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Top Three Golf Swing Set-Up Tips

Stance

The stance is the foundation of the golf swing and like many other sports requires the player to prepare for athletic action. Begin by evenly dividing your weight between both feet, slightly favoring the balls of the feet not the toes or heels. Next, position the feet approximately shoulder width apart. Proper stance width helps maintain good balance, too narrow a stance increases instability and too wide restricts hip and shoulder turn, making it difficult for the player to properly transfer weight back onto and over the right leg during the backswing.

Turn the left foot (forward foot) outward toward the target about a quarter turn. This position allows the player to maintain dynamic balance throughout the golf swing and well into the finish. The back foot (right foot) should generally be pointed straight forward or at a right angle to the target line. This position allows power-generating resistance to build by stabilizing the right leg while the upper body turns around it.

Alignment/Aim

Aligning or aiming the body properly is crucial if one desires to develop a powerful repeating golf swing. The first key point of alignment is; align the leading edge of the
clubface square or at a right angle to the target line. Then set the tips of the toes, knees, hips, shoulders and eyes parallel to that same line. This method of alignment is
referred to as aiming “parallel left.” If a player is to err or deviate from this common principle it would typically involve the feet and body aiming slightly to the left of the
target. Keep in mind though, whatever combination of body and clubface positions a player employs is deemed acceptable if it results in the clubhead consistently traveling down the target line with the clubface square to that line.

Golf is a target game and it is very easy to get caught up in the complexity of the perfect golf swing. However, many who follow this quest fail to recognize that no matter how beautiful the swing becomes it is of little value if aimed incorrectly

Posture

Another key element to develop a powerful repeating golf swing requires the upper body to be tilted over the ball slightly at address. This is achieved by bending from the hips over the ball, not the waist. Bending from the hips allows the spine to remain straight and the buttocks to protrude slightly, whereas if we tilt from the waist the spine tends to curve. The head should also match the plane of the back; this allows the left shoulder to turn underneath the chin during the backswing. This very much helps maintain centeredness while completing the backswing.

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Four Keys to Developing a Championship Golf Grip

By Kevin Cotter, PGA

Developing a championship golf grip is essential to consistently deliver the clubface squarely to the ball. As the great Arnold Palmer once said, “The grip is the crucial junction point from which all the body’s strength and rhythm are transmitted to the club.”

The golf grip is considered a pre-swing principle and carries with it a wide range of personal preferences from which to choose, but there are four keys or common denominators to a championship golf grip that all great players apply.

1. Positioning

“Positioning” refers to the rotational location of the hands on the club. The proper position is best achieved by first allowing your arms to hang somewhat naturally while grasping the club, resulting in a position where the palms of each hand oppose one another or are rotated slightly inward. This resembles the look of praying upside-down. If the hands shift too far to the right or clockwise on the club it would be considered a “strong grip” (closed-face-grip) which encourages a hook, if rotated to far to the left or counterclockwise the opposite would apply or “weak grip” (open-face-grip) which encourages a slice. A desirable position would be one where the upside down V formed between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand (upper hand) points to your chin or right cheek, and the V formed by the lower hand pointing slightly more towards the right shoulder. The opposite would apply for the left-handed player

2. Placement

The upper hand should be placed consistently about 1/2 to 1 inch down the grip from the top or upper end of the club. Position the thumb of the left hand slightly right of center on top of the club; place the thumb of the lower hand on the forward side of the club touching both the club and the tip of the index finger. Also, gripp the club in the fingers of both hands as much as possible as grasping the club into the palm rather than the fingers limits joint wrist flexibility.

3. Grip Pressure

Grip pressure should be a 2 or 3 on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is the tightest possible hold. This light to moderate grip allows for maximum clubhead speed while maintaining club control. Gripping the club too tightly restricts the clubface’s natural rotation and prevents proper wrist hinging, significantly reducing power and leverage in your swing.

4. Grip Options

There are three grip options from which to choose. The most common grip is the overlapping grip or Vardon grip, named after Harry Vardon, where the little finger of the right hand (lower hand) is overtopped and in between the first two fingers of the left hand. The second option is the interlocking grip, where the little finger of the right hand is intertwined with the index finger of the left hand. This adjoining or melding together of the hands with both the Vardon and overlapping grip helps unify the hands and aids in preventing one hand from overpowering the other, resulting in increased distance and consistency. The third option, or the ten-finger grip, sometimes called a baseball grip, is only recommended for very young or physically weak individuals who do not possess adequate strength to otherwise hold and swing the club.

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