Learning how to swing through the golf ball is easier said than done. Especially, with all of the advice you’ll hear from people on the golf course.
‘The only thing that lies in the way of your swing is the ball.’ ‘You are not supposed to swing at the ball, but rather through it.’ These and many others are phrases you will hear on the golf course. It is rare to see a person that is not able to take a smooth swing with no ball in their way.
How then does your swing turn into a tense lash when there is a ball in the picture? The clubface is the first issue we should deal with. There is no need to be stressed about hitting the ball in a straight direction. You don’t have to manipulate your body and hands to square things up.
Secondly, we lack that performance anxiety. Most people do not pay much attention to their performance during play. Finally, there is tension to consider. There are rare instances of people tensing so much that they were not able to end a practice swing with good balance.
What Does Swinging Through the Golf Ball Promote?
This action will encourage swing acceleration in the direction of the moment created by impact. The goal here is to attain the highest club velocity during the time of impact. Swinging through the ball will ensure the fullness of your swing and will ensure that the ball will not stop after impact but rather continue with a follow-through that is complete.
What Does Swinging Through the Golf Ball Try to Cure?
A few seconds before impact, golf players who view the ball as the destination will begin to decelerate. This will take place because your brain is tailored to coordinate the end of your swing with the ball. This type of swing results in slapping, instead of striking your ball using the full force that your body generates.
Why Does Swinging Through the Golf Ball Work?
A golf swing is made up of many parts, and impact is but one of them. Seeing the act of striking the ball as the ultimate goal will result in a constraint in the follow-through. It will be responsible for causing a slowdown in the club immediately after impact, rather than positioning the body into the desired posture.
When is it Useful?
Golfers are advised to engrave this particular thought in their golf games. It is highly recommended to accelerate into your ball for all manner of shots, including putting. You will get inconsistent results when you fail to follow through when putting.
Here is a look at the things we can do to get that ‘swing through the ball’ feel:
As You Start out, Focus on the End
You probably have seen how a swing can sometimes stop way too short of the desired finish – your arms and hands are very tense, and your club face is wide open. Your ball will end up slicing off to the right side for left-handed golfers.
The easiest solution to this is to ensure you end with the back shoulder facing in the direction of the target and your club positioned above the lead shoulder with the back heel positioned up off the ground. This is the first part of the drill.
Holding your finish till the landing of the ball is the drill’s second part. This not only helps with your balance but will also teach your body to obediently learn that, in order to get a good shot, it has to continue throughout the ball. This is one of the most popular tricks in learning how to do a swing through the ball and not a swing at the ball.
Relieve Your Tension
There are several things you can do to achieve this:
- While swinging, put a potato chip between the teeth and don’t break it
- Throughout the swing, apply constant pressure on your grip
- Throughout the course of your swing, try to hum and ensure the pitch does not differ. Try to do this until the end of the swing
- During the swing, ensure your mouth is open and your jaw relaxed
- Your ears must be alert to listen for the impact
- Silently sing a song to relax you.
Close Your Eyes While Hitting the Ball
Perhaps, closing your eyes while hitting the ball is the best way to ensure you swing through the golf ball. If you realize you are off, try hitting two out of three shots blindly. This will take away that visual component that brings about swing problems. It will teach you to get in tune through your motion.
In his early career, Henrik Stenson made several of his shots while his eyes were closed. At first, it is a challenging task. However, with time, you will understand more about the execution of your swing and balance.
Focus on Your Club, Hands, and Hips
After you are done with the backswing and you are about to begin the downswing, it is important to focus on the club, hands, and hips. Picture yourself winding up in a motion that is coil-like, prepared to spring forward.
Your hips will be the first to release, followed by the hands and the club. If done well, the energy that the coil-like motion will generate will come out through the club’s tip, making it more powerful before impact.
Avoid Fixating on Impact
Golfers who are new to the game are thrilled with being square at the point of impact. This is fundamental for getting the ball to the middle of the fairway, but we often lose our concentration on swinging through the ball and instead end up swinging at the ball. The impact is a part of the swing and will happen naturally if your swing path is the proper one.
For amateur golfers, this may seem too much to grasp, but, with the right team, equipment, instructors, and attitude, your wildest golfing dreams will come to life. The above points detail everything you need to do to get ahead in your golf career. Engage your shoulder, control your downswing, get your expected distance, and finish the ball off. It’s easy as pie.
