Setting the right posture is essential so that we are able to maintain our height and balance throughout the golf swing. We also need to ensure that we align our body correctly to ensure we can hit the golf ball down our target line.
Along with aim, grip, posture, alignment and ball position which will conclude the five fundamentals, it is important that you understand that it’s essential that you spend time practicing them, until you need not think about them before making your swing!
Firstly we need to aim the clubhead at the target. Hold the club with your right hand and aim the club face at the target, now take hold of the club correctly.
To find good posture we need to position our feet. Place them shoulder width apart, your feet should be pointing outwards. Imagine a clock face, your toes should be pointing at: -
Left foot eleven o’clock and right foot one o’clock .
Once your feet are in a comfortable position lift the club off the ground and stand upright. Keeping your legs straight, we need to bow from your torso until you feel that your arms are hanging down (A good check point is that your hands are hanging directly below your chin)
Your weight wants to feel as though it’s on the balls of your feet.
Finally we need to have a slight bend in the knees, then to help straighten the lower back just push your bottom out. Applying the correct angle with your back allows the body to rotate properly whilst making a golf swing.
Your left arm, hand and clubhead can be joined together by an imaginary straight line with your right hand positioned just inside your left thigh. You should always feel comfortable and balanced when setting up to hit the golf ball.
Good alignment means positioning you body parallel with the ball to target line. Before setting up to hit a shot make sure that the clubface is aiming at the ball to target line.
Now we need to align the body parallel to this line, try to imagine a line running across the tips of your big toes, this should be running parallel to the ball to target line. Your feet, hips and shoulders should all be parallel to the ball to target line.
You may get the feeling that the body is aiming slightly left of the target, but remember that it’s the clubhead that hits the golf ball. Always make sure that your shoulders are parallel with the ball to target line so helping towards a perfect swing.
Aligning your shoulders with the targets is a common fault, this makes you aim right of the intended target. This is caused when you try to look at the target over the top of your left shoulder, to avoid this happening rotate your head rather than lifting your head.
Always remember to check that your clubface is aiming down the ball to target line, this is vitally important!
A good drill to practice your alignment…
Place two clubs on the ground, one to represent the ball to target line and the other to align your feet to make sure that your feet, knees, hips and shoulders are all parallel to the golf club in front of your toes.
