Are you looking for tips from a golf pro? Nick Pelle is one of Minnesota’s top golf pros. I work with him at GolfTec in Minnetonka, MN. I’ve spent a lot of time at GolfTec and Nick’s clients love him. Here is a great article that he wrote for my golfers. He can be reached at 952-546-1423
A good golf swing begins with a good address position. Even so, I see so many people come in for lessons with poor address positions. Fortunately, a little practice at home or in the office in front of a mirror will help you break your old bad habits and form new good ones.
Of all the golfers I see, I generally see the same three set up mistakes. The first of these mistakes is open shoulders at address. If you slice the ball, you may feel that lining up to the left will allow your slice room to work to the middle of the fairway. However, this is not the case, and in fact, you are setting up to hit an even bigger slice! Through our research, we have found that the tour players set their shoulder only 5 degrees open, but I've seen golfers set their shoulders as much as 30 degrees open at address. That's going to be a big slice.
The second mistake I often see is a poor posture. Golfers slump over themselves like they are watching TV on their sofa, rather than trying to hit a golf ball. Having a straight back at address is essential for providing power, balance and control for the rest of the golf swing. Read more here for information on injuries involving golf. https://www.activefamilychiropractic.com/post/back-pain-and-pinched-nerve-pain-during-golf
Finally, the last flaw in most golfers address positions is a poor stance. Most golfers have their stance either open to their target (to the left for right-handed golfers) or closed (to the right for right-handed golfers) with either their feet too close together or too far apart.
Dont worry, help is on the way. For starters, practice at home for about 5 minutes per day in front of a mirror with a club down along your foot line, and your new address position will become comfortable before you know it.
First, take your stance. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart for a 5-iron. Your right foot should be at a 90-degree angle to your target line, and your left foot should be slightly flared open toward your target about a quarter turn, or about 20 degrees. This will prevent you from over turning on your backswing, and will promote a proper hip turn and post up on your left leg at impact. Next, take your posture. Make sure you bend from the hips, not the waist. Bending from the waist causes a hunched back. It should feel you are sticking your butt out. This will allow your arms to hang straight down from your shoulders. Where your arms hang is where you will grip the golf club. Finally, work on aligning your shoulders parallel to the club and tilt your spine slightly away from your target. The feeling I like to achieve is my right eye over my right knee.
Now you are in a position that the pros would love!
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