Golf Swing Series: The Practice Swing

Most people have a practice swing before every golfThe down swing, hitting down on the ball and the
shot.follow through, making sure the right arm crosses
Probably very few really know why they make suchover the top of the left and a good finish with hands
a swing.high or in the orthodox position as per Greg Norman.
A common fallacy is the belief that a practice swingThe place where the practice swing is most useful is
loosens them up before they make their golf shot.for the short shots near the green.
A practice swing is not to loosen up but to goProfessionals have up to six practice swings before
through a check list to make sure the golf swing ishitting their short chip.
complete and correct before you hit the ball.They do this to firstly have things correct but in their
If you just have a swing, you are probably practisingcase to try to develop feel for the shot.
your errors. A good idea is not to look up at all duringHow hard to hit it, how the ball will run, and where
this swing, so that there will be a better chance ofthey want the ball to land in relation to the hole, and
keeping your head down during the golf shot.in their case, to try to get their chip into the hole.
You should go through a check list during yourIn every case, once the practice shots are over, you
practice swing.have to commit to the shot and then forget all else,
Ball position, stance and weight distribution, the takejust carry out the necessary to execute the chosen
away, the position of the hands half way up on theshot and strategy.
back swing and at the top of the swing.