The (often overlooked) Importance of Fundamentals

[thrasher]

So this past Friday, I was out hitting balls at the range, when all of a sudden my newly re-developing draw (I'm in the midst of complete swing overhaul) starting turning into a vicious hook. And then go back to a perfect draw. And back to a CRAZY hook. In my desperation, I tried everything I could think of to fix it: Swing plane, tempo, timing, alignment, backswing, downswing, you name it. And then it dawned on me: my grip. My instructor has told me all along that my grip is perfect, which it usually is. Except when it's not, lol. A simple change of the grip and the hook was completely eliminated.

As a side note, I have also recently been having much trouble developing any consistency in my short game, which is usually my strong suit. Turns out that my little grip change also completely solved that issue, and I was sticking 20-50 yard wedges close again!

For me, this seems to be somewhat of a recurring issue, and for some reason my mind always tried to find the hardest solution that I can think of when my swing goes awry. It must be my swing plane, or my wrist hinge, or my right hip angle when initiating the downswing, when almost always it is a matter of fundamentals for me. I believe, and constantly need to remind myself of the fact that practicing/playing without sound fundamentals is an exercise in futility. Whatever progress you make will ultimately become undone if your fundamentals are not rock solid. I have worked with a bunch of instructors over the past 8 years of so (including several top 100s and "best in the State" types) and have found that the ones who really know their stuff ALWAYS stress this point.

Anyways, thought this may be of help to the struggling beginners out there. Work on fundamentals first before worrying about your hip rotation 3/4 of the way through your downswing!

[The Recreational Golfer]

I believe recreational golfers wanting to improve their swing should first work in their grip, especially grip pressure, their stance, their aim, their ball position, their tempo, and their finish position. Not that these are cure-alls, but if all these are right, many swing problems will have vanished.

[thrasher]

I believe recreational golfers wanting to improve their swing should first work in their grip, especially grip pressure, their stance, their aim, their ball position, their tempo, and their finish position. Not that these are cure-alls, but if all these are right,

Agreed. I actually think a lot of times (even low handicappers) should be checking their fundamentals regularly and assessing their fundamentals

FIRST when trying to fix swing problems. It is so easy to be off by just a little bit in one or several fundamentals which makes it almost impossible to hit the ball well.

[DarkPrince]

My old golf coach pointed out to me a few weeks back that I had started playing the ball really far back in my stance, which then influenced my grip (which is what I asked him to look at in the first place). Something this simple resulted in an in->out swing path and a closed face at impact making what used to be a fade into a draw or hook. Fundamentals are so fundamental that we just simply overlook them thinking it has to be something 30x more complicated like weight shift, hip turn, reverse looping..etc. Now my major problem is alignment and finding consistent ball in stance placement :(

[saevel25]

Grip is crucial, It depends on the swing you want. My swing is a slight draw, so i am mostly a very neutral grip. You got to find your natural swing and then match your grip to it. this is were i think a pro is nessessary.. But i would start with a neutral grip first and see were that gets you. If you are on plane and make a good swing and have issues with leaks to the right or pulls left, then modify the neutral grip.

[Flypaper]

I would have to agree - when I first took lessons - my instructor beat the fundamentals into me. Grip, stance, posture, etc. At first, I honestly though the guy was just giving me enough information to get me started and to bring me back. But looking back, I guess he actually did know a thing or two about what he was talking about. So now that he's beaten me to death with it, it's so ingrained in me, that when I address the ball, it's all natural.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Agree. When im hitting alot of crooked shots 90% of the time its in either my grip, alignment or setup. I dont overlook it. When i do practice my swing, i spend a large portion of the time on fundementals. Making sure the grip and posture is correct and all that. Its a portion of the game anyone can be expert at. I think nickalus said youll hit better shots with good fundementals and a bad swing than with a good swing and bad fundamentals.

[thrasher]

I would have to agree - when I first took lessons - my instructor beat the fundamentals into me. Grip, stance, posture, etc. At first, I honestly though the guy was just giving me enough information to get me started and to bring me back. But looking back, I guess he actually did know a thing or two about what he was talking about. So now that he's beaten me to death with it, it's so ingrained in me, that when I address the ball, it's all natural.

That's the funny thing about golf, at least for me. No matter how ingrained I think my fundamentals are, i always seem to drift away from them a little bit. I'm starting to realize now that as I really need to be on top of my fundamentals every time I practice. Otherwise, I become slack in my grip or posture or alignment and then one day I'm hitting the ball 40 yards left!

DavidFehertysBike]Agree. When im hitting alot of crooked shots 90% of the time its in either my grip, alignment or setup. I dont overlook it. When i do practice my swing, i spend a large portion of the time on fundementals. Making sure the grip and posture is correct and all that. Its a portion of the game anyone can be expert at. I think nickalus said youll hit better shots with good fundementals and a bad swing than with a good swing and bad fundamentals

I completely agree with that. One of my instructors said that you can always tell in a tournament who has sound fundamentals because when the pressure is on, their swing will not breakdown.

[Dad-2-3]

Anyways, thought this may be of help to the struggling beginners out there. Work on fundamentals first before worrying about your hip rotation 3/4 of the way through your downswing!

Thank you sir. I was developing a hook with anything over an 8i. I played today and weakened my grip and voila. I straightened things out. I weakened it even more and faded a few. Strengthened the grip, but not as much as original and drew the ball as needed.

Thanks again, great thread!!

[kennay92]

Thank you sir. I was developing a hook with anything over an 8i. I played today and weakened my grip and voila. I straightened things out. I weakened it even more and faded a few. Strengthened the grip, but not as much as original and drew the ball as needed.

just everytime i weaken my grip, it feels very very very weird.

[Dad-2-3]

just everytime i weaken my grip, it feels very very very weird.

It does feel "weird", but the ball not ending up 30 yards left of target makes up for it.

It feels so weird that I had to incorporated a "grip check" into my preshot routine to keep from going back to my "comfortable" but extremely strong grip.

[bunkerputt]

I believe recreational golfers wanting to improve their swing should first work in their grip, especially grip pressure, their stance, their aim, their ball position, their tempo, and their finish position. Not that these are cure-alls, but if all these are right, many swing problems will have vanished.

I definitely agree with you in the importance, but I would add that the purpose of all of these is to bring you to a good impact position. You can work on the low point of your swing by just swinging a club back and forth brushing the grass. This gives a lot of feedback on whether wrists are leading the knuckles leading the club, how the clubface is opening on the backswing and closing through impact. I never really understood or appreciated ball position until I realized that a ball that is too far back will cause you to cast so that you don't whiff over the top of it with a lagging clubhead. That's a more natural place to start for nearly everyone because you can ingrain good impact fundamentals and an athletic swing motion before you work on mechanical details.

[Dad-2-3]

Thanks again to the OP. I began hooking it very badly yesterday. I'm not good enough to make adjustments on course, so I just tried to adjust my alignment and play the hook. On my way home I though of this thread I got home and hit some balls in the field using a weaker grip and it seems to have turned my hook back into the natural draw.

[stacks04]

I haven't played a ton of golf as of yet. I really only got started last year, but was determined to practice and play more. We (a couple guys from work) started practicing weekly and now trying to play the same. I am self taught, just line up and hit the ball, and had developed a stupid bad slice. I taped my swing, sent to a pro who does cheap online videos lessons just to see what he thought. Well it was the best 25 bucks i ever spent. He told me to strengthen my grip from 1 knuckle to 2 and what a difference it has made. It was terrible uncomfortable at first but i did a week of practice swings just getting my muscles adjusted. I went to the range and shot almost perfect straight. Played nine last friday and hit par on 3 holes, having my best round so far. Still horrible to most peoples standards, but for the life of me i cant shake the new golfer nerves once i hit the course. Once i get my game flowing it only improves through the holes.