Golf Stance Tips
By Robert Partain
Many newer golfers (and a few older ones, too) have a tendency
to misalign themselves when they take their stance. Normally,
what they will do is aim way right of the target and they
do this for a reason. Players who are misaligned from the
get go and aim right are usually players who try to swing
with their arms. When they do this the ball will almost always
take off to the left. So what they are doing with this "right
side" target trick is trying to fix a problem before it even
happens!
In theory, this shouldn't be a problem...but this is not
theory, it's golf. When an "arm swinger" forces his ball back
on the fairway by overcompensating his alignment, he thinks
he's doing himself a favor. But on those occasions when he
actually makes a good, solid full body swing, his ball zips
off into the trees on the right or into a right side bunker
and he gets mad, and what's worse is that by using this misaligning
method he's never going to reach his full potential as a golfer.
These players need to work on the basics of their swing,
using their body as a whole and not just their arms. But they
also need to know what their alignment is.
So how can you (or anyone else for that matter) see what
your alignment is to the target?
Well, here's a simple and very effective tip to determine
what your target alignment really is.
Take a stance (your usual stance), aim at a target that you
would hit at, and then lay a club down on the ground from
toe to toe. Now step back about 8 or 10 paces behind the ball
and club that you laid down and sight down the club. Sighting
down this club will reveal your alignment.
If the club is a bit left of the target, then you're fine.
But if it's to the right of the target, you are out of alingment.
Simple but effective.
If you discover that you are out of alignment (that the club
on the ground is pointing to the right of the target) then
you need to work on squaring up your stance.
Being square to the target is one of the most important tips
in golf. Every ball you hit will be effected by this stance--either
in a good way or (if you're in a misaligned stance) a bad
way. It really is that simple.
Now when you are certain that you are in a square stance,
hit a few balls. If the ball goes way left of the target,
you know you are pulling it by trying to use too much of your
arms. If the ball goes way right, you know you are allowing
your body to slide too much through impact.
By being in a square stance and evaluating a few practice
shots, you can determine a lot about your swing and those
areas that you need to work on.
About the Author Robert Partain has been an avid golfer
for over 40 years. He publishes a golf blog that is updated
4 times a week with golf tips, techniques, and information
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