Your settings are all there is to everything we can or cannot do in the golf swing.
If you’re set up in a way that doesn’t work for what you want to do, you have no chance from the moment you stand in your ready position.
Look at how much attention tour players pay to this aspect of the game, they are always adjusting their preparation, whether it’s their aim, grip or posture.
They’ll be in a hotel room with their crutches on the floor, looking at a long mirror and just adjusting their setting.
It could be the position of the ball, it could be the position of the handle, how close they are to the golf ball, they make sure all those little things are right.
Putting yourself in a good, solid preparation position will allow you to perform movements more similar to what you are trying to do, helping you create more positive results.
mirror work
Practice indoors in front of a long mirror so you can see the entire pose from your face, then you can look sideways and below the target line.
You can put sticks on the ground and golf balls on the carpet so you can come in and fix the problem. You can use a screwdriver, you can use a wedge, it doesn’t matter.
These are some key points to check. Practice walking into and assuming a ready position, making sure your stance isn’t too wide, your feet aren’t too straight, and your feet are slightly spread so you can rotate your lower body more easily.
Make sure your pelvis is tilted, and don’t try to have your back too straight and your shoulders locked back, or your arms too far away from your torso and hanging off your shoulders as you bend forward.
head movement
You want to keep your head steady throughout the swing, not stationary. It has to move because the swing has a swivel so there is some movement, but some people are just obsessed with keeping their heads still or down.
From there, they force themselves to stop spinning right because they’re so obsessed with what their mind is or isn’t doing. Therefore, keeping their head still and keeping their posture high may better allow them to focus.
A good tip for your head position is to keep your eyes looking at the ball rather than looking down at your nose.
If your chin isn’t tucked in, but your head is in a slightly more natural position as you bend forward, your face will be more toward the ball’s target line instead of trying to look down at it. When you try to keep your head still, you feel tension in your neck.
foot
Some people believe that you need to draw a straight line across your toes, which will help with your alignment. No. You should spread your feet to around 20-25° as this will help your knees to be at a slightly different angle and your hips can then rotate more freely. So use the line of your big toe instead of the front of the shoe to draw the alignment line.
About Ged Walters
Ged is a Golf Monthly Top 50 instructor and one of the top instructors in the Northwest. For more tips follow Ged on Instagram – gedwaltersgolf
Read next: The Art of the Pre-Shot Routine: How to Get Everything Ready Before Your Full Swing
