Common Golf Swing Mistakes & Terms
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Time to read: 5 min
Introduction to Common Golf Swing Mistakes
When you enter the world of golf you hear everything under the sun, such as, bogeys, birdies, scratch, hook, slice, and the list goes on. More terms and analogies than a bad episode of Family Guy. The purpose of this article is to discuss 30 of the most common golf swing mistakes and links to advice on how to fix them. There is so much great golf content out there, but everyone has their own unique areas they must focus. It's important to find yours!
30 Common Golf Swing Mistakes & Their Terms
Common golf swing mistake terms and what they mean. Best thing is to film your swing and see if you are doing any of these:
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Blocking
Failing to release the club, often resulting in a push.
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Casting
Releasing the wrists too early in the downswing.
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Chicken Winging
Keeping the arms too close to the body during the swing.
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Chunking or Fat Shot
Hitting the ground before the ball, resulting in a heavy, short shot.
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Closed Clubface at Impact
Leading to hooks or pulls.
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Coming Over the Top
When the downswing is initiated with the shoulders, often causing a slice.
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Early Extension
Standing up too early in the downswing, leading to inconsistent contact.
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Flipping
Premature wrist action at impact, often causing a loss of power.
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Grip Issues (Death Grip) -
Too weak or too strong a grip affects the swing.
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Hanging Back
Failing to transfer weight forward in the downswing.
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Heel Hits
Striking the ball with the heel of the club.
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Hooking
Opposite of slicing; the ball curves sharply right to left.
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Lagging Clubhead
Failing to get the clubhead to catch up at impact.
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Losing Posture
Significant change in spine angle during the swing.
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Open Clubface at Impact
Leading to slices or pushes.
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Over-Swinging
Taking the club back too far in the backswing.
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Pulling
The ball starts left of the target and goes straight left.
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Pushing
The ball starts right of the target and goes straight right.
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Reverse Pivot
Incorrect weight shift leading to an imbalance during the swing.
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Rushing the Downswing
Moving too quickly from the top of the swing to impact.
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Scooping
Trying to lift the ball up, causing poor contact.
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Shanking
Hitting the ball with the hosel of the club, sending it sharply to the right.
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Slicing
When the ball curves sharply from left to right.
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Sliding
Excessive lateral hip movement in the downswing.
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Swaying
Lateral movement of the body during the swing, causing inconsistency.
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Thinning
Striking the ball with the lower edge of the club, causing a low, fast shot.
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Toe Hits
Striking the ball with the toe of the club, causing weak shots.
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Topping
Hitting the top of the ball, causing it to roll or bounce weakly forward.
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Ball Position Errors
Incorrect placement of the ball for the type of club used.
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Poor Alignment
Misaligning the body relative to the target.
Causes for Common Golf Swing Mistakes
Causes for common golf swing mistakes to make you aware of what the issue is and how you can work on fixing it.
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Blocking
Often caused by a delayed hip turn or a failure to properly release the wrists through impact.
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Casting
Caused by releasing the wrists too early in the downswing, which reduces the lag and power.
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Chicken Winging
Usually results from a lack of extension in the arms through the impact zone.
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Chunking/Fat Shot
Caused by hitting the ground before the ball, often due to poor weight transfer or early release.
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Closed Clubface at Impact
Can be due to a strong grip, excessive wrist rotation, or improper alignment.
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Coming Over the Top
Often results from starting the downswing with the upper body rather than the lower body.
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Early Extension
Caused by standing up or losing spine angle during the downswing.
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Flipping
Often a result of poor body rotation and timing, leading to an early release of the wrists.
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Grip Issues
Caused by holding the club too weakly or too strongly, affecting clubface orientation.
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Hanging Back
Failure to transfer weight forward in the downswing, often due to a reverse pivot or poor balance.
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Heel Hits
Often due to standing too close to the ball or an outside-to-in swing path.
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Hooking
Caused by a closed clubface at impact, often due to a strong grip or excessive hand action.
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Lagging Clubhead
Caused by a lack of synchronization between body rotation and arm swing.
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Losing Posture
Often a result of poor core strength or stability, leading to changes in spine angle.
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Open Clubface at Impact
Can be due to a weak grip, incomplete wrist rotation, or misalignment.
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Over-Swinging
Caused by trying to hit the ball too hard, leading to a loss of control and balance.
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Pulling
Usually results from an inside-to-out swing path with a closed clubface relative to the target.
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Pushing
Often due to an outside-to-in swing path with the clubface aligned right of the target.
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Reverse Pivot
Caused by incorrect weight shift during the swing, often leading to balance issues.
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Rushing the Downswing
Caused by a lack of tempo, trying to hit the ball too hard or too quickly.
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Scooping
Often due to trying to lift the ball rather than hitting down and through it.
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Shanking
Hitting the ball with the hosel of the club, often due to standing too close to the ball.
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Slicing
Caused by an open clubface and an outside-to-in swing path.
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Sliding
Excessive lateral hip movement, often due to poor weight transfer and balance.
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Swaying
Lateral movement of the body during the swing, often due to poor core stability or balance.
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Thinning
Caused by hitting the ball with the lower edge of the club, often due to an incorrect swing plane or posture.
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Toe Hits
Often due to standing too far from the ball or an inside-to-out swing path.
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Topping
Hitting the top of the ball, usually due to lifting the head or upper body during the swing.
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Ball Position Errors
Incorrect placement of the ball can be due to misunderstanding the ideal position for different clubs.
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Poor Alignment
Often caused by incorrect setup and not aligning the body correctly with the target.
Conclusion Common Golf Swing Mistakes & Terms
Wrapping it up, and understanding common golf swing mistakes and their terms is an important step towards improving your game. Each term represents a unique challenge, but with the right knowledge and practice, these issues can be corrected, leading to a more consistent and enjoyable golf experience. Whether you're struggling with slicing, topping, or any other swing error, there's always a path to improvement.
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Most Common Golf Swing Mistakes: Resources for Correction
Resources below to help fix the most common golf swing mistakes.
