Key Elements Of A Great Golf Swing

All great golfers will do certain things really well in their setup and their golf swing.  Common elements that all the pros have include a good setup.  A fundamentally correct setup consists of having a good grip, correct alignment, good posture, as well as having good ball position in your stance.  Often times just making adjustments in your setup will be half the battle in getting your swing more on the correct path.  When you are misaligned in your setup, you'll have to make compensations in your swing to offset it which will never really allow you to reach your potential.  

The swing plane is a common thing many golf instructors talk about when referring to the path of the golf swing.  Basically, swinging the club on plane correctly consists of a good takeaway and wrist set, and then swinging the club over the right shoulder in the backswing(for the right-handed golfer).  The impact position should mirror the setup position other than the hips will be slightly open and the hands forwards and a little ahead of the golf ball through the hit.  After impact, the club continues to swing all the way over the left shoulder and the body should end up facing directly towards the target.  

I like to encourage my students to swing with good balance and smooth rhythm.  You never want to swing so hard that you find yourself off balance anytime during your golf swing.  Typically the backswing will be about three times as long as the downswing.  You want the club to swing fastest right when it is at the bottom of the swing arc hitting the golf ball.