Here are some of the many “Traditional Misconceptions” that are still being taught today:
1. Setup with your weight on the balls of your feet.
– This is out of balance and a weak non-athletic position. The body does not like to be out of balance and will try to “Right” itself during the swing. If you setup in balance, square to gravity (Athletically), you will be much more relaxed and consistent.
2. Waggle the club to relax.
– This is a non-productive, anxious movement getting the hands ready to be used for the takeaway and to hit at the ball. This undermines the large muscle concept that uses the shoulders for the takeaway and the hips and body to turn through to the finish. The ball is trapped at impact with the whole body, not hit at with the hands.
3. Shift your weight to the back foot.
– This is not what happens in a powerful takeaway and backswing. In a more efficient swing, the shoulders wind around the spine, while restricting the lower body for torque and potential. If you slide, or shift your weight back, you will never be consistent in returning back to the ball… For every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction. Slide on the takeaway, you will slide even more through impact. Lose this variable and you will improve IMMEDIATELY!
4. Play the ball in the middle of your stance.
– The radius of the swing is a line down your front arm in line with the shaft to the end of the club. The longest point of this radius, along the swing arc, is below your front shoulder down to the ground. Any farther back and the club goes right into the ground, or you have to lift up, or what most do, is flip their wrists at impact and cut the radius in half as to not hurt themselves. When you learn to turn through impact, you will naturally pick up the ball just inside the front foot for almost all shots (Driver different). What changes from club to club (Ben Hogan) is the back foot relationship to the inside the front foot ball position. In other words, as the clubs get shorter, the back foot comes in closer to the front foot (not the ball moving back). THE BALL IN THE MIDDLE FORCES YOU TO FLIP AND NOT TURN.
5. Setup with the shaft of the club 90 degrees to your spine.
– If you look at impact of the best golfers it is a straight line down the front arm, through the shaft to the ball. The shaft must be leading slightly. This angle is what creates a divot (Not hitting down on it) it happens naturally if you turn. So… if you setup this the shaft pointing at your spine (belly) this is weak and broken and will have to be fixed during the swing to get to the straight line at impact. Also, this broken setup of the wrists, is pre-flipped and will force you to flip again at impact thus, cutting the radius in half and the body stops rotating (not good). Answer… setup with the shaft in line with the front arm.