Golf Pre-Swing Fundamentals

Category: Wellness
Published: September 2007

Establishing the correct fundamentals at setup is one of the most critical but often overlooked aspects of the game by recreational players. It is usually the last thing a poor golfer thinks about or concentrates on and the first thing a good golfer will endeavor to master. Underestimating the importance of having a good grip, an athletic posture, and correct alignment can make playing the game considerably more difficult.

Let's take a look at these three basic "Pre-Swing" elements:

The grip is one of the most important fundamentals in golf. A poor grip robs you of distance by not allowing your wrists to function properly. It also makes it difficult to square the clubs face at impact without overworking the upper body, which would typically result in an over-the-top, or outside-in downswing. A poor grip also makes it difficult to set the hands at the top of the swing. Typical results of a poor wrist set are either a restricted back swing, a collapsed left arm that reduces swing width and power, or a tilting of the spine towards the target in an effort to swing the club back far enough. All of these problems can be overcome by simply holding the club properly.

Most players should feel as if they hold the grip in the fingers of their left hand. (Reverse for lefties). The butt end of the club should be positioned under the pad of the hand by the little finger. (Not the thumb pad!) You should be able to hold the club out at waist height and feel upward pressure on this pad. The left thumb should lie on the right center of the grip. The lifeline of your right hand should be placed over the left thumb hiding it from view. This should place your right hand fingers on the club and reduce the tendency to grip the club in the palm. The little finger of the right hand can overlap, interlock, or lie next to the index finger of the left hand. When looking down at your grip you should see 2-3 knuckles of your left hand. You should not be able to see your left thumb and the "V" created by your right thumb and index finger should point somewhere between your right ear and right shoulder. This grip may feel quite awkward at first, but with a little practice should become second nature. Your hands and wrists will now be able to function in the proper manner, resulting in longer, straighter shots, with considerably less effort.

Posture is the second pre-swing fundamental and is critical to an efficient and effective golf swing. Poor posture puts a player in recovery mode before the swing even starts; even the best players in the world would have a difficult time swinging the club effectively if placed in a fundamentally poor starting position. To accomplish good posture, start by tilting forward from the hips with the knees slightly flexed. This allows the hands to hang freely down from the shoulders without tension and not extend out from the body. Looking from behind the player and down the target line, the spine, although tilted, remains straight, while the ball of the right foot, the right kneecap, the back of the right shoulder and the bottom of the collar are vertically aligned. Weight should be evenly balanced both left to right and back to front. Your stance should feel and look athletic, balanced and ready to respond.

Correct body alignment is the third fundamental and can be best explained using a railroad track analogy. To aim, set your clubface on the target line (outside track) and position your body and feet parallel to that line, (inside track). Incorrect alignment will force swing compensations to get the ball back to the target. Laying clubs down in this manner when practicing will assist in learning correct alignment and verify that you are indeed set up correctly. Keep in mind that practice does not make perfect, it makes permanent. That's why it is so essential to practice properly.

Remember, a "natural" (but fundamentally poor) setup position forces a contrived swing. A "contrived" (but fundamentally sound) setup position allows for a natural swing. Our goal, through practice and repetition, is to get what initially feels contrived to become "natural". Once this is achieved, swing compensations are dramatically reduced and the result is a more effective and powerful swing with considerably less effort!