Golf Swing Step 2 - Addressing the Ball and Stance

The golf stance is second only to the grip in order of Golf fundamental importance.

Addressing the Ball. The player begins the address from behind the ball, looking down the target line. As the player approaches the ball, the clubhead is placed immediately behind the ball, squarely on the target line. At this point, the right elbow is tucked in toward the body to promote a unified movement of arms and body during the swing.

The golf stance is second only to the grip in order of fundamental importance. No matter how well the club is gripped or the ball is struck, it is not likely to go in the intended direction unless the shot is aimed correctly. The stance is the primary vehicle for aiming and, unfortunately, creates frequent errors among beginners and veterans alike.

The basic square stance involves spreading the feet about the width of the shoulders with the toes of the shoes positioned parallel to the target line. Be sure not to spread the feet too wide, as this will inhibit the body turn during the swing. On the other hand. if the feet are too close together, the stability of the stance and swing will be reduced. Although the right foot is typically placed square to the target line, it is permissible to angle the left foot as much as 30-45 degrees toward the target in order to facilitate turning the body as the club is swung through to the target. Whether the left foot is placed square to the target line or angled, it should remain stable at that angle throughout the swing and not slide around. Golf shoes are helpful in this regard.

The weight of the body should be focused on the insteps of the feet, slightly toward the balls of the feet. This will encourage lateral stability and a slight forward lean during the swing. Te alternatives would be to allow the weight of the body to roll over to the outsides of the feet, which would result in swaying during the swing; or to have the weight out on the toes or back on the heels, which might interfere with the power, tempo and plane of the swing.

Important variations to the square stance include the open stance, which involves pulling the left foot, hip, and shoulder back slightly from their positions parallel to the target line; and the closed stance, which involves pulling the right foot, hip, and shoulder back slightly from their positions parallel to the target line. The functions of the open and closed stances will be discussed in fading and drawing the ball in next session.