Most of us have suffered the experience of taking a nice, effortless golf swing when we address the golf ball, subsequently we step up to the ball and the swing instantly falls apart. Why is it that when we place an object (a ball) in front of us it brings about an enormous difference in our swing basics? The main reason for many of us is that when the golf ball is the target, we hit to the target without any regard for all of those swing keys we taught ourselves to do on ball address. Of course the target is always to strike a shot cleanly, and nothing else matters without pure contact on the golf ball. But it really is next to unachievable to hit the ball solidly over a regular basis without a well-synchronized golf swing. And one thing that will take from that easy swing we so wish: muscle tension. So here we will go into a few things to key on prior to, throughout and after striking a shot that may help to focus on the complete swing and relieve that tension we have as we approach ball contact. 1. Grip. By maintaining an unvarying pressure that you apply on the golf club, you can eradicate the tendency to grip harder as you approach the golf ball. Escalating the tension in your grip is going to cause the club head to decelerate, decreasing yardage and causing your club face to hit the ball at varying angles. 2. Loosen up the jaw. Rigidity often begins in the jaw, and we tighten our teeth before striking the golf ball. This tension is distributed over the body, causing golfers to flail at the ball as opposed to swinging through it with an even stroke. Practice swinging with your mouth slightly open in the course of the golf swing, which will lead to reduced tension being transferred throughout the body. 3. Steady breathing. As we tense up, we usually shorten our breath. Anybody who's had a hard time speaking before a group understands the sensation. So it is crucial to keep breathing, and with this I mean slowly exhaling in the course of the complete swing. It will not be relaxed to do at first if you are not used to doing it, therefore practice while hitting on the driving range. Make sure you slowly exhale as you swing through the ball. You are going to find it nearly impossible to tense up if you don't interrupt your exhaling. Staying relaxed in the course of the golf swing is easier said than done, but by employing some simple techniques you will quickly be incorporating it into the golf swing. As soon as you relieve the tension within your swing, you will find that your ball is going to fly straighter with more consistency, and you will increase your club velocity, and thus your yardage. Tension in our golf swing is going to cause havoc with our swing rhythm. Tempo is so important to all aspects of our game, from the driver all the way to our putting. Jim O'Connell is an avid golfer and writer living in Chicago.
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