Improving Your Golf Swing Using Gravity

Have you ever gone to the driving range and see golfers swing so hard that they are completely physically spent after each swing? You know, the ones that are dripping with sweat after hitting 10 balls and grunt after every swing as if they are trying to break through a concrete wall?

Now, have you ever watched golf on TV? Have you ever paused for a moment at the range and watched someone who is hitting the ball with consistency? I'd be willing to bet they are not grunting, sweating, or trying to prove to themselves and everyone watching that they are swinging harder than everyone else!

I used to be that golfer, and in some circumstances I still am. But, as I learned more about golf, watched more golf on TV, and just spoke to more people who were involved in the game, I learned that trying to swing as hard as you can just does not work. The basic principal is that the more tense your muscles are, the slower your swing becomes. Talk to any hitting coach in baseball and they will tell you the same thing. People inherrently think they need to use every ounce of muscle in their body through their entire swing to hit the ball far. The truth is that doing so will hinder your swing as you will be fighting the tenseness of your muscles to speed up your swing, which ultimately creates your power.

Watch golfers on TV and forget about how they grip their club or the mechanical aspects of their swing. Rather, watch how smoothly pro golfers swing. One word sums it up; effortless.

The reason pro golfers are able to smash the ball is that they swing loosely, not tensely. Every muscle in their arms and body is at ease until the very last instant (more or less) right as the clubface is about to make impact with the ball. THEN they tense up their muscles and "snap" the clubface through the ball.

It took me a long time to realize this, and I'm still working on "loosening" up my swing. I didn't really "get it" until I was at the range one time and was watching a guy bring his club back and stopping at the top of his backswing. To my surprise he was smashing the ball! So I tried it. I stopped at the top of my backswing and instead of tensing up my muscles to start my downswing I simply let the club "drop". Basically gravity started my downswing, and all I had to do was exert force right before the clubface made contact with the ball.

Easier said than done obviously but you MUST try it! Take your backswing, and let gravity do the work to start your downsing. Grip the club loosely and just let it start to fall. The longer you can wait until the moment you tense up, the better your results will be. This is definitely something to try at the range rather than the course. Once you start to get the hang of it you'll realize you don't need to be so tense, there is no need for grunting, and you won't be sweating buckets. Your swing will become smooth, comfortable, and effortless.

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