Golf Preparation - What Exactly is It?
Are you wondering what exactly golf preparation is? You probably hear the term a lot but if you're a new player, it's likely caused you a bit of confusion. Contrary to what you may think or have been lead to believe, golf preparation is not the process of getting your cart, stocking up on beverages and making sure that you have enough balls and tees to get you through the round. Golf preparation is actually the steps that you take before you practice or play.
Stretch
If you don't think stretching will have a positive effect on your swing, think again! A little warm-up allows you to introduce more oxygen into your blood to feed your muscles so they're ready to work. A responsive muscle is a flexible one. Not getting enough height in your backswing? Maybe your torso isn't stretched out enough. Take a couple of minutes and just stretch a bit so your body will move the way that you want it to.
Placing the Tee
Your first swing can often set the pace for the rest of your game. Since golf is influenced so much by your mental thoughts, if you bomb your first hole, you'll often second guess your shots for the rest of the round. Placing the tee at the right height can ensure a gorgeous drive on the first hole.
Ideally, the top of your club head should line up at the middle part of your ball. Picture if there was a line drawn around the ball like the equator and use that to line up to your club head and adjust the height of the tee. If your ball sits too low, you will drive it along the ground, too high and you will look like you're hitting a foul ball in a baseball game.
Evaluate Your Grip
How you hold your club will determine both accuracy and distance. Many new players put a death grip on the club which causes a whole lot of slicing. Then, there's plenty of seasoned players who have been told so many times that their grip is too tight that now they have a weak grip which results in sloppy play.
Your hands should be neutral and while this sounds simple enough, many people really have to work at it. Practicing your grip at home and getting used to holding the club properly will go a long way when you get out on the course.
Posture and Alignment
The last part of golf preparation to address before you swing is evaluating your posture and alignment. Your knees should be soft, pelvis tilted and chest low. Many players make the mistake of bending from the waist rather than their knees which usually means that they'll break their posture when they reach the top of their swing.
When you line up to drive, your left heel should be lined up with the ball, stance fairly wide and weight distributed slightly more on your back foot. Due to this slight variation in weight distribution, your spine will be tilted just a bit which will also cause your left shoulder to be just a little bit higher than the right one. None of these characteristics should be forced, they should all be the natural result of distributing your weight properly.
It may seem as though there are a lot of confusing things to remember to prepare for your first swing, but with practice these are all things that will come naturally. The better preparation you have each time before you play, the smoother the rest of your game will be.
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