We all want it!
That smooth, effortless golf swing where the ball flies far and straight! Many of us dream about swinging like Fred Couples!
Many golfers have felt that perfect swing where it all comes together and spend many rounds and possibly years in their life seeking for that feeling of that one perfect shot!
Others spend years trying to replicate positions in the golf swing to produce the perfect golf swing that they can rely on. Many range sessions occur and golfers often feel that they have found it, only to lose it when they get to the course.
At the end of the day, all golfers are seeking consistency. They want to hit their best shots more often. And that is where I can help!
I have studied the swing for many years and through my own lab setup in my garage with my golf simulator, I have tried many different swings in search of the effortless golf swing. I then take it out on the course and try to see if it is transferable.
So, how exactly do you build or create an effortless golf swing?
There are 3 keys to an effortless golf swing. They include:
- Swinging Tension Free
- Removing The Hit Impulse
- Giving Yourself A Task To Complete
Update: Effortless doesn’t have to mean slow. You can create high level swing speed in a swing that looks effortless ad feels repeatable. From day to day it might feel different, but on those good days it will be amazing!
Key #1 Building An Effortless Golf Swing: Swinging Tension Free
Tension in the golf swing can often destroy it. The tension can be a result of several different things such as trying to manipulate the club, trying to hit positions in the swing and not having a clear plan of attack.
The tension free swing is often built through gaining clarity in the pre shot routine. Standing behind the ball and coming up with a plan for the ball flight and the shot you want to hit. Of course, over time you have practiced these different shots and understand what it takes in your setup to produce these shots.
The second part is allowing gravity to help you out. I would highly recommend a complete turn back with the shoulders and hips and then a complete turn through.
Any restriction such as keeping your hips still or even bracing your back leg in the backswing simply add tension and do not allow us to make a free, flowing, effortless swing that produces the best, most impressive ball flights.
The full turn on the way back will put you in a place in the backswing where you can turn through the ball and feel like you are throwing the club down the fairway with a full release and turn of the body and club.
The instructor that I have come across that teaches an effortless swing the best is Shawn Clement. He has been using a similar approach for over 20 years and believes and teaches a full turn and allows the club to flow through the swing. A saying you will often hear is “out of the way, out of the way” this reminds the golfer to turn on the way back and then turn on the way through.
Here is a complete step by step guide on the golf swing.
Shawn Clement to help stop overthinking your swing, which will lead to an effortless swing:
Key #2 Building An Effortless Golf Swing: Removing The Hit Impulse
When the golf ball becomes the final destination in the swing, the golfer loses all lag, tension is created and the last thing you will have is an effortless swing. The key here is to have a clear target where you are trying to send the ball.
Getting the arm and body unit moving back and and then through the ball with the speed occurring at and beyond the ball will help you swing freely and through the ball.
Too many golfers throw everything at the ball in an attempt to hit the ball solid and become too dependent on perfect timing and effort at a high level. The complete follow through and a nice high finish will help remove the hit impulse, but the number one tip is to have a target well off in the distance.
When I am playing my best golf and have the most effortless swing is when I am target focused in my golf swing, instead of ball focused. I will often pick a tree or building way off in the distance, many times beyond the actual final destination of the golf ball and swing out towards that target in the distance.
The thought of feeling is to take and make a complete turn with the shoulders, hips and arms and then let it go towards the target. Moving everything completely free and living with the outcome.
Once again, the key is to let it go and not manipulate the club in the downswing or manipulate certain body parts. I played way too much golf in my life trying to get my left shoulder to certain positions or my right leg to certain spots and now I simply try to make an athletic motion.
Shawn Clement is incredible in his teaching and helps create a swing that is target or task focused. He often talks about how bad we are at getting into certain positions in the golf swing, but are gravity geniuses with allow the arm, club unit to work freely and remove the tension from the swing.
Here is Shawn Clement teaching a target based swing:
Key #3 Building An Effortless Golf Swing: Giving Yourself A Task To Complete
Shawn Clement often talks about “cutting through the dandelion step” which gives you a task to complete. The golf swing starts with the target and having a flight plan in the pre shot routine.
From there you get to your setup and make sure your club is set up for the shape shot you want to hit and your feet and shoulder line are also setup for the shape shot you want to hit.
Give yourself a simple task of cutting through the dandelion, keeping your target in mind as your swing back and through. The simple task will keep you tension free and swingin effortlessly. The great thing about golf is that you get immediate feedback on how you did with your flight plan, your setup and your ability to execute the shot.
As you work at the range, go through and try to hit different shots. Keeping your mind focused on the target and the simple task at hand. Stop trying to get into different positions and instead allow the club to flow back and through the ball.
One simple way to begin with this thought process is with simple 50 yard pitch shots. Take the club about half way back and then through. Get your arm and club unit working together and getting the ball to start on your target line.
Do you like what you see with Shawn Clement? Check out our step by step guide on the Shawn Clement swing! He is impressive!
Shawn Clement video once again!
Best Drill For Effortless Golf Swing
The best drill for an effortless golf swing is the perpetual motion drill. This drill keeps you moving as you hit 4-8 balls in a row with your body and swing staying in motion.
Here are the steps to utilize this drill:
- Set up 4-8 golf balls in a row with enough room for the club to go through. (depending on space)
- Start with the ball furthest left and swing back and through hitting that ball.
- Continue on and step towards the next ball and hit that ball.
- Continue on without stopping until all of the golf balls are hit.
- You may want to try this drill without any golf balls at first to get the motion down.
Another variation is to put your feet together and just simple swing back and through about 5 times feeling your body get out of the way on the backswing and then out of the way on the downswing.
Here are a couple videos to help you out:
Effortless Golf Swing: FOUR BONUS DRILLS!
Drill #1: Low Point Control Drill
- Take some yard paint and paint a 1-2 yard long line.
- Setup with 55% of your weight on your front side.
- Try to hit the target side of the line and see how many times out of 10 you can do this successfully!
- Repeat this drill every day for a month, tracking your progress and your ability to to this successfully in trials of ten.
- You may need to start with half swing and progress to full swings.
Drill #2: Develop A Stock Shot
- At the driving range, set up an alignment stick about 6-8 yards in front of you, straight down your target line.
- If you have a second alignment stick, set the stick 3-4 yards right of the first stick (for a draw) or left of the first stick (for a fade).
- Complete your initial assessment and see how many times out of 10 you can start the ball to the right or left of your target. Pick one side and measure your game at this point.
- The goal is to eventually get 7 out of 10 shots to start to the correct side and draw back towards the target.
Drill #3: Train for Speed
For years people would often say, “drive for show, putt for dough” when the reality is that distance is important not only to overall scoring, but to consistency in the scoring. Those that have the greater distance have shorter shots into greens. This means hitting it closer on average, which results in more putts made.
There is a big difference between someone that can swing a driver 85 miles per hour vs someone swinging at 105 miles per hour. Even an increase in 5-8 miles per hour can mean 30 yards of extra distance. The really neat part is that recently there have been research studies on the best way to increase swing speed.
Check current price on SuperSpeed products!
What we have learned is that overspeed training with lighter clubs can help train the mind and body to be able to swing faster. My example is that I used to swing between 98-101 miles per hour.
After training with the SuperSpeed program I am now between 105 and 108 miles per hour. In order to swing faster, you have to train by swing faster. With the lightest club in the protocol by SuperSpeed, I am swinging between 122 and 129 miles per hour. This than coverts to between 105-108 miles per hour with my actual driver when playing golfer.
The difference of 20-30 yards is important and one of the fastest ways to get better at golf. Would you rather be hitting a 7 iron from 155 or a PW from 125 after your drive?
If you give yourself the shorter shot over the course of 18 holes, you are going to hit more greens in regulation, hit the ball closer to the hole, which then gives you a better chance of making the putt. The formula is simple. The important part is to start training for speed using SuperSpeed Golf and improve your speed and gain 20-40 yards. It will make a massive difference!
Here is the training drill at the first protocol level:
Drill #4: Target Focused Drill
- Pick your target out on the range (A flagstick, tree, yardage marker, etc.)
- Pick a target even well beyond that target like a tree or some marker out in the distance.
- Draw a line in your mind back to where you can pick an intermediate target about 1-2 feet in front of the ball.
- Determine your “fight plan” (Draw, Fade or Straight Shot).
- Go ahead and set up over the ball.
- Focus on what shot you want to hit and where your target is.
- Keep the target in mind and get the ball started in the direction of the target.
- Picking a “flight plan” ahead of time will give your mind clarity in combination with the target.
- Hit the shot and measure how many times out of 20 you are within an acceptable range of your main target.
Take Your Game To The Next Level: Get Instant Feedback Through A Launch Monitor
Now that you have some guidance on building an effortless swing with some truly helpful drills, it is time to consider adding a valuable device to give you instant feedback and the ability to practice at home with a net and your launch monitor.
Start working 12 months a year on your game and you will see quick improvement.
If you visit any PGA Tour stop you will see the majority of professionals use a launch monitor at some point throughout the week . Many are monitoring their clubface, swing path relationship as well as swing speed. These are important numbers to monitor to make sure you are keeping your swing within a certain range.
Some of the key information that you will be able to received immediately after every swing includes:
- Ball Speed
- Club Speed
- Launch Angle
- Spin Rate
- Spin Axis
While many won’t have $16,000 to spend on a Trackman, there are some great affordable options that can be used at your local driving range, on the golf course or in your garage or house as part of a practice area of golf simulator setup.
Here are my top 3 recommend affordable golf launch monitors:
Over time, knowing where your numbers are when you are making quality swings will help you groove a swing and become more consistent. When you are struggling, you can use your launch monitor to see where your numbers are at.
Is it a clubface or swing path issue? When your spin axis number is really high either way, you know there is a major gap between the two. In the ideal world, you have a 1-3 degree difference between clubface and swing path, unless you are trying to hit a hook or slice intentionally then a bigger gap is desired.
Where Does the Power Come From in An Effortless Swing?
The power is going to be a result of a tension free swing that allows gravity to take over. The arms and club will move and pick up quality speed in the right spots. The swing that has too much effort often utilizes speed too early in the swing.
Is The Effortless Swing Good for Senior Golfers?
Yes, as we get older and struggle with strength, it is that much more important to allow gravity to take over. Trying to muscle the club through the hitting zone is not a great idea ever, but even worse as we get older.
Here is a system specifically designed for seniors:
Senior Golf – The Art of Simple Golf!
Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better
What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:
1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:
Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:
2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:
Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:
3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:
We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.
4 – Practice Frequently
Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:
- Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator?
- What is the Best Golf Simulator?
- Golf Simulator Accessories?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for under $7000
- Top 11 Reasons to Buy a SkyTrak
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for Under $1000
- Why Build A Golf Simulator?
- What Space is Needed?
- Can A Golf Simulator Improve My Game?
- How Much Does A Golf Simulator Cost?
- Don’t Forget to Check out our 15 best golf swings of all time.