When your feet are shoulder-width apart, your body will have the proper mix of rotational ability and balance. These two factors are most significantly affected by how wide your golf stance is. When your feet are more than shoulder width apart, you will have a lot more balance, but it is difficult to rotate and transfer weight properly.
Do my shoulders affect my stance width?
Your shoulders have nothing to do with your stance width unless your legs (and you may be different than me) are attached to your shoulders. I’ll assume they’re not, so that means your shoulders have no bearing on how wide your stance should be.
What is a narrow stance in golf?
In contrast to a wide stance a narrow stance will make it easier for your hips to rotate, or at least it should make it more comfortable to do so. Certain types of shots require a narrower stance still. In order to adopt a very narrow stance you will need to position your feet so that the width of your shoulder dwarfs the distance between them.
How important is stance width in golf swing?
Your other goal with determing proper stance width has to do with impact. The most important part of the golf swing is getting perfectly stacked on the left side at impact so that you can rotate freely.
Does swaying in the golf swing affect your swing?
Because of this you should be careful that swaying is not allowed to creep into your golf swing, a golf swing error that replaces hip rotation with unwanted consequences. In order to adopt a narrow stance you will need to position yourself so that width of your shoulders matches that of your feet.
What is shoulder width apart in golf?
0:483:14Golf Stance - How Wide Should Your Feet Be at Address (Driver, Irons ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe outside width of your shoulders.MoreThe outside width of your shoulders.
Is it better to have a wide or narrow stance in golf?
The widest stance should be taken with your driver, while the narrowest stance should be for putting and chipping. Because not all golfers look the same or have the same height and shoulder width, the stance may be different for each of us.
Why do I hit the golf ball better with a narrow stance?
Narrowing your stance will allow for a better rotation in the back swing, which in turn will allow you to get your arms more around your body at the top, this will give you more chance of approaching the ball with a path to the right.
How wide should your stance be when driving a golf ball?
With the driver, the longest club in the bag, you should aim for a stance width similar to the width of your shoulders. In general, the stronger you are, i.e. the wider your shoulders, the harder you will probably hit a golf ball.
What happens if your golf stance is too wide?
A stance too wide will restrict lower body motion and inhibit weight transfer. This can cause the upper body to become overly active resulting in a slice or pulled shots, like you can see in the image above.
What is the best golf swing for seniors?
2:157:08The Best Swing For Senior Golfers | Simple & Repeatable - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI want to feel like my right shoulder is under promoting more of a draw. And i'm going to feel likeMoreI want to feel like my right shoulder is under promoting more of a draw. And i'm going to feel like the palm of my right hand is more under the grip there too again getting under this club.
Is a wider stance better in golf?
When your stance is wider you have a lower center of gravity. This will make your swing shorter, and therefore will be in better control. When it's windy you will be less likely to be blown off-balance. A wider stance also encourages your hips to stay level throughout the swing.
How wide should your putting stance be?
Find the Proper Stance Width In order to maximize balance and stability, spread your feet out slightly wider than your shoulders during your set-up. The best way to do this is to stand with your feet at shoulder-width apart, then move each foot one to two inches away from each other.
Why do I hit the ball better with my feet together?
Swinging with your feet together forces your weight into a more stable spot, similar to the one-footed putting drill we wrote about recently, improves the bottom of their arc, and only results in a slight loss of distance. “90 percent of players would be better playing with their feet together.
Should hands be in front of ball with driver?
The grip and hands must be in front of the clubhead and ball. Many amateur golfers believe that the grip and clubhead come back to the position they are in during the setup. The hands and grip must move forward before the clubhead in order to properly compress and control the ball.
Should you bend your knees when hitting a driver?
0:244:51How Much Knee Bend Is Needed in Golf - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipRight Steve swing what we see in not a knee bend at the start or knee bend at the start. I'mMoreRight Steve swing what we see in not a knee bend at the start or knee bend at the start. I'm excessively. Better isn't it it gets his chest. Up. Okay yeah I agree.
Is a wider stance better in golf?
When your stance is wider you have a lower center of gravity. This will make your swing shorter, and therefore will be in better control. When it's windy you will be less likely to be blown off-balance. A wider stance also encourages your hips to stay level throughout the swing.
How wide should your putting stance be?
Find the Proper Stance Width In order to maximize balance and stability, spread your feet out slightly wider than your shoulders during your set-up. The best way to do this is to stand with your feet at shoulder-width apart, then move each foot one to two inches away from each other.
What is the correct stance for golf?
Your rear foot should be at right angles to the target line. Your front foot can be angled outwards but only slightly. Knees should be lightly flexed but not bent. Your body weight should be spread 50/50 between your toes and heels as well as 50/50 between your left and right foot for most shots.
How wide should your feet be in golf?
Your feet need to be shoulder width apart, with the weight on the balls of the feet. This will help provide good stability. Stand too narrow and you'll fall over - or subconsciously swing less to stay balanced. Stand too wide, and your body won't be as free to strike the ball powerfully.
How does lowering your center of gravity affect your swing?
Another effect of lowering your center of gravity is that it tends to lower the bottom of the swing arc. This in turn can lead to greater odds of hitting fat shots – where the club penetrates the ground before making impact with the ball.
Why is stability important in golf?
This gain in stability is particularly helpful in very windy days, allowing you to confidently go about your swing without fear of falling off balance. It is also helpful whenever your feet are on a sidehill, again helping you maintain balance.
What is a very narrow stance?
Very Narrow Stance. Certain types of shots require a narrower stance still. In order to adopt a very narrow stance you will need to position your feet so that the width of your shoulder dwarfs the distance between them.
Why should shoulders line up with feet?
Because this is the default athletic position in golf in can be used for most ‘normal’ shots. Erring away from that position is done in order to achieve specific objectives or ...
What is the best way to use a chip in golf?
As such, it is best used with very delicate shots that require the smallest of swing amplitudes. For example, small chips from tight lies can be best performed with such a stance while a long drive will almost see you losing your footing in the process of executing your swing.
How are your feet positioned relative to each other?
In addition to how they are positioned relative to the ball, your feet can also vary in how they are positioned relative to each other and specifically the distance between them. Indeed, they can be placed very near one another in a narrow stance or they can be placed far from each other in a wide stance.
What does a wide stance look like?
Specifically, a good wide stance sees the outside of your shoulders line up with the inside of your feet.
What Golf Stance Width is Right for You?
You can find it ideally like this. I want to be able to take a normal stride when walking. Here would be my normal stride, I am going to stop and turn my feet. That is a normal stride for me and what you will find is that all my joints are aligned: shoulder, knee and ankle joint. That gives us the most athletic, stable function. If I get too wide then I am in a brace position with my pelvic girdle and it makes it difficult to turn. I actually have to go way back to my right off of my center to make a turn.
Why is the width of your stance important?
Benchmarking the basics, now the width of your stance is tremendously important to have a repetitive golf swing. Your feet give you balance, support and stability and it is one of the connections that you have to the ground. Ground reaction forces and how you use the ground greatly effect your ability to strike the ball a long distance ...
What is a golf swing?
In summary, a golf swing is an athletic motion and our stance should be athletic as well. We bow forward toward the ball to prepare for a swing along an inclined plane. Be sure to maintain a relatively straight, stable spine as this is the axis around which everything rotates. Stay balanced with weight evenly distributed from toes to heels ...
Why is posture important in golf?
Posture is an important and often overlooked fundamental in the game of golf. Contrary to what most non-golfers might believe, we are making a very athletic motion. It’s important to prepare yourself in terms of balance and stance just like any other athlete. You should feel comfortable, agile, and in perfect balance before the start ...
What happens if you flex your knees during a golf swing?
You should feel sturdy, stable, and grounded. Too much flex in the knees will lead to improper posture and leg action throughout the swing. On the other hand, insufficient flex or locked knees will cause restriction and a loss of power. Weight Distribution.
Why is it important to lean forward?
As you lean forward, your head shouldn’t drop down, but remain neutral, and it’s obviously important to maintain balance. To avoid falling over, as our shoulders come forward, our backside moves backwards towards our heels to serve as a counterbalance.
How to get your golf club back in your body?
Take the club away from your spine and bring your hands back around in front of your body. Head and Chin Position. The finishing touch to the perfect spine position is to keep your chin up. With the chin in your chest, your spine will be in a curved position and body rotation will be difficult. Addressing the Ball.
Should your center of gravity be placed forward of your stance?
Your center of gravity should never be placed forward of the center of your stance if possible. This allocation of your weight will enable a simple turn and shift “behind the ball” on the backswing. Tilt of the Spine. Think of the spine as the axis around which body rotation and the entire golf swing takes place.
How to get a good stance on a golf ball?
For a right-handed golfer, we are going to suggest using a method of putting your left foot into position first, then placing your right foot for every single shot. When done correctly, this technique makes it easy to get into a good stance over the ball, and you’ll be able to adjust the width of your stance based on the club in your hands.
Why is stance width important?
Using the proper stance width allows you to maintain balance throughout the swing
Where to drop your right foot in golf?
Now that the club and your left foot are set, the last step is to drop your right foot out to the right at the appropriate spot. This is the part that takes practice. Most likely, you’ll want to set that right foot just outside of your right shoulder to create a solid base. However, you can experiment with this on the range to find where the right stance width is for you. With enough repetitions, you should get a feel for that stance, and it will become easy to repeat.
How far apart should you stand when driving a car?
For anything longer than a wedge, you will likely want to stand with your feet a little farther apart than shoulder width, especially for a driver which requires a stance that can accommodate the powerful turn.
What is the game of golf made of?
The game of golf is made up of countless little pieces. The results you get on the course are really the sum of how well you are able to bring those little pieces together.
How to move your left foot in soccer?
As you approach the ball, place your driver head on the ground behind the ball and move your left foot into position for the stance. The ball should roughly be lined up with the inside of your left foot, although that is somewhat flexible from player to player.
Can you use one stance width for all shots?
Complicating this discussion is the fact that you won’t be able to use one single stance width for all of your shots. In fact, you will find yourself changing the width of your stance constantly from shot to shot, all day long. But don’t worry, because with a basic understanding of how stance width works, you’ll be well on the path to a more consistent golf swing. So let’s dive in!
What does it mean when your shoulders turn on an axis?
Your shoulders turn on an axis, which means their natural state is to tilt. When they stop tilting, you’re distorting that axis, and that’s when things start to go wrong.
Is it good to turn on the backswing?
When it comes to backswing turn, we’ve collectively fallen into that trap. Most golfers know that turning on the backswing is good — because it is! — but they often leave out an important part: They need to tilt, too. Turning and tilting; that’s the formula for a good backswing. If you try to just turn, it’ll be a disaster that probably ends in a big slice.
Is golf complicated?
Golf is so complicated, it’s often better for golfers to try to make things simpler. But every now and again, we make things a little too simple, and what started as some well-intentioned advice actually ends up making golfers worse.
Can you overdo everything in golf?
But just because 36 degrees is the average, that doesn’t mean it’s the limit, Clearwater says. You can overdo everything in golf, but tilting is one of the moves that’s harder to overdo than others.
What happens if your stance is too narrow?
Conversely, if your stance is too narrow, your lower body becomes way too active — good for the dance floor but not when you’re looking to catch shots solid on the course. An overactive lower body throws off your timing and balance.
What happens if you set up too wide?
Here’s what happens: If you set up too wide at address, you’re going to have a doozy of a time opening your hips through impact and transferring your weight to your lead side , especially if you’re not as flexible or athletic as you used to be.
Should you put your feet in the correct position before starting the club back?
It should never happen in the first place, because let’s be honest: Setting your feet in the correct position before you start the club back is probably the easiest thing you can do in this game. After 30 years of teaching, I’m still amazed how most recreational golfers choose to ignore fundamentals such as stance width.
Rather than trying to pull
Rather than trying to pull the right shoulder back, try letting the right elbow droop. It will put a little more tilt in your shoulders at address, which is fine, but it will also help ensure that your shoulders are square to your line.
Surge you are looking great
Surge you are looking great and trim! Your nutrition/exercise program is obviously working. You are a great demonstration of the effectiveness of the program.
Steve, maybe we are related,
Steve, maybe we are related, My mother was a Smith and I do, although a bit fuzzily, remember her cracking one of those wooden salad spoons over my head once. Thankfully, once it was broken she couldn't allow the rest of the set to hang on the kitchen wall so I never got to know Mr. Fork in such an intimate manner.
Or, as Surge suggests often
Or, as Surge suggests often and several of us do, keep a notebook in your bag with important reminders, swing thoughts, etc. You could also use the mnemonic Roy Reed uses (I don't know at this point if he made it up or got it from Surge or someone else) GBSAPS Grip, Ball position, Stance, Alignment, Posture, Swing.
Sounds like it's time to
Sounds like it's time to crack out the video Philip. My last filming (done by my wife) revealed some ungly stuff I didn't feel I was doing. The camera doesn't lie.My guess is you can't be vertical right now. Gotta be yanking hard left in your follow through and certainly through impact. Again the video will tell you alot.ÃÂ Let us know.
R2, if memory serves me
R2, if memory serves me correctly in the bonus videos, Not sure if it's the set-up one or the one on the fus. Surge and DJ also cover this with Surge making the comment of "liking DJ's soft and rounded right shoulder" and spent some time on how much the right is below the left with the various clubs.
Good stuff Robert. I liked
Good stuff Robert. I liked that last reminder too, not too peak again at the target because we will often tend to open up those shoulders again.