After you ’ve aimed your shot and you know where you want your ball to go, you need to properly stand next to your ball so as to get the best possible outcome from your swing. This means you need to perfect your stance. Don’t be fooled into thinking that a welldefined stance is not necessary for your swing. While it is true that you can watch a dozen professional golfers and see a
dozen different stances, there is one crucial thing they all have in common: they are consistent in their style.Over time you will develop your own signature stance. But you cannot perfect something until you know you are doing it correctly in the first place. There are three areas you will need to balance before you swing: your feet, your upper body and your knees.
Your stance will begin with your feet. There are two things for you to consider: how far apart they are and how they are angled towards the target. When considering how far apart your feet should be, your toes should first be perpendicular to the target line. Next, draw an imaginary line from your shoulders to the ground and note the following:
• For wedges: the outside of your feet should be touching the lines.
• For middle irons: the center of your feet should be right on the lines.
• For your driver: your insteps should be touching the lines.
• In other words: the longer the club, the further apart the feet.
When creating your stance, keep in mind that you should not be standing with your feet too wide. Your feet should never be wider than how you naturally walk. When your feet are too wide, you will lose the ability to coil your body around during your backswing and that will subsequently lead to a loss in power.
Once you have your feet the perfect width apart, you will first bend forward slightly from your hips so that your club hits its position on the ground parallel to the ball. Next, slightly bend your knees so that your weight is situated at the middle of your feet (not your toes or heels).
This is your ready position. This position is a perfect balance. Bend your knees too much and your upper body will be too upright, and your body will not be able to coil as much as you need to.
Now a word on Posture: Your back should be fairly straight. If you cannot be perfectly straightened while still remaining relaxed, then find the straightest
position possible while not feeling too much tension in the back. Your elbow that is closest to the target does not bend during the golf swing until the ball has already been struck.
As you take the club back, your body will turn on the axis of your back leg while your head stays in the same position. Don’t make an effort to keep your head frozen in place, or you will tense up. Let your head move a little because it is reacting to your body’s movement.