The 4-step formula for consistent golf

Tired of hitting great shots one minute and shockers the next? Leading coach Gareth Johnston shows you the four keys for consistent golf.

Consistency is a quality every golfer covets. Yet even as we pursue it, it’s important to be realistic. From Rory McIlroy down, no golfer is immune from hitting a destructive golf shot. As far as golf goes, genuine consistency remains a myth… and chasing it a fool’s errand.

There is, though, a far healthier spin we can put on consistency; we can set out to hit fewer bad shots. While that may sound like semantics, an acceptance that bad shots will happen is what keeps a golfer sane. It’s also what will allow you to hold true to the four technical elements we cover here when things aren’t quite going to plan. Make a commitment to stick with them through 2023.

Improvement in each department might not guarantee a solid golf shot; but, over the season, it will deliver a tangible reduction in the shots that turn a scorecard into a worthless piece of paper. And that really is something worth pursuing.

1. Clubface

Because the ball listens only to the clubface, our starting point for consistency has to be clubface control.

There is only one way to control the clubface, and that is through the only part of us in contact with the club: our hands.

2. Swing path

To hit fewer bad shots, we need the path of the swinging club to be on or close to the ball-target line at impact – what we would term ‘neutral’. Swing excessively across the ball and you will have to compensate by opening or closing the clubface – a sure recipe for erratic shots.

3. Rhythm

Rhythm is golf’s magic key. It co-ordinates your action. It allows you to recover from poor technical positions. It helps you find your timing. It allows you to gain control of your swing.

Good rhythm comes through developing momentum in your swing, but it needs your bigger muscles to be engaged and contributing.

4. Downswing sequencing

While good rhythm tends to improve the sequence of your motion, sequencing can and should be worked on directly to improve consistency.

We’ll focus on the downswing because poor movement patterns here have the capacity to cause more wild shots. The real key is to grasp that good sequencing means lower body first, upper body second.

Top coach Gareth Johnston has created a drill to help you hone each of the four elements of a consistent golf swing. You can access them now on the Today’s Golfer Members’ Website.