I received this comment and question and it will help you all…
I’m a new member, 66, retired and golfing just two 1/2 years. After many frustrations with video tips and personal instruction, I’m glad I discovered your site. Your no nonsense instruction is really refreshing. After just one month of practice, I’ve dropped my scores 5 to 10 strokes. I have confidence in correcting and understanding my swing and my ball striking is improved.
As a result, playing and practicing golf for me is more interesting, relaxing and fun.
Would you please clarify for me: Does a slightly open stance mean that my feet are slightly flared outward or does it mean that my back foot is placed slightly forward at address?
Much thanks to you… Jim
ross says:
July 25, 2011
I am happy to hear you are improving. The slightly open stance actually occurs naturally, when the shaft is in line with the front arm at setup. I discovered that by keeping an athletic approach to setup. If you start with the shaft in line with your front arm, elbows towards each other, then let that template just hang down on your chest, you are perfectly aligned… now we need to get that over to the ball and on our target. This is where most golfers lose it (setup). If you maintain the relationship we have with the arms, club, shoulders and hips, and while keeping that all connected, walk over to the ball and use your feet to line up the club face then just sit down athletically, YOU ARE IN PERFECT POSITION READY TO HIT. You did all the setup before you walked over to the ball. If you look at your toe line at this point, it will be slightly open to the target line. Kind of like if you were standing on a disc and it rotated slightly open. This is OKAY! The ball will still go straight. This is very similar to a baseball player, most have an open stance and still hit straight out of the park. The golf swing is a rotary movement (not linear). This is much more difficult to explain than to just do and enjoy the result… Ross