Are you tired and frustrated with your golf swing?
Do you slice the ball or find yourself so inconsistent you just can’t seem to play well one round to the next?
Do you wish you could just find a method and stick with it?
I have been there!
In fact, we probably have all been in your situation at one point or another during our golfing journey.
As soon as we think we have it figured you, a round out of nowhere pops up. Maybe you have played golf great for the past two weeks and all of a sudden you lose your golf swing!
Don’t worry, you are not alone and we are here to help. Stick with it and enjoy the journey that golf takes you on. Understand that you are never really cured, but you can improve your chances of playing more consistent golf by finding the right swing method for you.
And there are plenty of swing methods out there. We have 5 that we highly recommend and are worth looking into on your part!
What Is the Best Way to Swing a Golf Club?
Here are 7 highly effective methods that have worked for many golfers:
- The Task Based Approach (Shawn Clement)
- The Throwing Approach (Mike Bender)
- The Rotational Approach (George Gankas)
- A Positional Based Approach (Bobby Lopez)
- Directing the Momentum Approach (Mike Malaska)
- Stack and Tilt Approach (Mike Bennet and Andy Plummer)
- The Alternative – Stillness Approach (Jim Venetos)
All five of these approaches have worked for different golfers. Like most things, being able to understand the approach and apply it to your current movement in golf is important.
You have to decide for yourself how big of a change that you want to make.
Below we will break down each method listed above and talk about the pros and cons of each approach. This will help you select which one is best for your game.
We have also written reviews of each of these online instructors and the reviews are linked under the corresponding method.
Before we dive into the 7 methods listed above. Let’s first talk about the three fundamentals of the golf swing.
These are three ways you can measure and consider how each activity you are doing this winter can help you get better at one of these three fundamentals.
The Stack and Tilt Instructors said it best when they described what they believed were the fundamentals of golf. They explained it somewhat similar to this:
- Fundamental #1: The golfer’s ability to control the bottom of the golf swing. The best golfers will hit the ground in the intended spot, close to 100% of the time.
- Fundamental #2: The golfer’s ability to control the curve of the golf ball. The best golfers are able to start the ball to the right or left of the target line and have the ball curve towards the target without the ball over curving past the target.
- Fundamental #3: The golfer’s ability to have enough power to play the golf course. This means they are able to hit the ball far enough to play the course in regulation.
You can reach your full potential with each swing method. Don’t be scared to fully study all and experiment when you get the chance with each one to see what is best for your game.
You might learn something from one that you can apply to the other.
Utilize the three fundamentals above to assess where you are at with your game currently and then do a post assessment after you try out one or more of these approaches/methods to the golf swing!
Overall, I believe we are all on a journey with the game of golf. There will be good days and bad days, but the goal is to have a lot more good days then bad days.
However, keeping perspective and sticking with the challenge is the goal. Once this happens, you will see yourself improvement.
Make sure you track some basic data along the day way:
- Greens in regulation
- Fairways hit
- Swing Speed and Ball Speed
- Par Saves when you miss the green
- Sand Saves when you miss the green
Option #1: The Task Based Approach (Shawn Clement)
Shawn Clement is one of our top rated golf instructors. He has a wonderful communication style and a different way to look at the golf swing. If you are tired of the positional based approach to the game of golf, then Shawn Clement might be perfect for you.
You won’t find him instructions anyone to get into this position at p2 or make sure you are here at p5. Instead, he puts the focus on the task at hand and changes the setup to make the shot happen.
For example, if you want to hit a draw, he will have you pick your target way out in the distance and then select an intermediate target. From here you will aim your club at the target, but set up your body slightly to the right.
You will then swing along that direction and the path will be out to the right with a closed club face to the path which will result in a slight draw. To hit a fade, you do the opposite.
The approach is simple and Shawn Clement believes we are all gravity geniuses and we must just give your minds and body a task to complete.
For a full Shawn Clement review, check out this post.
Here is a video get a general idea on the Shawn Clement approach:
Option # 2: The Throwing Approach (Mike Bender)
Mike Bender utilizes a ton of manipulatives to help golfers feel or avoid the motions int he game of golf. You will see him working with alignment sticks, cones, walls and anything to help the golfer learn the movement that will work best for them.
He believes the speed in the swing comes from the arms and hands as 90% of the speed takes place as a result of the movement in your hands and arms. He shows simple examples of these motions.
His Instagram page has a ton of videos with him giving lessons. The best way I can describe him is that he teaches a swing that involves throwing the arms and hands at the ball and working on impact position.
I have found when using his method that I gained some distance as I believe I was able to maximize the speed when I focused on my arms and hands.
As long as my body doesn’t get too quick, this swing approach has worked wonders for me.
He is a well respected teacher who has done a lot with multiple major champion winner Zach Johnson. Mike Bender has a simple approach that doesn’t involve triynt get your body into all of these different positions.
Many golfers feel that they have to hit the ball with their body. The truth is that a great deal of speed does come from your arms and hands and this approach is worth checking out.
Check out this video by Mike Bender to get a more in depth look at his philosophy:
Option 3: The Rotational Approach (George Gankas)
If you are someone that is good at using the hips and rotating fully open in the down swing, then you have to check out George Gankas.
He is the latest up and coming teacher on the PGA Tour, with his star pupil Matt Wolff leading the way. Wolff has now won on tour and is one of the lognest hitters on tour.
Gankas teachers a ton of youth players and they all have a beautiful, powerful swing based on matchups that George helps with.
The matchups get you swinging on the right path and make sure you are rotational through the swing.
He promotes a Sam Snead squat early int he swing, the hips getting open and then a right bent arm through impact before it fully extends after impact.
The swing can be powerful and impressive, but for me I always struggled with the rotational part. However, many have found a great deal of success with the Gankas approach.
Those that are able to get it, will shallow their club and create speed they may not have before.
Here is a full review post on George Gankas
An excellent video to learn more about George Gankas:
Option 4: A Positional Based Approach (Bobby Lopez)
Bobby Lopez is more old school than any of these instructors. He loves the movement off the ball with the body and the head to create space to allow you to stay “onsides” at impact.
He believes the number one destroyer of golf shots is when the head and the front shoulder mover past the ball.
He will give you a free swing analysis, where he will compare your movements with one of his go to professional golfers that he loves. The feedback is high quality.
My one issue is that he has no idea what your ball flight is doing, but is making recommendations based on the movements in your swing. We all know of great golfers that make different movements and aren’t in ideal position.
However, if you want the best looking golf swing at your club, one that is efficient and people notice from a fairway away then you have to check out Bobby Lopez. He has plenty of quick fixes for your game and solutions you can tap into.
Here is a full review of Bobby Lopez
A video to give you further insight on Bobby Lopez and staying onsides:
Option 5: Directing the Momentum Approach (Mike Malaska)
Maybe my favorite overall instructor! His communication style is incredible, he gives it to your straight and he has found a simple way to swing.
For those of you that are former baseball players, you will love the Mike Malaska approach.
He believes in utilizing the hands and the momentum of the club to hit solid shots. He doesn’t want you trying to get into certain positions or trying to find the perfect grip.
Instead, he wants you to train your right hand for right handed golfers to complete the task. He places a club head in the palm of the right hand to show you what the club will do if you make certain movements with the right hand.
Overall, we find the Mike Malaska approach simple to follow, easy to implement, and easy to find consistency.
We highly recommend this approach for former athletes or anyone that wants to keep their swing simple!
Mike Malaska and directing the momentum video:
Option 6: Stack and Tilt Approach (Mike Bennet and Andy Plummer)
These two instructors revoltuionized the game forever. They were some of the first to really talk about ball flight laws and creating a system that allows the golfer to read their ball light and no what adjustments to make.
The one area that people struggled to get past is the front loaded leg with 60% of the weight. The truth is that many golfers over the years have pivoted around their front leg.
People got stuck there and some didn’t give them a chance.
However, out on tour, PGA players worked with these two instructors at different levels. They were able to provide a system to read the ball flight and make adjustments.
Golfers started to be able to control the 2nd fundamental of golf and that is controlling the start line and the curve of the ball.
They are worth checking out and have hours upon hours of instructional videos that full explain the system. They also have a shot chart of mishits and the correction necessary.
If you are someone that loves systems, then you have to check out Mike Bennet and Andy Plummer. Their work will continue to evolve and have a lasting impact on the golfing world.
Stack and Tilt – 10 Things to Consider
Here is a brief overview of the 10 key words to stack and tilt:
Option 7: The Alternative – Stillness Approach (Jim Venetos)
Well, if you have been through every possibly swing known to man, then it might be time to check out Jim Venetos. His approach is rather refreshing and extremely simple to understand.
He is the most hands on instructor and we can all have quick, easy access to Jim himself through his online membership.
The number one word that describes his approach to the golf swing is stillness. You will hear him talk about stillness in every video.
He believes in a preset swing that starts with closed shoulders, weight forward and staying still throughout the swing.
It sounds like you wouldn’t have any distance, but you will be surprised. You will find yourself hitting tight draws and missiles that seem to fly for a long time.
I was a doubter at first myself, but overall my ball contact improved and I had a consistent start line with the majority of my shots.
He is worth checking out and digging more into. I really like Jim and believe he can help many golfers throughout the world. It is great with youtube now and the access and platform that we have with certain instructors!
Here is our full review on the Jim Venetos swing.
A quick overview of his approach:
Final Thoughts
Having a system to follow will give you something to come back to in your golfing journey to provide guidance and feedback on the corrections that you need to make.
Be careful not to jump too much from system to system, but instead give yourself some time to learn, implement and truly test out.
The winter is a great time to experiment and learn more about your different options in the golf swing.
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.