The *worst* golf-swing advice? This major champion didn’t hold back

Everyone wants to get better at golf and achieve lower scores. This desire is universal, shared by everyone who has ever picked up a club. From legends like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus to casual weekend golfers, the drive for improvement never fades.

However, fixing your own swing can often feel daunting. Strangely enough, correcting someone else's swing can seem more manageable, but this confidence is usually misplaced. Unless you’re a trained golf pro or a very skilled player, giving unsolicited swing advice is generally a bad idea.

Listening to poor advice is likely to harm your swing rather than help it. So, what constitutes the worst swing advice? Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington shared some insights ahead of this week’s U.S. Senior Open.

Worst Pieces of Golf Swing Advice

Padraig Harrington is known for his deep interest in the mechanics of the golf swing. If you see him at a tournament, he’s likely on the range tweaking some aspect of his swing. His passion for improving extends to helping others as well.

With this in mind, I asked Harrington if any particular piece of advice had stood out as the best during his career. After a moment of thought, he confessed he was at a loss.

“I can’t really pinpoint the best advice because different things matter at different times in your career,” he said. “But it’s easier to recall the worst advice.” Harrington then mentioned three tips that can be more detrimental than beneficial.

“Keep your feet still”

Keeping your feet still during the swing is becoming less common among top players because active feet can generate more power. Engaging your feet properly with the ground during the swing, known as "ground reaction forces," can help you hit the ball farther.

“Keep your head still”

A common piece of advice for improving contact is to “keep your head down.” While well-intentioned, this advice is flawed. Keeping your head down too long can restrict your swing and negatively impact contact. Harrington even made a video discussing this issue a few years ago.

“Swing easy”

When struggling with solid contact, you might hear advice to slow your swing down. While moving the clubhead more slowly could potentially improve contact, it will significantly reduce your power. It’s better to learn to swing hard first and then focus on refining contact. Having power is a valuable asset that is difficult to teach.