Let’s be honest—finding your perfect golf swing is a lot like trying to find a needle in a haystack and every golfer can relate because we’ve all been there! Let’s dive into how you can find your optimal swing and fix those frustrating faults.

The Quest for the Perfect Golf Swing

As we all know there isn’t one holy grail of a swing, which can make the never-ending search for the elusive “perfect” swing really difficult. 

I probably made it harder for myself by doing TPI’s amazing education as a very beginner golfer because I learned a whole bunch of stuff that a newbie to golf had no need to know. I was super aware of all the poor swing characteristics I had and wanted to try and fix them all at once, which made me quite stressed, very stiff and incredibly frustrated as I was over-analysing every little movement.

Definitely not a winning formula for playing good golf.

What Does “Optimal” Even Mean?

Well firstly the “optimal” swing looks different for every body based on your level of flexibility and mobility, how well you move and your physical capabilities. Ultimately it’s about finding what works best for you as an individual.

Common Swing Faults (and How to Fix Them)

• Early extension:

  • Early extension occurs when a golfer's hips move toward the ball during the downswing, causing the body to straighten prematurely. This fault often leads to inconsistent ball striking, loss of power, and poor shot accuracy. It can also cause hooks or slices by altering the club's path. To fix early extension, focus on improving hip mobility, core stability, and maintaining posture through impact. Drills like hip rotation exercises and pelvic tilt drills can help keep the hips back and improve overall swing mechanics.

• Loss of posture:

  • Loss of posture occurs when a golfer's spine angle changes during the swing. Just like early extension it also often leads to inconsistent ball striking, reduced power, and poor accuracy. This can cause the club to be off-plane, resulting in mishits like slices or hooks. It could be your hips, torso, core, shoulders or ankles that are physically limited. The quickest way to figure it out is to get tested, determine the cause or causes and get yourself moving better.

Finding Your Groove: Tips for a Consistent Swing

• Relax and Trust Your Technique:

  • Being a classic over thinker leads to poor results. I used to have a running checklist in my head as I approached each shot, and thankfully my coach is helping me to eliminate this, which helps me to relax for a smoother, more consistent swing. It’s a process but I’m learning  to build a consistent swing through relaxation with deep breaths and trusting my routine.

• Practice Makes Perfect (or at Least Improvement!):

  • If you want to be great at anything you need to commit. Even the pros spend countless hours perfecting their swings, so for us mere amateurs, we can’t possibly expect to get consistent improvement if we don’t create time to practise. Golf is a journey of continuous improvement and sometimes your “perfect” game means just keeping the ball on the fairway.

• Fix Your Movement

  • One of the most noticeable things I notice out on the course is a lack of flexibility and rotation, which seems to correlate with players telling me how their scores just aren’t improving. 

You don’t have to be stuck with the swing you have! Want to unlock your true swing potential? Book a golf fitness assessment today and let’s get your game on the right track!

Finding your optimal swing doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. By fixing common faults, relaxing into your routine, and practising consistently, you’ll see improvements in no time. Ready to get started? Let’s get swinging.