Golf swing basics comes down to a few simple techniques taught since the game was first played yet many golfers seem to want to complicate matters.

The most important element of golf swing basics is the swing itself. Not just standing over a ball and clubbing it a couple of hundred yards down the fairway but actually understanding, implementing and practicing the elements which make a swing successful. I used to marvel at how effortlessly the professionals apeared to hit their golf swings. Truth is, slowed down, one appreciates just how much violence goes into the full swing.

Try These Golf Swing Basics

Let's examine the golf swing in simple terms and see whether you can pick up any mistakes you are making.

1. Teeing off is where it all starts. What are you thinking? It's amazing how many players will "think" themselves into a bad shot: Tip... Don't think about how embarrassed you'll feel when you slice the ball over the trees to the right. Think of the target you are going to hit the ball to down the fairway!

2. Be careful how tight you grip the club handle. Too tight and you're likely to hook the shot. Too light and you'll probably slice the ball.

3. Understanding the backswing and downswing confuses a lot of players. Essentially, it's in the downswing where you want to creat club momentum towards the ball. If you are too light on the downswing then you won't hit the ball very far: Tip... On the backswing, remember to swing back in one motion using your arms and not your wrists and hands!

4. The backswing is slower than the downswing but many players make the mistake of going too light with the backswing thus not being able to create enough momentum in the downswing: Tip... A good rule of thumb to use is if your backswing is say 30mph, then the downswing should come down at least 20-30% faster. Just be careful not to swing back too slowly.

5. During the motion of the backswing, remember to get your left shoulder(opposite for lefties) and hips in proper alignment as you transfer your weight slightly to your right. This should be a natural movement and not exaggerated. The hands should be about waist high or a fraction higher.

Golf swing basics is where it all starts. Golf doesn't mean spending hours on end with a coach but it is all about learning the proper techniques from the "get go" and then practicing. The more you practice the correct swing basics, the more it gets committed to memory.