4 Swing Mistakes Most Recreational and Beginner Golfers Make

Whether you are a recreational golfer or a beginner golfer, if you haven’t had the proper training, there are a few mistakes that everyone makes when it comes to their swing. Here are the five most common mistakes recreational and beginner golfers make.

Knee Positioning
Do you know what one of the main things that will kill your golf swing is? The one thing that can kill a person’s golf swing is having their knees bent too much at the address. Because of this, a traditional piece of advice to most beginner and recreational golfers is to “sit down like you’re on a bar stool.”. When you bend your knees, it will feel like you have more balance (when all it does is get you on your heels, flatten your hips, and straighten your spine). So, remember, check your knees and straighten them – especially if you tend to top the ball.

Straight Arms
Another one of the most common mistakes made by recreational and beginner golfers is having their arms too straight at the address. While a common piece of advice for golfers is to “keep your left arm straight,” this is a piece of advice that some golfers have taken too far. They lock both of their arms and extend straight down. And yes, this may feel like the right thing to do (because the rigidness of your arms gives you a sense of control). But what it is really doing is creating unnecessary wrist action while preventing your body from moving freely. Instead, like all great golf players, try letting your arms hang softly from your body.

Shoulders Rolled Forward
Do you know what happens to your shoulders when you keep your arms too straight? When we go to keep our arms straight, it rolls our shoulders forward into our bodies. Not only does it make you look like you have no neck, but it also makes your takeaway nearly impossible. If you struggle to hit hard, try relaxing your arms and letting your shoulders sit back.

Head Buried In Your Chest
Keeping your head down is an old piece of advice (especially to those prone to topping the golf ball). But the only downside to this advice is that most golfers apply it to their entire follow-through (the start, during, and into the follow-through).

But do you know what distinguishes good players from bad ones? Good players aren’t trying to keep their heads down. Instead, their chins sit high and out (away from their chests) – allowing their body to turn more during the takeaway and follow-through.