Golf Tips: never underestimate your follow through

How many times have you hit a poor shot and your playing partner has told you that you ‘quit on it’? You’re not alone, as it’s also one of the most popular observations golf analysts make in commentary.

In other words, you didn’t get the full, positive effect of everything you had done ahead of impact by vigorously swinging through the ball.

If you quit on your swing, you give up on it before you hit the ball instead of trusting your instincts a letting it flow to a high, balanced finished.

There could be several reasons for this, including:

* A change of mind over club selection midway through your action

* Indecision as to the wind conditions

* Failure to complete the backswing and trying to adjust in the downswing

* Loss of control in your grip

All are feasible but when you slow down through the ball or just slap at it, the chances of the clubface being square at impact are greatly reduced.

But if you are able to complete a full and balanced follow through chances are you’ve actually done a lot of things correctly. The follow through helps blend other parts of the swing together.

You will see from many swing sequence of top players, the extension of arms at impact carries on well into the follow through, so think about driving the clubhead towards the target - pulling with the left arm, pushing with the right (as a right-hander) - and it will help you make a much more rounded swing and reap the rewards of power.

And as the swing concludes think about your hands finishing high, alongside your left ear, your weight balanced on your left side. Then hold that pose.

The benefits of a smooth, high follow through should never be underestimated.

Try it out this weekend and let us know how you get on in the forum below and on our Facebook page. You can also tweet us @Golfmagic.

Want more?

Head to our Golf Tips index.