Golf is arguably one of the most complicated games out there. While it revolves around a repeatable golf swing, that movement is not as simple as you might think. There is a myriad of elements that will affect the success of your golf swing.
This includes body alignment, ball positioning, as well as what type of golf club you are using. Apart from this, there are all sorts of factors that you need to keep in mind in order to ensure a long and straight shot. One of these is the golf swing width.
You can’t really deny that wide is good. This means that by increasing the width of your arc you will be able to get better accuracy and make for a long-distance shot. The perfect example of how width works is when a player stands at a 12 o’clock position to the target.
First and foremost, you will need to consider the width that is between 12 and 6 o’clock, as well as between 3 and 9 o’clock. For beginners, understanding the concept of width may not be as simple.
That is why we will do our best to go through the essential differences of wide and narrow shots, as well as give you a couple of drills to add width to a golf swing. Let’s get right to it!
How Width Works in a Golf Swing
There are two main roles of width in a golf swing. First and foremost, less or more width can determine how fast the ball will go. Additionally, it does affect the swing arc.
Thus, if you are going for an overly wide swing, then you might face the issue of it being behind the ball and bottoming out for too long. On the other hand, if there is not enough width, chances are that the swing will be too far in front of the ball.
There are a couple of factors that influence the width of a swing. First and foremost is a narrow swing arc, which is thought to be the number one cause for beginners that have problems with a wide swing. Additionally, you simply may have issues with collapsing at the top or having a takeaway that is laid off.
Not only this, but in some cases, this is a result of a general lack of power, which means that you will need to work on your physical abilities. The drills on how to improve your width with correct posture and swing motion are something that we will discuss below.
Factors affecting swing width.
Wide is good. Still, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive for a balance between a wide swing arc and the adequate swing plane positioning. If you are looking to increase your width, then you should focus on a couple of factors.
The first point is the lateral body motion away from the ball, which is common for the modern swing. Additionally, a flat swing plane and a late wrist set that is highlighted by an extended left arm are going to contribute to more width.
Last but not least, an early release during the downswing motion is also going to help you get more width, speed, and length. On the other hand, in order to master swing width, you will need to focus on complementing backswing and downswing. You will need to ensure that the swing’s bottom release is going to be early.
This means that you should counteract that by managing a narrow arm swing or stacking the weight shift during the takeaway. This way, you will prevent the swing from staying behind the ball and bottoming out for too long.
On the other hand, if you are having issues with a lagging release, that is because the swing is going too far in front of the ball. You should complement this by fully extending your arms and getting away from the ball, much as it would happen with a regular lateral slide in the modern swing.
This is the only way to ensure simultaneous movement and prevent the so-called late hit.
Best Drills to Add Width to Golf Swing
We already mentioned that there are a couple of elements affecting the width and the chances of a straight and long shot. If you are a right-handed player, then you should know that it is the hinge in the right elbow that will be determining your width during the backswing/downswing.
On the other hand, the hinge in the front arm, which is your left in this case, is going to be responsible for swing width. Keep in mind that a higher hinge will contribute to less width. Thus, in order to increase the width of the swing arc, you will need to focus on a hinge that is lower than 90 degrees at the top of the swing.
The best way to practice this is to use an arm floatie aid. Put it on your trailing arm, which is the right for right-handed golfers, and perform a regular motion. What you will notice is that the swimming arm floatie will block your elbow from hinging more than 90 degrees.
After practicing with the aid, take it off and try to control the movement on your own. While it may take some time, ensuring an adequate hinge that is neither too low nor too high will allow you to maintain the perfect swing width.
Final Thoughts
Not being able to swing wide enough can seriously affect your overall performance. Much like body positioning and a smooth follow-through, width plays a crucial role in distance, speed, and even accuracy. Thus, make sure to conduct proper research and follow the tips that we have mentioned above in order to master width. The simple arm-floatie drill will go a long way as long as you practice it on a daily basis.
Remember that practice is key when working on improving any skill, and this is no different with golf. So take the above guide and implement it into your daily practice. Good luck!
