By Matt Snyder, oobgolf contributer

It seems like every time that I play with someone new who is an 18 handicap or higher, they all have the same problem. Every single one of them could make a simple change in their swing and become a way more consistent and better golfer. I shouldn't be doing this for free because it's probably the best lesson you are ever going to get, but here goes...SHORTEN YOUR BACKSWING!!!!! Probably not the first time you've heard this suggestion, but it is time to heed this advice.

Golf is about shooting a low score. Shooting a low score is about how bad your "bad" shots are. No matter how high or low your handicap is, a good shot is a good shot. But, the difference between a low and a high handicap is how bad your "bad" shots are. A guy that shoots in the seventies hits a bad drive when he misses the fairway. A guy that is trying to break a hundred hits a bad drive when he hits somebody's car in their driveway instead of just hitting their house! Hitting better "bad" shots is all about consistency, and consistency cannot be achieved, except by John Daly, with a long back swing.

A technician at a local electronics store once told me a truth about electronics that is very relevant to golf, "The more things that move, the more things that can break." Well, the same thing is true for your back swing. When you take a big back swing, your left arm breaks down at your elbow and at your wrists. Strange as it sounds, you also tend to under-rotate your shoulders. Both of these things not only cause you to be wildly inconsistent, but also actually cost you distance. That's right folks, too long of a back swing makes you hit it shorter, not longer. If you maintain a straight left arm, you will rotate your shoulders farther instead of bending your elbow and wrists. Shoulder turn is where the power is. Just watch the pros and see if their left arms ever break down. Their should turn is incredible, but they rarely ever go past parallel. If they don't do it, neither should you.

Shortening your back swing does not take a major amount of ability to do, but it will feel a little strange for a while. The problem for most people is that they do not realize how far back they are taking the club. When I tell people to take the club back to about 75% of their normal back swing, they almost all still take the club back past parallel! Parallel is the absolute maximum distance that your back swing should ever go. It is the MAXIMUM, not the GOAL of a normal back swing. You should only take the club back as far as your shoulders allow you to turn without bending your left arm at all. If that means you only take it back until it is perpendicular to the ground, then so be it. The key to a good back swing is that it puts you in a position to execute a good down swing. The shorter you take it back, the easier it is to be in a good position. It is a simple concept, but it works! In fact, it works really well.

Allow me to make a suggestion to help you transition from your long back swing to a more appropriate one. Slow down the speed of your back swing. The biggest problem you will face when you make this change is maintaining the tempo of your swing. Because your back swing will be shorter than you are used to, you will need to slow it down to avoid a sloppy transition from your back swing to your down swing. This will help you maintain the tempo of your swing and you will see immediate results.

If you are looking for something to work on in your swing to help you with your consistency, start with your back swing. Head over to the range and try to shorten up that takeaway. I am promising you that it will dramatically change your game. In fact, I would not be surprised if you start to feel a little bit guilty about getting such revolutionary advice free of charge. If the guilt is too overwhelming and you feel as though you should send me a check, just shoot me an email and I'll make sure you get my mailing address!