Education Forum
Stance, Posture, Alignment
 
Golf Instruction Home
Education Forum Home
 


Stance
Stand naturally and stand in a state of relaxed alertness. Tension is the enemy of a free and athletic swing. Hold the club lightly with just as much pressure to ensure that you don't let go. Your stance should be slightly wider than your shoulders no wider. There is a modern fashion to adopt a very wide base. This may be good for highly flexible athletes but the average golfer may find that his rhythm improves with a slightly narrower stance.
 
Posture
Your weight should be on the balls of your feet not the heels and your knees slightly flexed. Keep your chin up and not buried into your chest and keep your back relatively straight. Let your arms and club hang freely from your shoulders. The distance you should stand from the ball will vary with height and build but a good rule of thumb is that is you address the ball and let the shaft drop to your left leg the top of the shaft should be an inch or so above the left knee. As you look down the left arm and the shaft of the club should be a fairly straight (not rigid) line. The ball should be positioned just inside the left heel for all shots other than for specific shots such as punches into the wind or bunker shots).
 
 
Alignment
Do not make the mistake of aiming your left shoulder at the target and thinking that this makes you square on. Because you are standing some distance from the ball it doesn't. If you are peering over your left shoulder you are most likely aiming right or standing shut. To adopt the correct alignment picture railway lines in front of you. Place your feet on the first track then draw your left foot ever so slightly away from the track. You have now adopted a slightly open stance and you can now see down the imaginary track just like you should be able to see down the line of your shot. If a line were drawn across your shoulders and hips it would aim slightly left of target
 
 

ZyWeb

My stance with a driver
Notice the neutral grip, ball position, club and left arm as extension, weight on balls of feet and slightly open stance



[Page visit counter]
Built by ZyWeb, the best online web page builder. Click for a free trial.