3 Power Tips For Women Golfers
The good news: More women are taking up golf than ever. The not-so-good news? Finding more power in your golf swing can be a challenge. While this can be a source of frustration, Joan Lovelace, CA’s head golf pro and director of player development, encourages women golfers to view it as an exciting opportunity.
“Since men tend to have more upper body strength, they’re able to get a good amount of distance behind their ball more easily,” says Lovelace. “However, there’s several things women can do to gain more power. We have to be conscious of a few key factors, such as leveraging all of our body weight in our swing, not just our arms.”
And don’t forget, there is a hidden benefit to having a slower club head speed: It’s easier for women golfers to hit the ball straight!
Ready to build more power and confidence in your swing? Check out Lovelace’s top three tips below.
Turn your shoulders properly
Lovelace’s first piece of advice is to make sure you’re turning your shoulders enough in your backswing to create momentum for your downswing. Proper shoulder rotation is crucial to gaining more distance by keeping your left arm extended, since it maximizes the amount of torque you create. It also helps with accuracy.
Put simply, a person with shorter arms isn’t going to hit the ball as far as someone with longer arms. This is why we want to create extension with the arms; the bigger your circle, the further the ball goes. To make this happen, make sure that when you turn, your back is to your target.
Don’t keep your head down
Golfers are frequently told to keep their head down, but according to Lovelace, this is actually counterproductive.
“Keeping your head down restricts you from finishing your swing and being able to release your body into the shot,” says Lovelace.
It also restricts the upper body rotation we discussed in tip #1. So, what should you do instead? Next time you play, let your head move and look at the target as your right shoulder goes under your chin in the finish. By using your whole body to hit the ball, your body rotation and arm extension will improve and result in a more powerful and consistent swing.
Below, Lovelace demos what not to do with your head if you want a more powerful swing!
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Keep extension in the arms
Finally, it’s important to keep your arms extended throughout the entire shot.
“It’s helpful to keep the head of the club low after you hit the ball, which will keep the arms extended out,” says Lovelace.
However, this doesn’t mean your wrist should be straight the entire time. It’s important to get lag in your golf swing, which comes from maintaining the correct angle between the clubs, wrists and arms. Focusing on lag allows your clubhead to reach the bottom of the swing arc at just the right moment to help you gain power.
“Think of a field goal kicker. He doesn’t start with a straight leg. He bends his knee, then straightens it to kick it. That’s creating leverage,” says Lovelace. ”It’s the same with your golf swing. Don’t let it go too early and don’t be afraid to let the wrist hold on the downswing; this will create lag. You want to hear that whoosh sound at the bottom of your swing!”
Below, Lovelace provides a visual of beginning the swing with a slightly bent elbow and then extending the arm.
Come play with CA
If you’re a woman golfer looking to up your game, consider joining Lovelace and your peers for “Women on Wednesdays.” These one-hour afternoon clinics (held at Hobbit’s Glen at Golf Club at 2pm) are open to the public. Learn about topics like short games, irons and woods, trouble shots and much more. Each clinic is $25 for CA members and $30 for non-members.
To register, email Joan.Lovelace@ColumbiaAssociation.org. Please include “Women on Wednesdays” in the subject line.