Few are better at breaking down the game of golf for amateur golfers than Padraig Harrington.
Golf can get overwhelming at times. We’ve all been in that place where we have so many thoughts swirling around our heads that we can barely swing the club. We spend so much time tweaking different parts of our game that it can simply get too much.
If you’re in that place, then three-time major winner Padraig Harrington has three simple things for you to focus on. The Irishman often gives out golf tips to amateurs, and he’s excellent at breaking the game down to its simplest form.
He says all you have to focus on is three letters: s, c, and h.
Padraig Harrington’s three things for amateur golfers to focus on
Harrington says that if amateur golfers have too many swing thoughts, they should focus on three words: swish, chest and hold.
Speaking to the Golf Channel Academy, he explained: “You got to get a grip on the first three letters of the word school. So what do I mean by that?
“Well, the first letter S stands for swish. So essentially, the louder that swish potentially the further the golf ball will go. So everybody who’s starting off the game should spend as much time not hitting a golf ball but getting the club to swish.
“The second letter C stands for chest. When you’re hitting the golf ball, you keep your chest down. We never ever want to see somebody coming in to hit the golf ball and their chest pops up before they hit it.
“So, you keep your chest down, not your head down. Another bad mistake is if you try and keep your head down, it actually tucks and gets in the way, which causes that pop up.
What is the one golf rule you would change if you had the opportunity?
“So, when an amateur or beginner is starting off, I’m always thinking keep your chest down, probably to about 6 8 inches past the ball before you let it come up out of it.
“So, swish the club, keep your chest down. That gives the strike. And the last thing, the H, is the only universal thing I could say to every golfer, and it will do them no harm because there’s everything you work on in this game you can overdo.
“But this the last thing the H you can’t overdo. Hold your finish stands for H stands for hold your finish. The better your finish, the better your consistency is going to be. So to get to this position, you have to do so many things right.
“So, probably the most important thing in the golf swing is to be able to finish balanced. Now, if you’re an old codger, look, that’s fine. Balancing here (half swing). You don’t need to finish like (full swing), oh god, I’m old.
“You don’t need to finish all the way around. You just need to be able to finish in a balanced position posted up on the left-hand side. Now, unfortunately, I said you got to get a grip on the first three letters of school. So, swish, chest down, hold your finish, but you must get a grip on it.”
Sir Nick Faldo’s drill to work on your follow-through
Sir Nick Faldo has a drill to help with that final part, the follow-through. It’s an often overlooked, but important part of the swing.
Speaking to Golfing World, he said, “One of the drills I’m really into right now: the golf swing is really, can you get from a really good address position, can you then simulate your impact position, and then go through to your follow-through position?
“We spent so much time, and I know I was a culprit of that, so much time thinking about our back swing, especially the club golfers. They’re grinding on their back swing: ‘where’s my position?’ He gets the ball so they’re full back and half through, so I want you to think about the other way.
How many holes do you think is the perfect number for a round of golf?
“Let’s go half back, and all the way through it will make a big difference to your game.”
Remember: how you finish the swing is as important as how you start it!
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