.How you position your body before swinging can greatly enhance your chances of performing well consistently.
The setup/Address position is one of the most overlooked fundamentals
The overall setup position is made up of several main points:
Alignment
At the address position your body should be positioned parallel to the ball to target line.
How many times have you hit good shots off target that were simply due to bad alignment.The next time you do this simply put a club down to check your stance and alignment,where they parellel to the ball to target line?.
The easiest method to remember this is to picture a railway track with the ball and square clubface on one line and your feet,hips and shoulders on the other.
Stance and Ball Position
The width of the stance should vary slightly based on what club you are using,but as a general rule the stance should be at its widest for the driver approximately shoulders width apart,then reducing slightly for the shorter clubs.
Driver/3 wood
The stance should be at its widest for the driver/woods(approximately shoulder width)with the ball positioned just inside the left heel.Weight should favor the right side slighty about 60%,this helps get the ball in the air.
Middle irons
Stance slightly narrower than the woods with the ball positioned between front and middle.Weight should be evenly divided between the two feet.
Short irons
Stance a little narrower with the ball positioned in the middle of the stance.About 60% of your weight should favour your left side.
Overall the weight in your stance should be on the balls of the feet and not favouring the heels or toes as any rocking of the weight in these directions can limit any consistent strike.
PostureThe body angles created at address in your posture have a mojor impact on the shape and quality of your swing.Keeping your balance throughout your swing is crucial to hitting good shots and is a direct result of good posture.
One of the easiest ways to adopt the correct posture position is to:
stand tall with the palms of your hands on your thighs
then push back from your hips until your fingertips touch your kneecaps
this simple exercise can quickly get you in the correct position
The position you create will have the following effects:
The knees will be flexed slightly and inwards
The body will be bent over from the hips towards the ball
The spine angle created from bending over the ball should be kept straight
Keep your head turned skightly right of the ball with your chin out and up,this helps to encourage a better shoulder turn.
At address your hands should always be opposite your left legno matter what club you are using.The distance between your hands and your body is determinded by the club you intend using.As a general rule this should be approximately be 4 inches for short/middle irons and 6-8 inches for long irons/woods.
