Best Way to Practice the Followthrough in Golf

Many golfers underestimate the importance of the followthrough. It controls both the distance and direction of shots, and consistency of the followthrough is an asset.

You may hear golfers say: ‘If I do a good shot, I followthrough.’ What they should really be thinking is: ‘If I can make myself followthrough, I have far more chance of making a good shot.’ Good golf is all about making your best swing more often. Most club golfers vary comparatively little in their address position and backswing, but then make a variety of followthroughs at the end of their swings.

Anyone who plays a sport such as tennis will know that you can swing the racquet back the same way time after time and make a variety of shots by altering the way you swing through. In tennis you are trying to surprise an opponent. In golf you want no surprises! Halfway through the throughswing is where you feel direction to the shot. The hands and wrists should turn and swish on through, taking the club through a square — toe up – position. The takeaway and throughswing mirror each other. The right arm folds in the backswing and the left arm folds in the followthrough.

For the champion golfer, the left arm is in control and works hard. For the club golfer, it usually needs to relax and get out of the way. The eyes remain focused on where the ball was, seeing the grass after the ball has gone.

By this stage the weight is well round on to the left heel, the right knee is through toward the left leg and the whole body, including the head, starts to turn towards the target.

A good followthrough should give the impression of hitting towards the target. At the end of the swing your knees, hips, shoulders and elbows all face the target. The shoulders will always be slightly left — perhaps 10 degrees. The club shaft settles neatly on your left shoulder, your elbows are roughly the same width apart as they started and are level with each other and level with the shoulders.

The key to good direction is to keep both elbows somewhere in front of you with the club through on your shoulder. You should be able to see over your right elbow. It you get a hole in one, you should be able to watch it go in!

Balance is crucial. It allows you to generate maximum speed. By the end of the swing your weight is on the left heel with the right foot turned on to the toe of the shoe. You should never feel you are gripping or grabbing with the toes of your left foot. You should be able to wiggle your toes as you would in a normal standing position. Feel the same balance at the end of the swing. Remember that the followthrough is like the brakes on your car. It your followthrough is weak and poorly balanced, you won’t generate speed.

At the end of the swing your left leg should be fairly firm and balanced with the left hip naturally out to the side so that your weight is centred over your left leg. This is more noticeable in women than in men; our whole centre of gravity is different.

The golf club should always swing on its own natural angle. The clubshaft at address should fall into the same position in the followthrough. The 7 iron swings up down, and up. The swing with a wood is naturally flatter.

In a perfect swing the angle of the clubshaft in the followthrough follows the angle of the clubshaft at the address position.