Many golf articles discuss “golf mistakes,” such as poor club selection, bad strategy, rushed routines, poor setup, etc. For this, we focused specifically on swing errors: the things your body and the club are doing during the swing that quietly mess up contact, cost you yardage, and make accuracy seem random.
Let’s go over the 10 swing mistakes we see most often and what you can do to correct them.
1. Flight of the open club page on the food received
The swing starts back and the club face immediately rotates open. By the waist, the front edge is pointed behind you instead of matching the angle of the spine. Golfers who do this often hit a weak, high, spin shot. It is also a common cause for a slice.
Quick fix: Feeling the back of the lead hand staying more “down towards the ball” for the first leg of the takeover. The club face should not be looking at the sky. It should stay closer to the square.
2. Dragging the club in too early
Internal gear is another common swing error. Some golfers do it because it comes naturally to them. However, when the hands rotate, the shaft sinks into the target line and the club stalls out of plane before the swing begins. Dragging the club in early can lead to toe and toe strikes.
Quick fix: Place an extension club outside the ball and try to hold the clubhead OUTSIDE your hands for the first 12 to 18 inches.
3. Loss of standing on the first move
Many golfers stand up or lift their chest as soon as the club swings. The legs lengthen, the hips lift and the upper body loses its tilt. Loss of stance often leads to early extension in the swing and errors in the window with the driver.
Quick fix: Feel your tailbone stay back as the club kicks in. A simple tip: save the “back to the wall” feeling for the first half of the backstroke.
4. Swinging the ball instead of returning it
Instead of rotating around the track’s hips, the hips slide sideways away from the target. You lose your center and therefore you lose your low point in the swing. Expect fat and thin shots and poor landing spin ability.
Quick fix: Place a stretch stick or bag against your hips and practice keeping your hip inside that line as you turn.
5. Reverse angle of the spine at the top
This is one of the most common and damaging positions amateurs get themselves into. The upper body bends toward the target at the top of the backswing. It tends to lead to steep landings, pulls and cuts, and sometimes stress on the lower back.
Quick fix: Feel your bullet shoulder move down and across, not up and toward the target. The upper body should lean slightly away from the target at the top.
6. Transition rush/throwing the shoulder out
When golfers rush the transition, the trail shoulder tends to jump toward the ball. The club operates out of the original aircraft and the descent route is already compromised. When this happens, you’ll see pulls, slices, and usually more of an over-the-top path.
Quick fix: Take a few test swings where you feel the trail elbow drop first, not the trail shoulder. For some players, this can be fixed with a simple pause at the top.
7. Hanging back on the trail leg through the stroke
Golfers who sit back are usually easy to spot. They are almost always ending up with all their weight on their back foot, possibly even losing their balance and falling backwards. Hanging occurs because the weight and pressure never move forward. The club closes early; you usually hit fat or skinny high shots. Addiction almost always costs distance.
Quick fix: Do a few swings with your legs together. It is easier to feel the shift and transfer of weight. Try to finish with your body facing the target and your trailing foot on her toe. Start with a half swing and work your way up to the end.
8. Early Release/Throwing the Wrist Angle
If the angle between your lead arm and the shaft is released too early in the landing, you won’t have compression when you hit. Most golfers hit thin and fat shots or add too much spin to the shot they hit.
Quick fix: Hit half swings where you stop the club at waist level on the next part and keep the form. If your wrists are already turned, you’ll feel (and see) it right away.
9. Standing/early extension on the ball
Just as important as it is to maintain your posture on the backstroke, you’ll need to do so on the downstroke as well. If you come up on the downswing and your hips pull toward the ball and your chest rises, this very often leads to a heel strike. Some golfers will hit a block or try to catch the ball as it goes through the swing.
Quick fix: Practice swinging with your back lightly touching a chair or wall and maintain that contact through the bottom rotation.
10. Spin at Shot (Trying to “save” an open clubface)
This may be the single most misunderstood swing mistake. Golfers roll not because they are not skilled or think it is more powerful, but because the club face is late and they are trying to work it out at the last second. To get back into impact, you have to slow down and that costs energy. Additionally, the touch point is no longer consistent.
Quick fix: Work on the slightly tilted shaft in the stroke. A simple beginning. Press your hands a few inches forward at address, hit small punches, and keep your wrist flat during the stroke. Learn how that position feels and then try to repeat it.
Final thoughts
Every golfer has tendencies, but these 10 swing mistakes show up everywhere, from beginners to handicappers to players who haven’t filmed their swing in years. You don’t need to fix them all. Start with the error that shows up most in your ball flight or video, combine it with a simple practice drill and build consistency.
Post The 10 Most Common Golf Swing Mistakes (And How to Fix Them) appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
