Golf Shots – Basic theory

Golf can be considered an elegant sport with quite a history, requiring a great amount of focus and dedication during play. Some people may be naturals at golf, but everyone still has to learn the basics before they even consider playing golf, whether as an amateur or a professional player. The most important thing to learn is doing proper golf shots.

Golf shots – basic requirements

Golf shots may look easy when you watch them being performed by somebody on TV or during a golf match, but the technique behind golf shots actually requires a lot of training and repetition to be mastered correctly. Physical exertion might not be large, but golf shots do require a certain amount of physical fitness. Your arms, shoulders, back and knees play the most important parts in performing a proper golf shot. Arm and shoulder strength enables you to handle golf clubs more effectively, improving your potential accuracy and swing strength. Your back and leg strength enables you to hold a correct golf stance properly during swings, essentially transferring more of your energy into your swing, resulting in a more powerful golf shot. Of course, mental focus and flexibility is also required, since golf shots require you to dose your own swing power properly. If you use too much strength in your swing, you can easily overshoot your target area. If you use too little, you will end up short.

Basic movement and stance for golf shots

In golf, golf shots are usually played with the golf ball on the ground, with only the initial shot performed as a “tee shot”, with the golf ball slightly elevated above the grass. These initial tee shots are easier to perform than the following golf shots, since an improper golf swing or stance can result in you hitting the ground instead of the ball.

Many golf trainers recommend not focusing on hitting the ball, but rather focusing on performing a correct swing, which will result in properly executed golf shots hitting the ball. The player must form an imaginary circle around his shoulders, think of it as their swing path and then align their body so that their swing path connects with the golf ball as they perform it. The initial stance is the most important part of proper golf shots. Depending on if you’re right-handed or left-handed, you face your target with your non-dominant side. Your target is not the ball, but rather a point on your imaginary circle, located on your non-dominant side. Your feet should be parallel to your shoulders, but this differs depending on which type of golf club you use. Depending on where your target is located, you should also imagine a target line between the position of your ball and your target. Your swing must go parallel to this target line in order to make an effective golf shot.

Potential for golf shots

If all you’ve just read sounds more like tips for martial arts than for proper golf shots, there is some truth to that. According to certain golf instructors, a martial arts background will usually give you the ability to perform golf shots correctly faster than most people with no martial art background. Certain sports, such as kayaking, may also give you strength advantages while performing golf shots. Still, the most important thing is your own focus. Even if you don’t have any sports or martial arts background, everyone can become a decent golfer with enough time and repetition.