Golf Stance Tips

One of the Keys to the Proper Golf Swing

The golf stance should be the next aspect of the golf swing on your list to master once you have perfected the proper golf grip.

Do not overlook this! Many golfers focus on the grip and the swing, but poor alignment at the address position can also lead to poor shots. I cannot stress enough how important your setup is!

Once you address the ball, one key thing to remember is to relax! The weight should be about 50-60 percent on your heels (you should be able to wiggle your toes easily while in your stance), with knees and hips slightly bent and back straight. I'll repeat it again: Your back needs to be straight! Correct posture is extremely important for a proper golf swing.

If your back is rounded, it is going to significantly limit the amount of rotation range of motion available at your spine. Even if you only lose a few degrees due to posture, this could have huge implications on your power and distance.

One common mistake that golfers make is that their knees are too bent during the golf stance. You want a small amount of flexion at the joint, but you really want to bend forward more from your hips. A quick way to check this is to first assume your normal setup position, without holding a club. Next, relax both arms and let them naturally fall. If you are in a good position, your arms should dangle directly in front of you, and not make contact with your thighs.

Once you have a solid golf stance, check the alignment of both your feet and shoulders. If you could draw a line parallel to both areas, the line should be aiming directly at your target (for a standard shot, specialty shots might be different). I have another page dedicated specifically to golf alignment. Please click here to go to that page.

Your golf stance width will depend on which club you are using:

-For middle irons, your feet should be shoulder width apart.
-For short irons, your feet should be two inches narrower than shoulder width.
-For long irons and woods, your feet should be two inches wider than shoulder width.

Next, you need to aim. Every part of your body needs to be parallel to the target line. The target line is essentially the line extending from the ball to your intended target. Your feet, knees, hips, shoulders, and eyes all need to be parallel to this line.

One way to assess your alignment is to place a club on the ground touching both the toes of both your shoes. Look down, or take a step back, and see where the club is aiming. This is where the ball will likely go! Being inches out of alignment at address is going to lead to being yards off of target once the ball lands.

Ball position in relation to your stance will also depend on the club:

-For driver, the ball should be lined up slightly inside of your lead foot.
-For fairway woods and long irons, the ball should be approx. 3 inches inside of your lead foot.
-For middle irons, the ball should be slightly to the left (for a right handed swing) of the center of your stance.
-For short irons, the ball should be placed in the center of your stance.
-For wedges, the ball should be placed slightly back in your stance.

You are almost ready!

Hold your club directly in front of you, and when you lower the club to the ground, remember to keep your back straight and bend at the hips! Then, slightly bend your knees and try to relax your muscles.

Keep your chin slightly elevated so that it doesn't interfere with shoulder rotation. Your back remains straight, and your back knee should slightly rotate inwardly, towards the target.

Now you are ready to take a swing!

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