Fundamentals of Golf

Purpose: This page lists the fundamentals of golf.

Fundamentals of Golf : The “fundamentals of golf” are the things that are essential for success and enjoyment of this game.

Golf and its Rules

• Purpose: Fewest strokes
• Rules: Count number of strokes plus penalities
• Be a gentleman
• Follow the rules; don’t cheat (unlike most sports)

Setup Fundamentals

• Grip

  • How you hold the club affects clubface control and power.

  • Types: Neutral, Strong, Weak.

  • Styles: Interlock, Overlap, Baseball.

• Posture

  • Athletic stance: knees slightly bent, spine straight, arms hanging naturally.

  • Balanced weight distribution on the balls of the feet.

• Alignment

  • Feet, hips, shoulders aligned parallel to the target line.

  • Clubface aimed at the target.

• Ball Position

  • Varies with club:

    • Short irons: center of stance.

    • Long irons: slightly forward.

    • Driver: inside the lead heel.

• Stance Width

  • Narrower for short irons, wider for longer clubs.

Swing Fundamentals

• Takeaway

  • Start the backswing with shoulders, arms, and club moving as one.

• Backswing

  • Coil the upper body, shift weight to trail foot, maintain balance.

  • Keep the club on plane.

• Top of the Swing

  • Club parallel to the target line, wrists fully hinged, shoulders turned.

• Downswing

  • Initiated with hips, then torso, arms, and club.

  • Maintain lag (angle between lead arm and club).

• Impact

  • Square clubface.

  • Weight on lead foot.

  • Hands ahead of the ball (for irons).

• Follow Through

  • Balanced finish, chest facing target, club around the shoulder.

Mental & Strategic Fundamentals

• Course Management

  • Choosing clubs and targets wisely.

  • Avoiding high-risk shots.

• Routine & Focus

  • Pre-shot routine for consistency.
  • Visualizing shots and committing to them.

• Emotional Control

  • Staying calm after bad shots.
  • Focusing on one shot at a time.

Short Game Fundamentals

• Putting

  • Pendulum motion, eyes over the ball, consistent tempo.

  • Read greens and control distance.

• Chipping

  • Quiet wrists, ball back in stance, weight forward.

  • Use different clubs for different trajectories.

• Pitching

  • More wrist hinge and body rotation than chipping.

  • Vary swing length for distance control.

• Bunker Play

  • Open stance and clubface.

  • Hit sand behind the ball and follow through.