Have you ever stopped to think about why you take a practice swing? I ask my students this question all the time, and some of the answers are pretty entertaining.

“Bob’s a good player, and he takes one.”

“I see the guys on TV do it.”

The reality is that most golfers take practice swings simply because they think they’re supposed to. But your practice swing should have a purpose. One of the most valuable things it can do is help you calibrate your low point (i.e where the club bottoms out during your swing). When the ball is on the ground, we generally want the club to strike the ball first and then interact with the turf. That means the bottom of your swing should occur ahead of the ball.

Here’s a simple way to practice this: Take your normal practice swing beside the ball, using its position as a reference, and pay attention to where your club contacts the ground.

If you hit the ground three inches behind the ball, why would you immediately step in and hit the shot? Your body just gave you valuable feedback. Use it! Take another practice swing, recalibrate your low point, and then step in with the same rhythm and intention.

I tend to quantify good golf using two things: low-point control and greens in regulation. The beauty is that one helps the other. Better low-point control produces more consistent contact, and more consistent contact creates predictable distances, giving you a better opportunity to hit more greens and shoot lower scores.

Remember, don’t take a practice swing just because Bob does. Give it a purpose instead, and watch how your contact improves.

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