Winter Check-up

The winter is a great time to incorporate changes into your game. Here are set-up keys you can practice now and use when the weather warms up.

Forward Bending
Tour players average 34 degree forward bend from the hip joints. What is your forward bend?

Side Bending
Tour players average 9 degree of side bending away from the target. If you play right handed, your right hand fits below your left, which drops your right shoulder and tilts your spine away from the target.

Shoulder Alignment
Tour players average 5 degree open to the target. Most golfers will have their shoulders even more open. If you slice the ball, set up with your shoulders square to the target. If you are not sure about your shoulder alignment, check your forearms. Imagine a board laying across your forearms being parallel to the target line.

Ball Position
Tour players average 3 inches forward of their sternum. With the proper side bending, the ball should be forward of your sternum. This allows the club to square up before impact.

Preshot Plan
Tour players have a preshot routine they execute before each shot. What's yours? Here's mine.
Once I've chosen the type of shot and the club I want to use I do the following;
1. Face the target with the ball between me and my target.
2. Choose an aiming point. My aiming point is usually a distant point. If your dominant eye is farthest from the target, use an aiming point close to your ball.
3. Place my hands on the grip.
4. Walk up to the ball, bend over from the hip joints, and place the club behind the ball, aiming the club face at the target.
5. While looking at my target, move my feet and settle into my stance.
6. Double check the aim of my club face.
7. At all times during my preshot routine, something is moving. It is either shuffling my feet, waggling the club or checking my target. Once I stop moving, I begin to swing the club.
This entire routine takes about 10 seconds.

Feel free to personalize it to focus on areas you struggle with, being careful not to make it more complicated (or slower) than necessary. Rehearse your routine until it becomes second nature.

Thanks,
Mike