No Hands

With a sport such as golf, relying on your hands to hit the ball can result in many inconsistent shots. For example, in tennis and baseball the ball is moving, so good hand-eye coordination is very important for success. In golf, the ball sits still so you shouldn’t feel like you’re throwing the club head at the ball with your hands. A proper set-up and backswing will allow you to turn to the target, letting the ball get in the way.

Over-active hands when hitting the ball, is one of the biggest faults I see amateurs make. With a bad grip or backswing, you often have to try saving the swing with your hands. Relying on your hands to hit the ball is an inconsistent way to play golf. Some golfers who play throughout the year can get away with this, however most golfers who play infrequently will usually struggle.

Throughout the golf swing, any hand action will manipulate the club face making it difficult to have a square impact position. Many times this will add loft to the club resulting in a high fade and less distance. It can also cause hooks, slices, or “topped” shots, among others. Positioning your hands on the club properly is very important so your wrists and arms do more work than your hands. This will allow you to make an athletic turn through the ball with more consistent contact.

To help learn this, make some slower practice swings concentrating on a good weight shift finishing with your belt buckle facing the target. Also, make sure your forearms (not hands) are turning the toe of the golf club through impact which keeps your lead wrist flat with your forearm. When you begin to feel confident with the practice swings, start hitting a few shots with the same motion. After you practice and work on this, your swing should feel more effortless, like the ball just gets in the way.