The Ten Best Swing Tips

That You've Never Tried!

By Wally Armstrong, Photos By Ryan Noll

Labels: Faults And Fixes, Full Swing, Swing Lessons

This Article Features Photo Zoom

#3: THROW YOUR BALL AWAY

One of the most common mistakes I see amateurs make is they almost always underclub their shots. And unlike the pros who hit the sweet spot with their irons and wedges more often than amateurs do, underclubbing can really make the game more difficult than it needs to be. And this doesn't just mean choosing the wrong club, but also not swinging hard enough for the ball to get all the way to the hole.

To avoid hitting your shots short and getting more comfortable with hitting the ball all the way to the hole, I like to imagine a great big trash can sitting on the top half of the pin. With that in mind, I like to try to throw all my shots into that trash can. You want to aim high to hit it tight! It's this type of visualization that helps me hone in my focus and hit shots with a more specific distance and target in mind. And as for hitting it short? This little visualization trick has helped me so much that I barely ever hit my shots short of the pin anymore. So go out there and try throwing your golf ball away in that imaginary trash can. It works!

#4: THE MISSING THUMB

The most creative area on the golf course is around the green. It's here where you can hit an endless number of shots, in countless different ways. In the case of what I'm faced with here, I need to hit a shot that flies high and stops quickly. A lob shot, if you will. To do this type of shot, you have to really speed up the release of the hands through the shot and get your energy beneath the golf ball. To do this, I'll let you in on my little secret. It's all in the grip…

The missing thumb allows me to hinge my wrists quickly.

What a release! Notice the full extension of my arms here.

My wrists have rehinged, and the ball is landing softly.

To hit the high flop, try this. Take your standard grip. Only now, take your right thumb and, instead of being positioned on the top of the grip, move it to the side of the handle. By doing this, you'll immediately see and feel a huge difference in how the hands can easily hinge, release and hinge again through the shot without the left thumb getting in the way. Give this grip a try in the bunker. It works wonders for getting the ball up and out of the sand.