Your golf stance is critical to hitting good shots. If your feet are too far apart at address, you can’t turn your hips and shoulders properly. If your feet are too close together, you can’t generate sufficient leverage and power to hit the ball long. You’ll almost certainly be out of balance as well. Neither situation lends itself to consistent ball striking.
Below are five checkpoints for assuming a rock solid golf stance:
• Make sure your heels are the right width apart
• Position your hands even with the ball
• Bend your knees slightly
• Square the clubface to the target
• Lift your chin up and away from your chest
Your stance’s width depends on the club used—the longer the club used the wider the stance while the shorter the club used the narrower the stance.
You’ll need a fairly wider stance when hitting the driver—the longest club in the bag. A wider stance provides a solid base from which to strike the ball.
When hitting a driver, make sure you spread your heels so the inside of your heels are about shoulder width apart, you bend your knees slightly, and you square your clubface to the target.
Also make sure your chin is up and away from your chest, your back is bent for-ward from your hips, and your hands are even with the ball. Position the ball just inside your front heel.
This setup increases your chances of striking the ball at the correct angle of at-tack and on the right swing path.
You’ll need a similar but narrower stance when hitting a wedge. That’s because the demands of keeping your balance aren’t as great as with the driver.
When hitting a wedge, make sure the outsides of your heels are about shoulder length apart, your hands are ahead of the ball, and your front shoulder is slightly higher than your back shoulder. Otherwise, your stance is similar to that when hitting a driver.
Somewhere in between lies the ideal width of golf stance for every other club. Trial and error will tell you what feels most comfortable.
