When you watch tour players play golf, there are certain fundamentals most of them possess. A good grip is almost always at the top of the list. A committed finish would be another key fundamental. One of these fundamentals which we always discuss in our golf school is good balance. Good balance is important for a number of reasons. Most importantly, good balance is important because it allows us to make mistakes in our swing and still hit respectable shots. Good balance can make up for areas of your swing that may not be perfect. Rarely will you find a great player who does not have a balanced golf swing. Here are three great practice drills we stress to help you improve your balance and your golf game.
Hitting shots with your feet together
Hitting shots with your feet together is a great drill to help establish good balance, because your body senses a lack of stability. This drill forces you to swing within yourself (or under control). Your first 15-20 shots of the day should always be with your feet together. Not only are you establishing good balance from the start of your day, but you’re setting the tone for how you will swing as well. Starting your day with good balance is crucial to swinging under control for the rest of your round. If your swing is too hard and fast, you tend to lose your balance when your feet are together.
Hit fairway bunker shots
Hitting fairway bunker shots is a great way to improve your balance. When hitting out of a fairway bunker as a balance drill, tee the ball up on a low tee, play the ball in the center of your stance, and don’t dig your feet in the sand. Since you are hitting off of an unstable surface (sand), you must make a swing that is under control or you will lose your balance.
The great Seve Ballesteros used to hit shots on the beach near his home. This helped him develop a balanced swing that helped him win golf tournaments all over the world for many years. If you don’t have a practice bunker to do this, get on your course at a slow time when nobody is behind you and hit a few shots this way. When you can hit solid shots like this and maintain a balanced swing, your contact will improve once you move back to the grass.
Hit shots barefooted
One of the best ways to improve your balance is to hit shots bare footed (you can keep your socks on if you like). By taking away the stability of shoes, especially golf shoes, you are forced to make a swing that is under control or you will lose your balance. This drill not only helps you achieve a balanced finish, but superb balance throughout your swing as well.
All three of these drills are great ways to improve your balance and golf game. If you are the overachieving type, try hitting shots bare footed, with your feet together out of a fairway bunker. This is not a joke, although it may sound a bit odd. Any of these drills, or all three put together, will make hitting shots with good balance much easier to achieve.
For more information about why balance is important for your golf game or how to have better balance, contact the experts at The Academy of Golf Dynamics. Give us a call today at
1(800) 879-2008 or
Contact Us via email. We are located at 1700 Kahala Sunset Dr in Spicewood, TX near Austin.
