How To Hit A Golf Ball: Complete Guide

Do you find it hard and challenging to understand the movement and technique behind hitting a golf ball? If yes, keep reading. 

At first, I thought it was nearly impossible too. However, after a day of thorough research on the primary and basic steps to land a perfect hit for beginners, finally, I understood and simplified it for you in order to go out there, shine and begin your golf journey.

Note that regardless of the guide, you must always check with your coach/Instructor to ensure that you are following the correct steps.

Keep reading to understand the fundamentals, basics, and steps on how to hit a golf ball.

1. Fundamentals

Before starting with the steps on how to hit a golf ball, it is important to understand the basics that will allow you to understand how to hit the ball effectively.

1. Stance

This is the position where you provide the foundation of your swing, from backswing to follow through, this is the position that will drive you to the correct position with your feet and legs to prepare to hit the ball.

2. Address

When you have your stance, grip, and set in the posture you have to address the ball by placing the clubhead on the ground behind the ball

3. Grounding the club

This is the term that refers to when your club touches the ground while addressing the ball.

4. Target

Target is where you want to hit the ball to.

5. Fairway

This is a section of a golf course with short grass between the tee and green.

6. Green

This is where you will find the hole, often called the putting green.

2: How to stand to hit a golf ball

Step 1– This is the first step, you should erect your arms at your sides and with your feet placed on the ground and with your feet separated at a reasonable distance apart.

Step2- In this step, you should Bend your knees. Start by allowing your legs to support the rest of your body during the setup, add enough bend in your knees to also allow you to move. It is important to have enough flex in your legs to give you a little bit of a bounce to your setup, having little flex can affect your swing negatively as it will reduce the opportunity of hitting a powerful swing. 

Step 3- In this step, you should bend from your hips and start by allowing your spine to make an angle to the ground, it is important to bend to a comfortable position where you will remain balanced and won’t fall or lean excessively forward and excessively far backward.

Step 4- In this step, you should let your arms comfortably hang off shoulders straight down, you will eventually notice that if you bent over excessively in step 3 there’s a possibility of your arms hanging further away from your body than if you bent less in step 3 which would make your hand get closer to your body at the setup position.

3: Steps to get ready to hit the golf ball

1. Create your stance

The stance is the foundation for every golf swing, a good stance varies from each club.

For irons, you need to make sure that your stance is around two inches narrower so it’s shoulder-width apart. A good stance for your driver starts with your feet wider than your shoulders and parallel to your target line.

Pay attention to your toes and feet, toes are very important for your golf stance and you should not point them too much of an angle.

Proper foot placement will improve your flexibility and body rotation speed, your front foot should outward slightly toward your target, you should also turn your back foot at a 90-degree angle from the target.

2. Proper posture

The stance will set the base of your posture, this is where you should start by setting and bending your knees moderately and putting most of your weight on the balls of your feet.

When you do that, you should hold the club in front of you to begin to hinge at the hips, until the club get’s to the ground. Your spine should be at a diagonal angle to the ground which will allow a full shoulder and hip turn on your backswing.

You should tilt your body slightly so it can feel that you are leaning slightly away from the target.

3. Grip

A great starting point for all golfers is a neutral grip, and here you should place your dominant hand towards the top of the club, so your palm is about a half-inch from the butt of the club. 

The angle of your hand should be such that when you grip the club, the club runs diagonally over your fingers and you can see the two-and-a-half knuckles on your dominant hand.

The next thing you should do is place your trail hand over your dominant hand, the palm of your trail hand should sit over your left thumb.

The palm of your trail hand should sit over your left thumb, a V should be formed by the thumb and index finger of your trail hand that will directly point to the middle of your sternum.

4. Address the ball

After the previous steps, you are now ready to address the ball, it will depend on which club you are going to be using and it goes the same for your posture and stance.

In longer clubs, your hands have to line up with the club in a straight line and the ball will be further up in your stance, which means it will be closer to lead your foot.

Shorter clubs, the club handle, and the shaft are tilted towards the target.

4: Golf Swing Steps

1. Set-Up

This is an important step because it will position you to follow the next steps.

• 1- Ball Position.
• 2- Stand Up straight.
• 3- Form a straight spine.
• 4- Flex the knees moderately.
• 5- Stick out year rear end.

2. Takeaway

This is the first part of your backswing, it is often 12-18 inches and it has the possibility to set a great swing.

• 1- First two feet of the takeaway are crucial.
• 2- Left arm and shoulder should move together.
• 3- Maintain a line between the shaft and the left arm.
• 4- Keep your elbows together.
• 5- Keep right leg flexed.

3. Backswing

This step continues with the backward motion of the takeaway, when your body reaches further back you should avoid the inclination to bend your dominant arm.

• 1- Collapse your left knee.
• 2- Keep your left arm straight but not rigid.
• 3- Turn your body in a barrel.
• 4-  Weight remains on balls of feet.
• 5-  Keep your grip pressure constant.

4. Downswing

When you have set your backswing, it is time for the downswing. This step is the fastest part of the swing, speed is what makes the ball go far and fast.

• 1- Turn left hip then follow with arms and shoulders.
• 2- Keep head still.
• 3- Consistent spine angle.
• 4- Move firmly onto the left foot.
• 5- Hit hard with your right hand.

5. Impact

There are important steps that you need to follow through impact.

• 1- Shoulders should be slightly open
• 2- Left arm slightly flexed
• 3- Hips half-facing target
• 4- Righ knee kicked in
• 5- Weight on the left foot.

6. Follow-through to the finish

Although have now hit the ball, the follow-through after the hit plays a big role.

1- Use a strong grip.

2- Rotate your forearms.

3- The toe of the club should pass the heel.

4- Raise the right foot.

5- Belt buckle facing the target.

Now you can watch the ball.

Types of golf swings

There are different types of golf swings applied by golfers to achieve individual objectives. However, these golf swings have similar techniques.

Drive

Drive is hitting the ball using the golf club called driver, the driver is the longest golf club and it goes the furthest.

The aim of a golfer when using the driver is to hit the ball the furthest as possible.

The putt

Putt is the shot that is taken close to the green and it is nearest to the whole. This swing requires finesse and an adept reading of the slopes around the green, which affects the ball as it moves towards the whole.

Chipping

This shot you will take abbreviating your full swing, it is the only time your swing will vary.

Flop shot

Flop might sound negative. However this is a shot around the green from the rough, it moves towards a short distance and up high.

Punch

This swing is helpful when it’s windy, by the fact that you keep your ball on the ground and hit your shot below the overhanging trees.