When my husband started teaching me to golf, I found his tips helpful but there were many things he didn’t understand about being a woman golfer. For example, he didn’t have breasts to get in the way of his swing and he didn’t feel self-conscious about sticking his butt out when getting his stance. I felt silly and awkward and often frustrated when my swing didn’t work the way his did. I easily found the problem was that I had to find my swing and a good way to do that was to work with an instructor experienced with women golfers.

I suggest that all women find a female golf instructor or a male who has experience working with women to get the most from your training experience. Here are some simple golf tips for women to get you started as well.

Get a Grip

The first thing you need to learn is a proper grip. Even if you are not a seasoned golfer or have no clue what a handicap is, you can look like you know your stuff with the right grip. The proper grip is the foundation of every swing so you cannot begin to learn anything else until you master this. With the right grip, you might mess up a shot here and there but you will always at least look like you know what you’re doing.

Grip down an inch or so on the shaft for better control of the club. The shaft should run diagonally from just below the pinkie across the palm and to the base of your forefinger. Then wrap your fingers around the shaft so you have the club rested in your fingertips. Then drop your thumb in place just right of center. The shaft of the club should be in the heel of your palm.

When you bring the other hand over, you should form a V with your hands that points between your right ear and right shoulder. This will give you a square clubface on impact. Avoid too strong of a grip and avoid too weak of a grip or your club may go flying. This is something you can practice again and again at home until you master the grip.

Perfect Posture

Second to your grip but equally important is your posture. This is something I struggled with getting right until I learned a simple trick that I practiced again and again at home. You don’t want to approach the ball hunched over and you also don’t want to be too rigid. Practice proper posture by placing a club on your back, along your spin. Hold one end at the top above your head and the other end below your butt. Now bed so that the shaft of the club is flush with your spine and your spine is straight. This is the posture you should have when approaching your swing and you will need to practice it to maintain it throughout the swing.

Many women set up just fine but lose their posture as they carry out the swing. You should also be sure to keep ample space between your chin and your chest and don’t bring your head down or your chin into your chest. You should hold this posture throughout the swing, giving room for your shoulder to rotate freely on your backswing. It’s going to feel awkward at first but practice it without hitting a ball and just swinging. Then work your way up to hitting but don’t worry about what happens to the ball after you make contact; only focus on your posture. Eventually, you can pull all the pieces together into your live swing.

Breast Battles

Do your breasts get in the way of your swing? Do you wonder if you have to be an A-cup to master golf? How do the pros do it? If your chest is getting in the way of your swing, there is a solution and it doesn’t involve duct tape.

To fix this problem, at the address, don’t stand too upright like you will see most men do. Instead, you will need to round your shoulders off a bit, just slightly, to allow your arms to hang away from your body. This will give you more room to swing freely around your chest, without affecting your swing. Your inner elbows and arms should not squeeze your breasts together. It also helps to wear a good, comfortable sports bra for support and to keep everything in its place.