4 Ways You Can Instantly Improve Your Golf Stance - Clarkes Golf

4 Ways You Can Instantly Improve Your Golf Stance

Want to take your game of golf to the next level?

Whilst there are several aspects you need to work on to build a top-quality swing – including your balance and grip – your stance is one of the most important. If you position your feet properly over the ball, there’s a good chance you’ll hit a decent shot.

A stance that’s too narrow will restrict you from generating a powerful swing, not to mention make it hard for you to stay on two feet without wobbling. If your stance is overly wide, you may struggle to shift your body weight during the swing – resulting in a sway which affects your power, timing and ball strike.

As they say, a little goes a long way. So, take the time to work on your stance and the results will soon speak for themselves.

Here Clarkes’ Golf Centre offer a few tips to help you perfect your golf stance.

 

1.    Check the width of your stance

Your legs build your stance, so you need to make sure they are positioned correctly.

Ideally, they need to be shoulder-width apart for iron shots, with your knees flexed a little to provide a solid base. When using longer clubs (i.e. fairway woods and drivers), you’ll need to widen your footing slightly. And for short irons or wedges, bring your legs in by no more than an inch or two.

Your arms shouldn’t be too close to your body, but at the same time, you don’t want to be too far away from the ball.

 

2.    Pay attention to the position of your feet

Though your legs form the basis of your stance, the position of your feet also plays a crucial part in your ability to swing the club.

Avoid pointing your toes at too much of an angle. Your front foot should angle outward slightly towards your target whilst your back foot remains at a 90-degree angle to the target line.

Making sure your feet are in the right place (and your toes pointing in the correct direction) will improve your flexibility and body rotation speed, allowing you to swing your club with more power and accuracy.

 

3.    Practice drills to improve your balance

The proper golf stance requires you to distribute weight evenly between your heels and toes.

Too much weight on your toes could lead to the shank, which is one of the worst (and most embarrassing) shots in golf. Applying too much pressure on the heels will cause the ball to curve either left or right (otherwise known as pulls and hooks).

For middle iron shots, the weight should be even on both feet. With shorter golf clubs, try to apply a little more weight to the target-side foot. And when using longer golf clubs, shift more weight onto your back foot.

Concentrating on your balance and transferring your weight between your heels and toes will improve the angle of your backswing and ultimately shave strokes off your scores.

 

4.    Focus on your posture

Poor back posture can lead to all sorts of injuries, as well as inconsistent ball striking, which is not ideal if you’re looking to improve your performance on the golf course.

To achieve the perfect stance and achieve longer drives, you want the spine to be as straight as possible. It shouldn’t curve and your shoulders shouldn’t be slumped.

When you prepare to take your shot, your upper spine, knees and the balls of your feet should all line up with each other. Never bend at the waist – always use your hips and don’t be afraid to stick your bottom out.

 

Still struggling to perfect your stance?

Whilst all of the above should help you improve your stance instantly, there are a couple of things you may also consider doing…

Investing in a new pair of golf shoes may seem a little odd, but you’d be surprised how much difference they can make to your game. Having comfortable footwear with a solid grip will prevent your feet from sliding throughout your swing.

It’s important to note that the clubs in your golf bag are different lengths, and your stance will vary accordingly. If you’re guilty of slicing the ball, or you’ve been playing with hand-me-down clubs for years, it’s worth arranging a custom club fitting. This way, you can get a feel for the different types of clubs available and determine which works best for you.

If you have any further questions about correcting your stance in golf, or you’d like to know more about the products we stock here at Clarkes’ Golf Centre, talk to the team today.