Golf In New York City Blog

One of the most common mistakes golfers make is letting go of the club with the last
three fingers of their left hand at the top of the backswing. This allows the golfer to
feel like the club is swinging back further and helping increase distance, but in reality
causes a loss of control and diminishes your ability to hit the ball on the sweet spot.
Look at your glove. If it is wearing out at the heel pad you are losing control of the
club. Monitor this during your practice. At address hold the club firm, not tight, with
the last three fingers of your left hand. Let your left thumb and pointer finger in
addition to your entire right hand feel loose. Turn your shoulders and swing the club to
the top of the backswing. Your fingers will tighten naturally! Do not allow the fingers to
open.
Now hit the ball without regripping the club. With each swing try to accelerate the club
through the ball to a balanced finish. Practice this until you have control of the club
from beginning to end. If you hold the club too tight or too loose at the beginning,
control of the club becomes impossible.
There is no doubt that strong hands will help your golf. A good strengthening drill is to
squeeze a soft ball whenever you can. This can be done at home while watching television
or even at work when talking on the telephone. Give it a try — you’ll see the
improvement!