The Golf Swing - My Seven Step Checklist - Step 2 - The Set Up

To quote a line from Ed Norton, Step up, plant your feet firmly, and address the ball- Hello Ball" For all of you Honeymooner fans out there, I'm sure you will recall that this was Eds' direction to Ralph in the famous Honeymooner Golf Episode, which is one of my all time favorites. In order to prepare for the golf swing, the set up is where you will step up to the ball, place your feet in position and address the ball, so Ed was pretty accurate in his direction to Ralph, except of course for the Hello Ball part.

After the ball is set on the tee, step back and Relax". The next step is to position your body in relation to the ball. The proper alignment to the target is key to accuracy in the set up. As noted in a tip in Step 1 of My Seven Step Checklist, you should choose an intermediate target directly in front of you and in line with the golf ball and your intended landing area. Once you have selected your spot the next step is to take your stance parallel to that line. Note: To practice aligning correctly to the target two clubs can be placed on the ground - One will be placed adjacent the golf ball and will be pointing directly in line with the ball, your intermediate spot and the landing or target area. The other will be placed in parallel to the first but at the area where your feet will be placed. Once you practice for a while utilizing this method you should acquire a feel for the correct alignment technique. (Note: The set up can be performed with the feet and body positioned open or closed, in other words, out of alignment to the target line which will allow the golfer to work the ball left or right depending on the set up of the golf hole. This is done deliberately to promote the left to right or right to left ball movement. It is also a technique employed by the more experienced player and is not recommended for the beginning golfer). After you have established your line, the next step is the placement of your feet. When I take my stance, I like to place my right foot almost perpindicular or turned slightly to the right of perpindicular to target line and my left foot is angled about 45 degrees left of a perpindicular line toward the target ( Note: the information provided is meant for the right handed golfer and should be reversed for those left handed). The distance between my feet is approximately shoulder width, especially for the driver. This allows for stability in the stance, which is important in maintaining good balance thru out the swing. As you take your stance the knees should be bent slightly and the upper body should be tilted forward a bit at the waist. The head should be kept upright so the chin does not impede the backswing and shoulder turn, which will be addressed in the next step. As the body tilts slightly forward at the waist and you have taken your grip ( as discussed in Step 1), make sure you allow your hands to fall in a relaxed position almost directly below your line of sight if you looked straight down - not too far or too close to your body. I would estimate the hands and club to be approximately six to eight inches away from the body, depending on your height, if done correctly.

I will again emphasize the importance of "Relaxing" for the set up and the entire golf swing. I don't mean to the point of falling asleep, but there should be no tension in the body, especially the arms, shoulders and legs. This will promote a much better tempo and allow the speed of the swing and the club to do the work, which in turn will produce much better results. Since all golfers are different in stature and ability, they may utilize a variation on the ideology noted above. This information is derived from personal knowledge and over 30 years of experience of playing golf and I would hope it would be helpful to the majority of golfers. There is nothing like practice and experience for learning the correct way to swing a golf club. In order for the practice to be efficient and your ability to improve you must have the basic foundation in place for the proper swing, playing techniques and strategies of the game. Learn The Right Way". Happy Golfing To All!