Make sure you don't fall into these beginner swing traps with the help of Top 50 coach Alex Elliott.
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00:00Now, the golf swing is a confusing movement
00:02at the best of times, especially if you're new to the game
00:06and a beginner golfer.
00:08Now, in this video, I'm gonna be joined
00:09by Golf Monthly Top 50 coach, Alex Elliott,
00:12to talk about some swing traps
00:13that new golfers need to avoid.
00:16We're gonna head out on the range
00:17and the golf course here at Kedleston Park
00:18to give you some top tips
00:20if you're just starting out on the game.
00:22Right, let's get going.
00:24All right, Alex, hello.
00:25We're gonna chat swing traps here for new golfers
00:27on the range here at Kedleston Park.
00:30And this is number one for me
00:31from what I see for new golfers.
00:32And it's leaning up, lifting up,
00:35thinking that's how you get the ball in the air
00:36with the irons.
00:37That's not the case, is it?
00:38No, I think a lot of golfers just gotta take comfort
00:40from the fact that the gold ball is designed with dimples.
00:43The dimples are like the aeroplane wings.
00:45They give it lift.
00:47What gives it the spin is your grooves on your club face.
00:50You've gotta allow yourself to maximize using those grooves.
00:53And with an iron, we want to sort of picture
00:56a descending blow to get the middle part of these grooves
01:00to allow it to ride up as much as we can.
01:01Rather than the sort of scoopy,
01:03we're sort of down towards this bottom edge.
01:05So could you give us a drill for new golfers watching now
01:08who might be a bit leany and not strike it quite low
01:11to help them not do that, hit down on it
01:13and compress that ball a little bit more?
01:15I'll say two things here, Dan.
01:16First thing, the drill, I would just place a T-peg
01:19one fingertip in front.
01:20It doesn't have to be too precise.
01:22What it all is is just a bit of a focus point.
01:24Now, if you think about this logically,
01:25for me to get that T-peg,
01:26if you look at this on player cam,
01:28if I don't transfer my weight, I've got no chance.
01:30You'll be so far behind the ball.
01:31Exactly, and that's what we see.
01:33Like your most common bad shot
01:34will probably be either the thin or a bit of a top,
01:38possibly the longer irons.
01:39And we don't want that thin, fat or top.
01:41So what I want you to be aware of, a couple of things,
01:44trying to hit the ball and through to the T-peg,
01:46but also try and feel the impact.
01:48I've got sort of 70, 30 weight distribution
01:52onto this left side.
01:53That's gonna take our bottom of the arc ahead,
01:55help get down.
01:59There we go.
02:00Brilliant, brilliant tip there from Alex.
02:01And it is a swing trap.
02:02I think we see lots of new golfers fall into.
02:04So understand how the golf ball and the face work together.
02:07Understand where that weight needs to be
02:08and strike the ball better.
02:10Okay, a swing trap I see loads of beginner golfers
02:12get into is getting their aim wrong.
02:14Alex, so can you show us firstly
02:15what people are getting wrong
02:16when they start out with their aim
02:18and how they should be going about it?
02:19I think firstly, it's just the concept of aiming.
02:22Because the golf ball is on that side of us,
02:25we all associate aiming our body first.
02:27And that's where we fall into that trap.
02:28So let me explain this Dan.
02:30So it would make sense in any other logical sport,
02:33this would happen.
02:34We stand to the golf ball
02:35and we sort of aim our shoulders first,
02:38straight towards, let's take the flag
02:40because it's middle of the area here.
02:42Now, this really impacts our ball to target line.
02:45And that's what I want people to become
02:47a little bit more obsessed with.
02:49So have a look at this here.
02:49This really illustrates it.
02:51My shoulders and feet are aiming pretty much at the flag.
02:54Okay.
02:55Let's place that down parallel to this one here now.
02:57That way around.
02:58And come and have a look at this.
03:00Look how far right that is.
03:01Let's have a look at that.
03:02You can see now actually aiming at that tree.
03:04You're aiming way right there.
03:05Yeah.
03:06But it didn't feel like it, did it?
03:07No, no.
03:08And you stand over it and you look through your shoulder
03:10and you maybe sit up and play a cam now
03:11and just see actually, yeah, you know what?
03:12I feel like I'm aiming.
03:13Yeah.
03:14You hit a good shot, it finishes right.
03:16And then you associate actually
03:17what could have been a good swing as a bad one,
03:20but just with poor alignment.
03:21Interesting.
03:22So the routine I want golfers to think about here is,
03:25standing behind that golf ball
03:27and firstly being fixated over the ball of the target line.
03:30Okay.
03:31So I'm going to put my club up
03:32and sort of pick an intermediate target,
03:34only about two or three feet in front.
03:36Yeah.
03:37Let's just take that mark.
03:38Sure.
03:38I walk in and I build from the ball to the club head,
03:40my hands to my body, not body down to the ball.
03:43Right.
03:44So I'm placing my club down,
03:46thinking about that line that I had
03:47and sort of making a 90 degree angle
03:49between my club head and that line that I'm sort of picturing
03:53and then build my stance to that.
03:55So now when you look up,
03:56you'll feel like potentially aiming a little bit left.
03:59Interesting.
03:59But now if we place these down,
04:02my alignment's not my best thing,
04:04but it's a little bit closer.
04:05I'll tell you what, it's a bit better, isn't it?
04:07Exactly.
04:07It's closer.
04:08And it's interesting because it is all about that feel.
04:10So you felt that you were potentially going
04:12a little bit left,
04:13but actually doing that routine,
04:15building that routine gets you aiming a bit better.
04:18Now that's something I think all new golfers
04:20need to build into their game early,
04:22fall into that habit.
04:24Right, go on then, show us it
04:25and let's hit the shot, shall we?
04:26I'll do it properly.
04:27We'll go through the full routine.
04:29Okay, we're in.
04:31Picture that line.
04:32It doesn't have to be a long process.
04:33Walk it in and have a little look up
04:36and then give it a hit.
04:42A little left of target.
04:43Catch and pitch.
04:44Bit of a pull.
04:45And the wrong club.
04:46Bit of a pull, but I'd say you were aiming straight,
04:47you just pulled it there.
04:48So hey, you can't be great every time,
04:51but importantly, that aiming routine,
04:52build it into your swing early
04:54and you won't fall into that trap.
04:57Right, Alex, another swing trap
04:58I think a lot of new golfers watching now will fall into
05:00is watching loads of swings on Instagram,
05:02watching the tour pros do it and thinking,
05:03right, I've got to have the perfect swing
05:05to get out on the golf course.
05:06Now that's not the case, is it?
05:07Let's simplify it a little bit.
05:09Definitely, I mean,
05:10you've only got to go to the Open this year,
05:11start on the range
05:12and you're going to see a host of different swings.
05:15The only place they are very similar
05:17is those six inches down at the ball.
05:18How they deliver the club.
05:20So most people slice it, right?
05:22And don't just take this advice from me.
05:24Wyndham Clarke, recent US Open champion.
05:26I read one of his posts and they're talking with his coach.
05:29One week if he's hooking it,
05:30you'll try and slice it on the range.
05:32Basically try and create opposites
05:34to find the middle ground.
05:35And that's as easy as it has to be.
05:36So a lot of people at home, with respect,
05:38you're probably slicing it a little bit, I reckon,
05:40new golfers especially.
05:41So are you thinking maybe let's bring a hook feeling
05:44on the range and see where we go from there?
05:45100%, and that hook feeling
05:47will probably just be a straight shot for most golfers.
05:49So what I would suggest here, Dan,
05:50is really nice and simple.
05:51First things first,
05:52what's our only point of contact with the golf club?
05:54The grip.
05:55So hold the club up and look at this in player camp.
05:57All I want you to do is rotate your hands,
06:00both left and right,
06:02to the right side of the golf club
06:03for a right-handed player,
06:04to the left side of the golf club for a left-handed player.
06:07Now, ball position with driver inside left heel,
06:10making sure our shoulder alignment is not too left.
06:12These are little good habits that I always promote.
06:15But what I want you to feel in the shot,
06:17which is going to change our release,
06:18which is then how that club comes into the ball,
06:22is I want, instead of feeling like
06:23we're hitting it like this,
06:25which it might not feel like that,
06:26but if you're slicing it,
06:27that's sort of the pattern,
06:29I want you to feel that you're going to make
06:30more of that motion.
06:31Now, if you just watch my forearm there and my wrist,
06:34I'm sort of making that action.
06:37A lot of tennis players will feel
06:38it's a bit more of a forehand.
06:39It's like a topspin forehand, right?
06:40Exactly.
06:41So that's going to really,
06:42stronger grip,
06:43change of release,
06:44that's going to change the action,
06:47the direction,
06:48and how my club face comes into the ball.
06:49Hopefully, a little bit more into out,
06:51and a little bit closed,
06:53rather than out to in,
06:54and a little bit open.
06:55Well, I think one great tip there
06:56on doing the opposite of what you're doing,
06:57get that feel,
06:58and more importantly,
06:59don't fall into that trap
07:00of trying to perfect your swing.
07:02Swing your swing,
07:03and see how you get on.
07:04100%.
07:05Right, Alex,
07:06we spoke about hitting down on irons
07:07to get the ball up,
07:08but now we're going to pretty much
07:09completely contradict ourself,
07:10but it's a trap that a lot of new golfers fall into,
07:13and it's not hitting up on the drive,
07:14it's getting a little bit too steep, isn't it?
07:16Exactly, I mean,
07:17you look at your driver face,
07:18there's not many groups,
07:19or not any at all,
07:20and also,
07:21there's very little loft,
07:22so it needs to be launched
07:24a little bit more.
07:26Now, this can be a really simple concept.
07:28You can do a lot of this with your setup,
07:29so let's just talk through setup first.
07:30Sure, yeah.
07:31When you get the ball positioned
07:32too back in your stance,
07:33so if you look at me from player cam here,
07:35even having it sort of,
07:36a club head back in our stance,
07:38could just be a little bit too much.
07:40Okay.
07:41In the sense of,
07:42we're going to hit down on it.
07:43It's going to become down,
07:44to really move it up.
07:45For sure,
07:46so if it's too back,
07:47you might end up trying to manipulate
07:48your swing in other ways.
07:49Yeah.
07:50So, little routine that I say for every golfer,
07:51first things first,
07:52line it up right in the middle of your stance.
07:54Now, I like to fly my left toe,
07:55so I move that out slightly,
07:57and just move my right foot away like that.
07:59Straight away now,
08:00I know my ball position
08:02is up in my stance.
08:03Further up,
08:04later in the arc,
08:05more likely to look.
08:06Just, what's that flaring of the toe,
08:07interestingly,
08:08for people at home?
08:08Essentially, just to help me open the hips.
08:10Yeah.
08:10I've got a bit of a dodgy knee,
08:12which helps me sort of,
08:13protect that a little bit as well,
08:14but essentially,
08:15just opens my hips a little bit easier.
08:17Interesting.
08:18Now, why have I got a towel in my hand?
08:19So, this is a really good one,
08:21just as a focus point,
08:22because it'll feel a strange feeling
08:24when people first do this.
08:25Yeah, for sure.
08:26Especially if they've got a habit of hitting
08:27hundreds of balls down,
08:28as soon as we get this,
08:29we need a little bit of focus.
08:30We need a little bit of feedback.
08:31So, if I take the towel off you.
08:32Absolutely.
08:33So, nice and simple,
08:34this is how you set this drill up.
08:35From player cam,
08:36I'm gonna place my club head down,
08:37one in front,
08:38then two in front,
08:39and simply,
08:40just roll your towel up,
08:42just here.
08:44Have a few practice swings just inside it,
08:45getting that feeling of just being more
08:48up and over the towel,
08:50rather than through the towel.
08:52Interesting.
08:53And it is as simple as that.
08:54The ball position will help you do it,
08:55the setup will help you do it,
08:57and here you go.
08:58So, I'll talk you through my full routine.
09:00I'm right foot away.
09:01Another little aid,
09:02is I feel as though I,
09:04my right shoulder's a little bit lower than my left.
09:06Again, if I go like this,
09:08look how that would be really up,
09:10this way.
09:11Somewhere in the middle of those two,
09:12do you reckon?
09:12Exactly.
09:14Don't be too complicated with it.
09:15So, here we go.
09:15Let's hit this one away, Dan.
09:16Got my setup,
09:17got my towel,
09:18my focus areas,
09:19up and over the towel.
09:23Beauty.
09:25Look at that,
09:26great strike.
09:26And it is,
09:27it is tricky for new golfers
09:28to almost get their head around that,
09:29I think,
09:30especially when we've spoken about irons already.
09:32Take this drill to the range with you, though.
09:33Practice hitting up on that ball,
09:35and don't fall into that trap
09:36of getting too steep with your driver.
09:38Okay, another swing trap
09:40a lot of beginner golfers fall into, Alex,
09:43and I do this myself still,
09:44after playing for a long time,
09:45is using too much loft around the green
09:46in situations like this.
09:47What would you say to people like that?
09:49Yeah, I mean,
09:50a lot of us see the guys on TV,
09:52don't we?
09:53And we see the likes of Phil Mickelson,
09:54John Rahm,
09:54messing around in the short game area,
09:56playing it high.
09:57I would just default away
09:58from any of your lofted clubs.
10:00Yeah.
10:01So, for example,
10:01most people will grab 58.
10:02I'm gonna hand you that.
10:03Let's get it away from you,
10:04shall we?
10:05Yeah, I mean,
10:06it looks great if you pull it off,
10:07doesn't it?
10:07It's brilliant,
10:08but we want percentage game,
10:09we want consistency.
10:10Everybody that comes to a lesson from me,
10:12they go,
10:12oh,
10:13I want consistency.
10:14Well,
10:15I think default to pitching wedge.
10:16You've still got a little bit of loft,
10:18but it's gonna get the ball rolling a little bit.
10:20So,
10:21nice and easy.
10:22All I want people to do
10:22is have the ball slightly towards
10:24the back of their stance.
10:25Have a look at this from player cam.
10:26My stance is roughly two club head widths apart,
10:29weight on my left,
10:30and simply just feel as though
10:32you just rock that triangle back and through,
10:34keeping that weight left.
10:35It's as easy as that.
10:37Don't go complicated.
10:38Really high.
10:39See, I'm a big fan of that,
10:40and it does look good,
10:41but when you've got nothing to go over
10:42and the pin's nice and close to you,
10:44keep the ball low,
10:45get it rolling as soon as possible.
10:46Exactly.
10:47So I'm just gonna pick a landing zone,
10:48maybe a yard,
10:48two yards on.
10:49Go on then.
10:50Fall back.
10:53Let's get it rolling.
10:55Rolling quickly,
10:56nearly went in there.
10:57So yeah,
10:58next time you're in a situation like this,
10:58nothing to go over,
11:00deal off those wedges,
11:01make life easy for yourself.
11:03Right, Alex,
11:04this isn't so much a swing trap
11:06as a grip trap,
11:07I can call it that,
11:08but new golfers might not know
11:09how to grip the club properly.
11:10They might think it wants to go in there.
11:12So if you've got a palm
11:13or wherever it initially feels comfortable,
11:13can you talk us through
11:14where it should be going, basically?
11:15Yeah,
11:16and first thing I'd say is,
11:17just make sure your grip thickness
11:18is right for you.
11:19Is that on the actual club itself?
11:20Yeah,
11:21because that'll play like a big part
11:22in being able to get the club
11:23in the right position.
11:24And a little tip for that is,
11:25just your longest finger
11:26should just be able to just touch here.
11:29It shouldn't be like digging in,
11:30or it shouldn't be too much of a gap.
11:31Brilliant.
11:32That's what I reckon.
11:33Good little tip, that.
11:34Yeah,
11:35so palmy grip,
11:35that'll be when the club is sort of sat through here,
11:37as you said.
11:37Right?
11:38A nice simple way of getting that,
11:39we all go to the range,
11:40we all want to improve our golf.
11:41Use your basket,
11:42not just to carry your balls,
11:44but think about it.
11:45If you're picking up that basket,
11:46I wouldn't grab it in the palm.
11:47No.
11:48No, you wouldn't,
11:49it wouldn't make sense.
11:50No, it would look a bit weird.
11:51Yeah, you would grab it in the fingers.
11:53Yeah.
11:54So grab your basket,
11:55have your club in your hand,
11:56and just place them on top of each other,
11:58and then just remove the basket.
11:59Easy.
12:00That's where I want the club to be,
12:01and you'll notice the club feels lighter,
12:03your wrist can move much more,
12:05and that's gonna help with speed,
12:06it's gonna help with club face control.
12:08And as you go to those longer clubs,
12:10that's where you'll see even more of an effect with this.
12:12Brilliant, and a super easy tip there from Alex,
12:14I think, to get that right.
12:15And if you're a new golfer,
12:16just getting into the game,
12:17make sure these habits are right.
12:18Put that club in the right part of your hand.
12:21Right, finally then, Alex,
12:23I think a trap people fall into,
12:24new golfers,
12:25probably even current golfers,
12:26getting a bit too excited about club head speed,
12:28how fast they're swinging it,
12:30how hard they're hitting it,
12:31how far it may or may not be going.
12:33We don't really want to fall into that trap, do we?
12:34No, I actually often find with club golfers,
12:36the faster they swing it,
12:37very often the shorter it goes.
12:39Because their quality of strike goes.
12:41So their ball speed drops.
12:43So I want people to be more bothered about ball speed
12:45than club head speed.
12:46So if we think about tempo,
12:48because when you make a good tempo swing, Dan,
12:50like you're probably more likely
12:51gonna find the centre.
12:52And this is the bit we want to be hitting it.
12:54I know it sounds basic.
12:56A lot of us just forget that.
12:57I think I do as well, mate.
12:58Even as a golfer who's played for how many years now,
13:00I get a bit excited, let's say.
13:01I do, I've got to tell myself not to do it.
13:03Stop it.
13:04So like a little mantra I use,
13:05and you can make it whatever you want, Dan,
13:07but I go Sergio for the backswing,
13:10and Aguero on the way through.
13:12Other footballers are available.
13:13Yeah.
13:14I mean, it goes back to when I was a kid.
13:16I remember playing one of my best rounds
13:18where I had like a song in my head.
13:20Yeah.
13:20I'm not gonna tell you what song,
13:21but I had a song in my head
13:22and I had great rhythm all day.
13:24I found the middle, I drove the ball great.
13:25I hit my irons great.
13:26Yeah.
13:27And it's so basic, but we forget it.
13:29Yeah.
13:30So I'd even hit a few on the range,
13:31maybe even say it out loud.
13:32So here we go.
13:33Go on, give us a Sergio.
13:34So I'd go a bit like this.
13:36Sergio, Aguero.
13:39And it just gives you something to work to.
13:40Love that.
13:41Because you can't touch tempo.
13:42No.
13:43And that's the hard thing about it.
13:44But having a mantra really does help.
13:45I love that.
13:46I'm gonna pick a footballer.
13:48I can't work out who yet.
13:49I'll come back to you on that.
13:49But as a new golfer, even as an experienced golfer,
13:53don't fall into that trap of chasing club head speed.
13:55Chase that strike and that ball speed instead.
13:58Right, so there you have it.
13:59Some swing traps that beginner golfers need to avoid
14:02as they start out in the game.
14:03Massive thanks to Alex Elliott for joining us for that.
14:06Thought he'd give some brilliant bits of advice there
14:08that you can take out into your practice sessions
14:10and onto the golf course,
14:11hopefully to play some better golf.
14:13Now, if there's something of yourself
14:14you've recognised in these videos
14:16or something we've missed out,
14:17let me know down in the comments
14:18because I'd love to hear from you.
14:20But for now, from Kedleston Park Golf Club,
14:22thank you for joining me.
14:23I'll see you next time.