Stance and Posture

The golf swing is an athletic movement. It is very important to prepare yourself with the proper stance, posture, setup and alignment.

•Stance and Position of Feet
First, set your feet shoulder width apart. This will provide a sufficient base to support an athletic body turn. You may want to widen your stance slightly (insteps of feet even with the outside of the shoulders) with the longer clubs to accommodate the wider swing arc. The back foot (right foot for right handed players) should be approximately perpendicular to the target line, while the front foot should be slightly open (toe pointing outward).

• Knee Flex
Be sure that your knees are bent slightly. You should feel sturdy, stable, and grounded. Too much flex in the knees will lead to improper posture and leg action throughout the swing. On the other hand, insufficient flex or locked knees will cause restriction and a loss of power.

• Weight Distribution
Weight distribution should be approximately 50/50 on each leg, or slightly favoring the back leg (right leg for right-handed players). Your center of gravity should never be placed forward of the center of your stance if possible. This allocation of your weight will enable a simple turn and shift “behind the ball” on the backswing.

• Tilt of the Spine
Think of the spine as the axis around which body rotation and the entire golf swing takes place. Therefore, it is vital that this axis (spine) remains as straight as possible. Much like the axels for the wheels of a car, if they become bowed or bent, the wheels will wobble uncontrollably.Tilt your upper body forward, bending at the hip joints. If your spine is to remain straight, you must “stick out” your buttocks to maintain balance. Your center of gravity should remain in the center of your feet and neither toward the heels or the toes.

• Head and Chin Position
The finishing touch to the perfect spine position is to keep your chin up. With the chin in your chest, your spine will be in a curved position and body rotation will be difficult.

• Addressing the Ball
Let your arms hang down naturally. When addressing the ball, your hands should hang underneath and just slightly outside of your shoulders. The tilt of your spine should be close to perpendicular to the club shaft.