Feet and Shoulder Alignment

• Posted on Grant
• in Golf Fundamentals, Golf Set-up
• on February 21, 2014
• Comments Off on Feet and Shoulder Alignment

Aligning your feet and shoulders is the easiest way to consistently address the ball with your shoulders parallel to the target line. Some experienced golfers play with their feet a little open or closed at address, but all great golfers make sure to square their shoulders to the target line at set-up.

If you are a beginner golfer, I advise setting up to the ball with square feet: It will save you from making the shoulder alignment mistakes mentioned below.The most common alignment mistake that I see in my lessons is when the golfer sets up with shoulders open and feet closed to the target line. (For the right-handed golfer, open means pointing left and closed means pointing right.)

This set-up of open shoulders and closed feet will cause a weak slice to the right if the golfer’s forearms don’t rotate through impact. If the forearms do rotate through impact this set-up of closed feet and open shoulders will cause a big pull to the left.Closed shoulders and closed feet point to the right of the target for the right-handed golfer. I have noticed that most golfers who set up this way usually do so because they do not take a last look at the target before they swing.

If you stay in your golf posture and turn your head to look at the target, you will see too much of your left shoulder out of your peripheral vision when your shoulders are closed to the target line.Open feet and open shoulders both point to the left of the target for the right-handed golfer. Golfers who set up this way are usually guarding against a big slice to the right. However, this set-up just tends to make the slice worse.

Next time you are on the golf course, take out your phone and have one of your friends snap a picture of you when you are getting ready to swing. Make sure they stand directly behind you like the vantage point in the pictures above. When you look at the picture you will be able to use the information above to diagnose and fix any alignment flaws you may have. Happy aligning!

GB