1. Start With a Chip Shot

One of the best ways to start taking shorter golf swings is to start by taking a chip shot. The chip shot is really just a shorter version of the full swing. When you take a short chip shot, you can focus on keeping the swing a bit more in check.

Once you have the chip shot down, start by increasing the length of your backswing. Maybe take the club to about ¾ distance as you would normally do to hit a pitch shot.

After you have increased to that ¾ distance, then extend it just a bit more to get to the top of your golf swing. Essentially you will find that this shorter swing feels almost like a pitch shot for quite some time.

However, when you see that your clubhead speed is increasing and your tendency to lose balance is decreasing, you may see the benefit of this pitch shot type swing and start to incorporate it into your golf game.

2. Use a Mirror

Using a mirror to practice is a great way to shorten your golf swing. You can use a number of drills that help you look up and see where the club is.

Sometimes when I practice something like this, I will use a dry-erase marker on the mirror to create the line that I want to swing back to. The tendency for many golfers when taking too big of a swing is to lose their spine angle as well.

It makes sense to make a mark on the mirror where you will want to ensure your head stays. This way, when you look up at the top of the swing, you can see if you are actually in a good position.

Keep practicing this so that you are able to repeat it without looking at the mirror. Many golf practice facilities have a mirror like this for you to use, but you can do it at home as well if you can create the setup indoors.

3. Stop and Look Drill

The Stop and Look drill is not always the most effective from a feedback standpoint, but it’s certainly what I have used to get through almost all swing flaws in my golf career. When we swing a golf club back, we can’t see how far it went.

Therefore it sometimes makes sense to take a peak and see where everything is.

When I’m working on something, I will step away from the golf ball, take my swing and then look and see the position of the club. I can check for things like clubface angle, the rotation of my shoulders, and especially the length of my golf swing.

The stop and look drill is made even better when you have a mirror to work with, but it certainly works without.

When the turn is efficient, and you are not taking the club back too far, you can then step up to the ball and try to repeat the motion you just made. I know this is not the most high-tech way to learn the game of golf, but it has always worked quite well.

This process works with any club. If you don’t have the money for training aids and devices to create a shorter swing, this drill will create muscle memory and start to train your brain to what a perfect length golf swing is.

4. Find a Stopping Point

As much as I like these other 3 tips to help you shorten your golf swing, many golfers complain that they still have no idea where the golf club is. For beginner golfers and some amateurs, the concept of where the golf club is at any given time can be a bit foreign.

Luckily, there are ways around this.

If you can find a stopping point on your backswing, chances are you can stop the swing at the correct point. For me, this stopping point is when my shoulder has rotated under my chin. Once I feel that shoulder gets into place, I know my golf swing is done.

From a feel standpoint, this still does feel like the club has not even reached the top of the swing. However, we know from momentum and the way the golf swing tricks us that the club has very much reached the parallel position.

Years ago, I had the misconception that a long backswing would help me get more power. After years of practicing and working on this concept, I have finally learned that a shorter swing leads to better results all around.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

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Every golfer wants to know how to hit a draw.

They look great, increase distance, and it’s what most of the pros do.

For many golfers though, the draw remains an unattainable goal. A mountain too big to climb.

Sound familiar?

You’ve done all the research, practiced the drills, and feel like you’re ready to consistently hit a draw. You crush the ball off the tee, starting it 15 yards out to the right, and wait for it to swing back into the middle of the fairway.

But the movement never comes.

Or worse still, the ball swings even further to the right through the air, leaving you with a lost ball and a terrible start to your round.

Maybe your golfing buddies mutter something about “bad luck”, or “maybe next time”.

Imagine if you could consistently hit a beautiful draw.

A shape that made them wonder, “where did this come from?”

Fortunately, you can.

Photo via OneBeardedGolfer

There are a number of key elements to your swing that will have you drawing the ball like Jordan Spieth (these drills can help you putt like him too), and smashing it 30 yards past your opponents, in no time.

These 8 proven steps are the simplest and most effective ways to hit a draw.

Imagine how good it will feel when you’re consistently walking up the middle of the fairway towards your ball. When you’re the last one in your group to hit your second shot because you’ve outdriven your playing partners… again.

The first 5 steps you can apply in order, from your setup through to your follow through. Steps 6 through 8 are more general principles, which will go a long way to helping you launch it long and strong.

As usual, for the purpose of the article we’ll assume you’re a right hander. If you’re a lefty, simply switch the steps around to suit your needs.

Step 1: Align yourself to the right

Photo via GolfTipsMag

This is an easy step to implement, even if it sounds counterintuitive.

The natural response is to wonder why on you should aim right if you want to curve it left. After all, the right side of the hole is where you’re trying to keep the ball away from.

When your ball is sliding 20 yards right to left in the air though, you’ll be happy you aimed out there.

Choose a spot to the right of your target.

Exactly how far to the right depends on how far you want the ball to move in the air – the further to the right you go, the larger the draw is likely to be. For the sake of a controlled ball flight, try around 20 yards to the right for a drive.

Set up everything as though you’re trying to hit the ball to this spot. Your feet should be aligned with this point, as should your shoulders, as should your club.

Step 2: Re-align your club face so it’s facing your actual target

This step requires you to keep your body aligned exactly as you set up in step 1. The only change you need to make is to move your club face.

Find your target – i.e where you want the ball to land. Presumably, this will be the middle of the fairway or the green.

Without moving your body, slowly close the club face until it is pointing directly at this target.

If someone takes a picture of you from behind after this step, you should see your entire body facing down the right hand side of the hole, while your club is facing up the middle.

If so, you’re halfway there.

Step 3: Re-grip

During step 2, assuming you kept your entire body aligned in the same direction while adjusting the club face, your grip will have changed.

As you closed the face, your left hand (top hand) will have slowly crept slightly underneath the grip, and you will have lost sight of one or two knuckles.

As we explained in how to fix a slice, you should be able to see three knuckles on this hand during your set up. Having a proper golf grip helps to both eliminate the slice, and hit the draw.

Without altering your set up, or club alignment, shuffle your left hand back around the grip so that you can see three knuckles.

Now, your body is aligned to the right, your club is facing down the middle, and your grip is perfect.

You’re ready to hit a draw.

Step 4: Swing along the line of your body

Again, this may sound counter-intuitive. To hit the draw though, you need your club to follow the line of your body, meaning your follow through will head towards the right of the target.

If you trace the line of the club during a swing which generates a draw, you’ll notice the downswing and follow through all lead out to the right of the ball’s final landing spot.

The reasons for this are complex, but basically the movement of the ball in the air is determined by the direction of the club at impact, and the orientation of the club face.

Picture a soccer player taking a free kick. A right-footer will often curl it right to left, and the process for achieving this is much the same as hitting a draw.

It requires a leg swing which follows through out to the right of the target, and a foot which faces inwards, towards the target. This creates the right to left spin on the ball which helps it move left in the air, and your golf swing is no different.

If your club direction is towards the right – i.e. the point to which you aligned your body in step 1 – and your club face is pointing towards the target in the middle of the fairway, the ball will move right to left.

It’s that easy.

This is the inside-out swing path which is so fondly spoken of by those wishing to hit a draw. Follow this step, and you’re doing it.

Step 5: Finish strong

Many golfers wonder why on earth the follow through even matters. After all, it all happens once the ball is well on the way to its destination, right?

The reason there is such an emphasis on the follow through is because it is hugely reflective of all that has happened before it.

Finishing strong is a great way to ensure that all the previous steps work in tandem to create your draw.

What do we mean by finishing strong? Easy. Finish with your chest out, and your right shoulder facing towards your target.

Focussing on this will ensure that all the mechanics of a good golf swing exist in the earlier parts of your swing. It will help with weight transferral, shoulder rotation, and importantly, the inside-out swing path.

A lazy, sloppy follow through, where you finish with a sunken chest and a club which barely reaches around your left shoulder, will mean that you have likely kept your weight on your back foot, your club face open, and the ball will be flying out to the right.

In contrast, a strong finish will help you hit a long, strong, right to left curving ball.

Step 6: Swing smooth

This step is relatively easy, but it is also incredibly important. Many golfers get so excited by the prospect of hitting a big, long draw, that they actively try to smash the ball as hard as they can.

This will cause problems. If you swing too fast, you are likely to over-rotate your body, and keep the club face open. In more simple terms, you’ll hit the ball out to the right.

The beauty of the draw is that it generates the extra distance all by itself. There’s no need to swing harder to get the extra distance everyone associates with a draw – the ball will do it by itself.

A byproduct of following all the previous steps properly is right to left spin on the ball, a drawing flight path, and more distance.

So there’s no need to worry about getting any extra legs on your drive. Focus on the steps above, swing smooth, and you’ll see your ball sailing past your friends, right up the middle.

Step 7: Swing shallow on drives

Photo via GolfWRX

A common mistake amateurs make is to swing their driver too steeply. Basically, this means that they raise the club too quickly, and subsequently drop it too quickly on their downswing.

This movement causes a number of problems, including a loss of distance and ‘good spin’ (the right-to-left spin you’re after to create your draw).

Generally, pros have much shallower swings than amateurs, so this is what you want to be striving for. As well as making it easier to play a draw, a shallower swing will give you a heap more distance in your shot. Master this step and you’ll be crunching it down the middle in no time.

So how do you do it? There are a number of techniques which can help, but the easiest is to neutralize the shaft.

At this point you’re probably questioning what on earth that means, but it is a relatively simple concept. Many amateurs have their hands too far ahead of the ball (towards the target) during their set up for a drive.

This promotes a steep swing, and is likely to cause your drive to balloon up in the air and impart the kind of spin that you don’t want – either left-to-right spin, or just too much of it.

Neutralizing your hands is simply moving them back, so that the shaft of your driver is at closer to 90 degrees from your body, rather than angled diagonally towards you.

This will automatically promote a shallower swing, an inside-out swing path, and a drive 20 yards past your buddies.  

Step 8: Visualize a draw

Last but not least, the mental aspect.

As well all know, what’s above the shoulders plays as big a role in golf as what’s below them. If you believe you can hit a draw, you’ll be able to. If you think about the water hazard on the right, you’ll see your ball slicing straight into it.

Visualization works for some of the top athletes in the world, and it can work for you.

Imagine smashing your drive past your friends. Visualize your club moving on an inside-out swing path, and your club head facing straight at your target as you hit the ball.

Picture your friends faces when your ball starts curving back from the right side of the fairway to the middle, or when your ball lands past where theirs have come to a rest and bounces another 20 yards.

The mind is your most powerful tool on the course, and believing you can hit a draw plays a big role in being able to do it.

Fortunately, anyone can hit one if they use these 8 simple steps, including you.

Follow these proven steps and you’ll be hitting a powerful draw in no time!

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be a low handicapper to hit a long, accurate, consistent draw.

All of these steps are actionable for any golfer.

Each step is, individually, very simple to implement. When they are all performed together, they create a thing of beauty.

They create the draw.

That elusive ball flight which you so often see, but never seem to be able to do.

That right to left movement which all the pros have, and which you are so certain would improve your golf game markedly, if only you had the talent to do it.

I’m here to tell you… you do.

If you have the talent to align yourself to the right, you can hit a draw.

If you are capable of following through like you mean it, you can hit a draw.

You don’t need to be Rory McIlroy to follow these simple and effective steps.

All you need is a bag of clubs, a couple of balls, and a willingness to follow proven instructions.

Before you know it, your friends will be asking you for advice.

August Noble

August Noble was first introduced to golf at 7 years old. In 2013 he started seriously working on his game and was able to reduce his handicap from 19 to 3.4 in less than two years. He’s been helping other golfers do the same ever since.

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A study continued by the Danish Golf Union found that golf balls take anywhere between 100 to 1000 years to decompose. In the United States, golfers lose 300 million balls every year, parts of the Country with plastic dimples. To reduce this wastage, I have provided ideas on what to do with old golf balls.

Besides adding them to your practice bag or donating them to nonprofit organizations, I will demonstrate how versatile they are. They can tenderize meat, massage your plantar fascia and act as Christmas ornaments.

10 Things You Can Do with Your Old Golf Balls

1.  Use Them For Practice

The easiest solution for your old golf balls is to retire them to your practice bag. Making use of them for practice extends their lifespan.

The average golfer can afford practice with scuffed or misconfigured balls. Plus, it is more affordable than if you purchase a box of Titleist or Callaway range balls.

2.  Sell Them

Selling your golf balls comes down to the quantity you have. If you are sitting with large quantities, one option is to sell them to used golf ball sellers such as Lost Golf Balls or Rock Bottom Golf. Alternatively, you can search for vendors of old golf balls on eBay and Amazon.

Before you present your used balls, I suggest cleaning them. Remove all the soil and chunks of mud from the ball, and then place them in a bucket of warm tap water. The next step is to put some dishwashing liquid on a cloth and clean the dimples. That should make them look more presentable to the buyer.

Those who only have a handful of balls are better off contacting your local golf course or driving range to see if they are interested. Another option is to approach sports equipment vendors at flea markets. Should you not find a willing buyer, you can donate the balls.

3. Donate Them

If you couldn’t negotiate a deal with pre-owned ball vendors, there are multiple avenues to donate them. Nonprofits and school clubs are the best places to start. The American Golf Foundation should be able to help you find a new home for your balls.

Local schools that run golf programs are another potential recipient of your used golf balls. Helping these clubs save costs enables them to contribute more resources to coaching, and growing the participant base.

4. Create a Massager

Recycle golf balls act as a phenomenal massage tool, to remove tension from your muscles. Whether you need a plantar fascia or back massage, a golf ball can do the job. In this video, a massage therapist from California demonstrates how to administer treatment with an old golf ball.

You can massage various parts of your body without any assistance, which I explain below. However, a more effective approach is to use someone else’s elbow grease and free your muscles of tension.

Should someone be administering the treatment, you need to find an object that the golf ball fits into. Otherwise, there will be no place to grip the ball and work it into the muscles.

To massage your plantar fascia, simply place the ball on the ground and move your foot over the ball. You should feel the tension releasing as you go. Alternatively, you can get a partner to rub the ball into the bottom of your feet for the same result.

Massaging your back can also be done solo or by a loved one. Place the ball against a wall, push your back up against it, then rotate your back from side to side as the ball releases the knots in your muscles.

Conversely, get someone else to massage your back. Lie flat on your stomach, and let the masseuse get to work.

5. Make a Kitchen Mallet

I shouldn’t need to warn you, but I will do it anyway. Before putting your old golf balls near any food, ensure the golf ball is clean and rid of any bacteria. Besides a massage accessory, a golf ball makes an ok meat tenderizer.

For adequate functionality, you will need to add a handle to it. Use a small drill bit and let the auger rip. Hollow out the top part of the golf ball and shoot warm glue into it, then insert a wooden or metal handle and let it set.

Once the handle is securely connected to the golf ball, start hammering down on your meat to tenderize it.

6. Use Them for Christmas Decorations

You can get the creative juices flowing when turning golf balls into Christmas decorations. You can create a golf ball snowman, the face of Santa, or hand them on the Christmas tree.

It is simple to transform your white golf balls into snowmen and Santa ornaments. To create a snowman, you need some paint and fabric. You can paint the eyes, nose, and mouth and wrap the bottom of the ball in a red felt for the scarf.

If you really want to go the extra mile, you can add a hat, as CraftKlatch demonstrates. Drill a hole in the top of the golf ball, and insert a hook. That acts as your base for the hat. Then shape black felt into the shape of a top hat and add it to the snowman.

CraftKlatch also teaches us how to construct a golf ball Santa. You will need acrylic paint to add your desired skin tone and the nose, mouth, and eyes. Next, you employ white and red felt for Santa’s hat, eyebrows, and beard.

Aside from creating Christmas characters, you can turn your old golf balls into Christmas balls. Adding a touch of color and a hook readies them to hang on the tree.

7. Create Craft Projects

In addition to using them for Christmas decorations, golf balls can be used for several craft projects. You can create simple ornaments such as the face of a penguin, a ladybug, or a pig. Alternatively, you can get seriously into it and craft a large ant.

A basic craft project that you can undertake with your golf balls is to produce miniature pumpkins. These are handy decorations to scatter around the house during Halloween. Those more artistic than I may enjoy creating various animals and characters.

Animal faces require the relevant colors of acrylic paint, while bigger projects require more materials. For example, when CraftKlatch created a giant ant, she used three golf balls, paint, and a coat hanger.

Another idea for a golf ball craft project is to create wall art, as exhibited by Yoduvh Essentials. She places balls on the undercarriage of a bowl and glues them together. Once they are dry, she glues the bowl to a board and fits it into a frame.

Finally, Yoduvh Essentials secures the frame to the wall with double-sided tape, and the work of art is complete.

8. Use Them as Vase Filler

If you have a few vases lying around the house, you can create an eye-pleasing decoration by filling them up with your old golf balls. Aside from keeping your golf balls for practice, this is the simplest way to reuse them.

9. Make Garden Decorations

People have loads of fun creating features in their garden from golf balls. The options are endless. For starters, you can make simple insects with the correct acrylic colors. Conversely, you can create various patterns throughout the garden to increase its character.

I saw an idea on Pinterest which was well planned and executed. Someone painted their golf balls in different colors and placed them in the shape of a flower. Then they positioned a white ball in the middle to give the appearance of a pistil.

You can also employ a coat hanger and create a caterpillar. Take three of your used golf balls, and paint them, adding the necessary details. Drill a hole through the center of each one and thread the wire through the balls to connect them. Finally, taunt the wire to produce a coil at the end for the antennae.

Those who don’t have gardens can turn golf balls into fake plants with a touch of paint and a wooden or metal stem.

10. Make a Table Cloth Weight

Although there are countless other ways to make use of your used golf balls. I think ten tips give you more than enough ideas of what to do with old golf balls. My final recommendation is to turn it into a table cloth weight. You can use it for your patio table or hold your blanket in place during picnics.

It could not be simpler to create this. Grab a used ball, and drill a hole into the top to attach the clip for the table cloth. You do not even need to paint it, you can use it as is. However, adding some color spices up its appearance.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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3-putts are the bane of an amateur’s existence. Even with accurate approach shots, the putting green is where it falls apart for casual golfers.

This is due to poor alignment and speed control. This issue prompted me to compile a list of practical lag putting drills to improve your putts per round record.

The drills listed below are ideal for successfully navigating enormous greens. This allows you to confidently get your ball to within a few feet for a 2-putt tap-in. If you hit the green in regulation, that gives you an easy par.

In addition, these exercises improve your alignment to help you judge breaks on longer putts.

1. Measuring Tape (The longer the putt, the longer the backstroke)

When I started playing golf, I was told that the strength of my putt depended on my follow-through and not the backswing. As a result, I took the putter back the same distance for every putt, causing me to leave longer putts short of the cup.

It did not take me long to recognize this flaw, and I adjusted the backstroke accordingly. My coach employed a measuring tape and helped me mark the required backswing length for each distance. Over time, it became like second nature to send the putter head back the desired span for a 5, 10, 20, or even 40-foot putt.

How To Do The Measuring Tape Drill

Pick a target, and set up three balls each 5, 10, 20, 40, and 60 feet from the cup. Next, extend the measuring tape to 30-inches, and lock it. This measurement covers the length of your stroke for the different distances.

Roll putts from 5 feet, and get a friend to mark the top of your back putting-stroke on the measuring tape. Record the distance for future reference. Proceed to strike 10-footers and follow the same procedure. Follow this up with 20, 40, and 60-feet putts.

Once your backstroke lengths are determined, return to the 20-foot marker, and take out the measuring tape again. Lock it on the measurement of your backstroke to guide you. This helps you produce the required launch on your takeaway for optimal distance control.

2. Feel The Speed

I saw Phil Mickelson run through this putting drill, which helps you gain a better feel for long putts. This trains you to induce a desirable backstroke length and optimal power on the downstroke for improved speed control:

Phil suggests that you produce the same quantity of energy on your follow-through for each shot. This adds an element of consistency to your strokes. The only variable is the length of your backstroke.

How To Do The Feel The Speed Drill

Lefty does this drill from 40, 50, and 60 feet. Now, as a professional, the greens he putts on are substantially longer than the ones you and I are accustomed to. Therefore, I suggest starting at 20 feet before progressing to 40 and 50 feet.

Place 5 balls at each distance mark, and hit putts to your target. I recommend identifying a spot on the green rather than a specific hole for this exercise. Repeat the task from that range if you do not card a 100% success rate. After succeeding from 20 feet, move on to 40 and finally, 50 feet.

3. Manilla Folder

Long straight putts are difficult to judge as is. However, it enhances the challenge of speed control when you add a downhill slope to the equation. Insufficient pace leaves you with a downhill second putt, risking a bogey.

Conversely, the excess pace could send your ball hurtling to the fringe of the green. You want the ball to trickle down to the cup, leaving you with a simple tap-in for par. The manilla folder drill helps you judge speed precisely.

The idea is to stop the ball on the folder as if it were the top of a slope. Gravity takes over from this point and guides the ball towards the flagstick.

How To Do The Manilla Folder Drill

Identify a point on the green to place the folder, and then measure at 20, 40, and 50-feet intervals. Set 5 balls up on each mark and commence from 20 feet away. Produce 5 successful lag putts that stop on the folder before moving onto the 40-foot setup.

4. Gate Putting Drill (Accuracy)

The first 3 drills revolved around vital speed control. But, if your putter face is not square through impact, it sends your ball off line from the beginning. Therefore, you stand no chance of sinking your putt. The gate putting drill encourages you to square the putter face up at contact to send your ball on your intended line.

Tiger Woods applied this drill to his warm-up routine on the practice green. He placed two tees parallel to each other, approximately 2-inches in front, forming a gate marginally wider than his putter head. He aimed to send the ball through the gate to induce a straight roll.

As a right-hand golfer, he would pull the ball left of the cup if his putter face was closed at impact. On the contrary, his ball would miss right if he left the face open at contact.

How To Do The Gate Putting Drill

Insert two tees into the ground 2 inches ahead of your golf ball. The tees should sit parallel to one another, forming a gate structure. Employ this practice routine 20, 40, and 50 feet away from the hole, working on your accuracy from that distance.

Your mission is to get the ball to within a radius of 3 feet of the hole, ensuring a tap-in 2-putt.

5. Judge The Speed Of The Greens

The challenge amateurs have with lag putting is determining the quantity of force to strike the golf ball with. I recommend employing this putting practice drill in your pre-round preparation. It gives you a feel for the layout of the greens and what you can expect for that day.

Instead of picking a specific hole on the green, putt from one end to the other, watching the break and speed of your roll. If your ball flies off the other side of the green, you need to dial the pace down. Contrarily, short putts require extra oomph to get the ball across the dancefloor.

How To Do The Judge The Speed Drill

Place 5 golf balls on one end of the green, and putt the ball to a designated target on the other side. Stroke the 5 balls and pay attention to the consistency of the roll and the break. The aim is to stop the ball within a 3-feet radius of your target for optimal distance control.

6. In The Zone

In the Zone is one of my best putting drills that adds purpose to your training routine. It gets you into the mindset of stopping your first putts within a 3-feet radius around the cup. However, it also encourages a confident stroke to reduce your risk of leaving a putt short.

I like this drill because it helps you determine your progress by scoring each putt. Your overall mission is to score as many strokes under par as possible, putting from different distances.

Ultimately, this exercise is built to promote confident putts that roll past the hole rather than being left short.

How To Do In The Zone

Grab an alignment stick and position it 3 feet past the hole, then measure intervals of 20, 40, and 50 feet from the flag. Next, place 5 balls at each interval, and prepare to putt.

Start with the closest 5-balls. Every time you sink a putt, it counts as a birdie. But, if you leave it short or blast it further than 3-feet past the cup, it results in a bogey. Tally up your score from the first distance and proceed to the 40-foot mark, and finally, try your luck from 50 feet out.

Once you have putt all your balls, count your overall score. Then repeat the drill to try to improve your personal best score.

7. Leave It Below The Hole

As an amateur, you never want to leave yourself a downhill tester for par. There are too many factors to consider that can cause you to miss the putt and card a bogey. That is why you want your second putt uphill whenever possible.

It is easier to hit a firm, uphill putt than judge the distance of a rapid downhill roll. The leave it below the hole drill helps you judge your strikes to perfection to trickle the ball down to the hole for an easy tap-in.

How To Do Leave It Below The Hole

Hire the services of your trusted alignment stick and place it 3-feet past the cup. Sit 5 balls down on the green at the 20, 40, and 50-foot mark, and stroke the ball. The idea is to stop your golf ball between the cup and the alignment stick, encouraging an easy 2-putt from far out.

You must not progress to the 40-foot mark until all 5-balls are 3-feet below the cup. You must possess a perfect record before continuing.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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Knowing
how to grip a golf club is the most important element of the golf swing. 

You
can trace many problem shots and faults back to how you hold the club. Is it
too strong? Maybe it’s the opposite. So, what makes a perfect golf grip? 

Whilst
it’s true that there is such a thing as an orthodox golf grip, different types
of grip can be effective. 

As
PGA professional Alistair Davies explains: “Compensations are going
on in your golf swing that make your grip work”.

For
example, players with a strong grip, which tends to encourage a hooky flight,
often make adjustments elsewhere in the swing that means they hit the ball
straight—in which case, Davies wouldn’t recommend making any tweaks.

However,
it sometimes helps to go back to basics—something even the pros will do from
time to time to ensure bad habits aren’t creeping in. 

Here, Davies looks at how to grip a golf club in five easy steps.

1. Cradle your fingers to avoid a ‘palmy grip’

Let’s
start with the placement of the club in your lead hand. Where the golf grip
sits right in the middle of the hand, it’s known as a ‘palmy grip’—and,
according to Davies, it’s one of the biggest faults he witnesses amongst
amateurs.

“A
palmy grip can cause issues squaring up the clubface because it makes it harder
for your wrists to work,” he explains. 

“It
can also cause the backswing to have a collapsed lead arm and a limp wrist
position. As a result, you will struggle to strike the ball consistently out of
the middle, and you’ll likely lose a lot of power.”

Look
to align the grip more in the fingers, so through the middle joint of the index
finger to the bottom joint of the little finger. 

Try cradling your fingers and let the club sit in the cradle. Finally, you want the thumb to sit slightly to the trail side of the grip.

Related: 7 driving range tips to improve shot consistency

2. Check the ‘V’

If
you’re talking about a perfect golf grip—a neutral one, as opposed to strong or
weak—the ‘V’ created by the thumb and finger on your trail hand should point
somewhere between your chin and right shoulder.

This
is where you hear a lot about how many knuckles you should see, but it’s not an
exact science, as Davies explains. 

“The
ideal number of knuckles you should see on the lead hand is two to three, but
it depends on the size of your hands. That’s why it’s more important to see
where that ‘V’ is pointing.”

If
you have a strong grip, the ‘V’ will point more towards your trail shoulder,
and you’ll see more knuckles on your lead hand. 

Golfers with this grip will often hook the ball. With a weak grip, the ‘V’ points towards the lead side of the body, and you’ll see fewer knuckles on your lead hand. Such a grip will encourage more of a slice.

3. Check the placement of the trail Hand

Many
people get the centre of gravity in the trail hand too high, which means it
doesn’t align with the shaft. 

When
you try and apply pressure above the shaft, you’re not getting any power, plus
you lose control and stability of the clubhead through impact.

If
that sounds complicated, make sure you watch Davies’ video here:

 

4. Mind The Gaps

Whether
you’re using an interlocking, overlapping or baseball grip, you don’t want gaps
between the little finger on your trail hand and your first finger on your lead
hand.

“Pockets of holes create the club’s movement, mostly between transition and impact,” says Davies. “It makes the clubhead twist a bit and gives you a lack of control of the clubhead through the ball.”

Related: How to play golf on a budget

 

5. Apply the right pressure

If
you’re talking about a scale where ten is very tight, Davies recommends
gripping the club at a five or six. 

“It’s
like holding a child’s hand when you cross the road,” he explains. “You don’t
want them to slip out of your hand, but you don’t want to hurt them.”

Davies
says to think, ‘firm hands, loose wrists.’ 

“Your
hands are gripping the club, and you’re swinging between 70 and 90mph. You
don’t want the club to be moving around. At the same time, you don’t want
unwanted tension that goes into your arms and stops your arms flowing
properly.”

It’s also important to keep the pressure consistent. “If you swing the golf club thinking five or six, you’re not looking for it to increase or decrease. A decrease is just as bad as increasing.”

 

If you own a club or set of clubs, you may want to protect them against theft, damage and loss by getting specialist golf insurance.

At Golf Care, we arrange cover to
protect your clubs, bags and accessories against loss, theft, and damage. This
way, you can play golf without constantly worrying about your equipment.

You can find out more about how we can help here or get an instant online quote by clicking on the banner below.

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Every golfer strives to improve, from the complete novice to the World’s Number One. 

For the average amateur, one of the
most common desires is to know how to hit a golf ball further.

Most of us recognise we’re never
going to be able to send it “out there” like Rory McIlroy, but it would be nice
to be able to consistently reach the fairway off the back tees and,
occasionally, feel a par-5 may be “on in two.”

We’re all getting older, and it would
be easy to view diminishing length on the golf course as a fait accompli. But
it needn’t necessarily be so. All golfers could try some simple ways to find a
few extra yards. 

Here are seven tips to help you learn how to get more distance in golf.

 

1. Slow it down

This might sound counterintuitive, as
it’s undeniable that faster clubhead speeds at impact result in greater
distance. But slowing things down is vital when learning how to get more
distance in golf. 

A wild flailing swing does not best
achieve those fast clubhead speeds. Good timing and acceleration through the
ball will make the golf ball travel further.

It doesn’t matter how fast the
clubhead moves away from the ball or how fast the transition is from backswing
to downswing. Speed during this part of the swing is wasted energy and
generally has a destabilising effect. 

Try to take the club away slowly and
steadily, complete the backswing, and then transition to your downswing as
slowly as possible. 

It would help if you naturally
accelerated through the downswing, and the club head will move at maximum
velocity upon reaching the ball.

Look at some of the longest hitters
in professional golf; their swings seem effortless. 

Examine more closely, though, and you’ll see they tend to be relaxed and smooth when it doesn’t matter (on the way back and through the transition). But it’s then that the speed kicks in, where it does matter—as the club nears, and reaches, the ball.

Related: How to grip a golf club in 5 easy steps 

 

2. Strengthen your core

Stability through the swing will
enable you to accelerate through the ball and maximise clubhead speed. This
stability comes from the core—particularly your lower torso.

If you have strong abdominal and
oblique muscles, you can generate more power without losing control, therefore
achieving more distance. 

Strengthening the core doesn’t have
to mean hours spent in the gym. It’s easy to do it at home with simple
exercises like the “high plank.” Hold yourself in a high press-up position for
as long as possible and feel your stomach muscles working. 

You might not be able to do this for
very long at first, but keep at it, and you’ll soon see improvements.
Alternatively, try the “low plank.” It’s the same but with your elbows on the
ground rather than your hands.

Yoga and Pilates are great for
strengthening the core, and many sports centres and health clubs run classes
targeting golfers. 

Apart from learning how to hit the
golf ball further, you’ll also feel generally stronger and less prone to
injuries, particularly to your lower back.

Related: Best golf exercises to improve your game 

 

3. Go for a fitting

This could be the simplest way to
learn how to hit the golf ball further, especially off the tee. If you have the
wrong set-up in your driver, it could be that you’re not getting the most out
of your shots.

If the shaft isn’t right for your
swing, you may produce too much spin, sending the ball up rather than out.
Changing the loft on your driver could optimise ball flight, giving a better
trajectory and greater carry. 

Changing to a driver with a draw bias may reduce distance-killing cut spin, while looking at a club with a different weight distribution could improve ball flight and increase distance.

Go to a local pro with the Mizuno Shaft
Optimizer and Swing DNA system or similar ball-flight tracking technology, and see how your
current kit performs. 

Then check if the figures can be
improved by new or different equipment. It might cost a few quid, but it’s
perhaps worth it for an extra 10 yards off the tee.

Related: How to play golf on a budget 

 

4. Check your ball

As with clubs, getting the right ball
for your game can increase your distance. 

Many amateurs opt for a “premium”
ball, believing that if it’s the choice of the pros, it must be the best you
can buy. 

But many premium balls are designed
for players who produce fast clubhead speeds at impact, greater than the speeds
generated by the average amateur. 

Below a certain clubhead speed, these
premium balls will not be compressed sufficiently at impact to deliver maximum
spring and distance. That’s why it’s best to shop around when learning how to
hit a golf ball further. 

Most major ball manufacturers produce
a range of balls to suit players with different clubhead speeds.

Get your local pro to measure your
clubhead speed and then consider the available options. It won’t necessarily be
the most expensive ball that helps you to hit the golf ball further.

Related: The 12 best golf balls on the market  

 

5. Try to hit a draw

The draw is the Holy Grail for most
club players, but producing one is a challenging prospect for the
majority. 

But in terms of learning how to get
more distance in golf, it’s well worth trying—in flat conditions with the same
impact speeds, a ball hit with draw spin will travel further than one hit with
cut spin.

When you open the face and cut across
the ball, you increase the club’s loft and impart more backspin and sidespin. 

This causes the ball to climb—much of
the energy you have transplanted goes into upward rather than outward movement.

The more you can reduce the effects
of the distance-sapping cut, the further your golf ball will fly. You don’t
have to hit the ball from right to left to get results. Just try to hit a draw,
lessen the cut, and you’ll see improvements.

So, ensure your grip isn’t too weak. The v created by the thumb and forefingers on both hands should point to your right shoulder. Check your set-up is square to the ball—feet, hips, knees, and shoulders should all be pointed straight at the target. 

If you have a cut, the temptation is
to aim left to compensate, but by opening up to the target, you exacerbate the
problem, increasing the out-to-in, cut-inducing swing.

Then, as you swing, try to envisage a
draw and what the clubface must do to create one—effectively wrapping itself
around the right side of the ball. Imagine a topspin forehand in tennis.

Related: How to hit a draw in 5 quick steps 

 

6. Improve centre contact 

One of the best ways to learn how to
hit a golf ball further is to work on your centre contact.

This means improving your consistency
with hitting the ball with the centre of the club face. 

Many amateur golfers either hit the
ball with different areas of the club face or choose the wrong spot initially.
Even being one inch away from the centre can significantly reduce your
distance. 

By improving this, you will not only
learn how to get more distance in golf, but your shot consistency will be better overall. 

Check out this video from Canadian
Fade Golf for a useful drill: 

Related: How to improve your contact with every club

 

7. Practise shifting your weight 

Developing your swing technique by
learning how to shift your weight properly is a great way to achieve more
distance in golf. 

You should keep your hips loose and
use them to drive the club through your swing. This creates momentum during
your downswing and increases club head speed for a more powerful impact. 

During your backswing, you should shift up to around 60% of your weight onto your back leg as you reach the movement’s peak. 

By the time you reach the bottom of
your downswing, your front leg should be supporting around 90% of your body
weight. 

This takes practice, but it’s one of the most valuable ways of learning how to hit a golf ball further. 

 

Once you’ve got a solid technique,
you may want to protect yourself before heading out on the green. 

At Golf Care, we arrange specialist golf insurance that includes Public Liability
up to £10m, equipment cover up to the value of £7,500, and much more. We also
provide three free rounds of golf with each policy!

Click the banner below to learn more about our cover and get an instant online quote. 

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How you prepare for your round of golf can have a considerable impact on how you play. While the perfect warm-up may not always result in your lowest round ever, it’s best to have a consistent warm-up to keep you confident before every round.

How to Improve Your Pre-Round Warm-Ups

1. Determine how much time you need

Some people need one hour, some people need ten minutes, and some people don’t like to warm up at all! No matter your style, it’s important to know which category you fall into and how much time you need for your pre-round warmup. If you normally feel rushed, plan for a longer warm-up time. Or, if you feel like you’re spending too much time warming up, cut it a few minutes short next time.

2. Find what order works best for you

Most people like to start with wedges and work their way up to driver when warming up. But, just because most people do this doesn’t mean it’ll work for you. So, play around with what order of clubs you warm up in and find an order that most comfortable to you.

3. Don’t hit every club

Rather than hitting every single club in your bag, consider picking one from each category or “family.” For example, rather than hitting your 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 irons, consider hitting just one or two long irons instead.

4. Pay attention to the weather

Hitting long shots on the range is an ideal time to pay attention to the elements. Observe the wind direction, temperature, and other conditions that may affect your overall distance and ball flight.

5. Practice putting

While you may think your driver and irons need the most work during your pre-round warm-up, your putting deserves just as much attention. Rolling a few putts before your round will give you a good idea of how quickly the greens will be on the actual golf course.

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