If you are tense and grip too tightly, you probably cut your backswing short. The more relaxed you are, the further you can swing your arms (and the club) and the more power you generate. So you can see how this information layers itself one point on top of the next. From a good set-up, with soft hands on the grip, you can take the club back low and slow; relaxed arms and shoulders enable you to fully complete your backswing, whereupon you are in position to unwind freely through the ball to a balanced finish. Focus on the back of the ball and strike through with confidence. Why you absolutely must ‘complete’

It’s impossible for me not to repeat myself here, so let me reiterate it is the softness in the hands that allows me to get my swing started smoothly – i.e. over the tee-peg. Then it’s a case of building on that momentum to continue all the way to a full backswing, as you see above. I remind myself to complete my backswing, and you should do the same.

The body unwinds, the arms swing and the ball just gets in the way