Even if it has been a while since you’ve seen the golf course or touched a club, you could still be improving your game without realizing it. If that sounds too good to be true, Golf Digest’s State No. 1 teachers, Jeff Ritter (Oregon) and Jason Sedan (New Hampshire) have identified a number of common tasks that actually relate quite well to the golf swing.
Ritter says many of his students already understand from life experience how to perform the basic mechanics necessary for the swing, they just don’t know how to apply them. He says that once his students learn that connection, everything starts to click. “If you increase awareness and tap into some creativity, you’ll find lessons to improve your game in nearly all that you do,” Ritter says. Try to be a little more conscious the next time you perform any of these six activities and you might just have the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for.
Related: Stuck at home? Now could be time for a virtual lesson
1. Starting a lawn mower
Many golfers slide their lower body from the target when they take the club back. Sedan says a great way to fix this is to think about starting a lawn mower. He says the pulling motion is similar to starting your swing because the trail hip and shoulder rise. This helps you practice making a stable pivot instead of a swaying motion.
2. Shaking hands
You’ve probably heard that a good grip should feel like holding a baby bird, but Ritter says to ditch that idea. (Plus, when’s the last time you held a baby bird!) To keep your hands and arms relaxed but still maintain control of the clubface, Ritter suggests trying the grip pressure you use to shake someone’s hand.
3. Shoveling
If you struggle to generate speed, Sedan says a shoveling motion helps to mimic the feeling of rotating around your front hip and pushing off the ground with your legs when you throw the snow. This is is also the proper sequence for a powerful downswing.
4. Sweeping
For better ball-striking, all you need is a broom. Ritter says sweeping helps your golf swing because it simulates how the club should lag in the downswing. You’ll learn to keep your hands in front of the clubhead through impact, which will help you hit down on the ball and compress it.
5. Throwing a Frisbee
Tossing around a Frisbee is not only fun, it’s also functional for your golf swing. Sedan suggests practicing your frisbee toss with your non-dominant hand because “it’s the exact release you need in your lead hand to launch the ball high and straight.”
6. Parallel parking
The traditional over-the-shoulder method of parallel parking is great training for your golf swing. Ritter explains that by turning your upper body while you’re seated, you improve the separation between your upper and lower halves. Ritter says this movement will help you wind up your body and produce more power through impact.