Perfecting Your Golf Stance – The Ultimate Guide

“If you set up correctly, there’s a good chance you’ll hit a reasonable shot, even with a mediocre swing” – Jack Nicklaus

Simply put, a great golf swing is a sequence of key events. A proper golf stance and set-up are the foundation of your swing and can go a long way in lowering your handicap.  A good stance gives you more power to hit the ball and better control over the direction of your shot, so  it’s critically important that your stance is perfected.  

Your stance can be improved in just a few minutes by following these simple steps.

Key Components of a Golf Stance

It’s helpful to think of your golf swing as a baseball swing that’s tilted over towards the ground at about 45 degrees.  Many of the same mechanics of a baseball swing transfer to a golf swing.

There are four key pieces to a golf stance:

1. Posture
2. Alignment
3. Grip *
4. Ball Position

*We’ll be covering the perfect golf grip in a separate article, as it deserves an in-depth look.

Proper Golf Stance Width

Your legs set the stage when building a great stance, as your lower body is very important to your golf swing.  

If your stance width is too narrow, you’ll sacrifice power in your swing.  If your stance width is too wide, you’ll have trouble shifting your body weight during the swing, affecting your power, ball striking, and timing. 

Start by measuring the width of your shoulders using a golf club or measuring tape.  Make sure the insides of your feet are the same distance apart.

• Use this shoulder width stance for middle irons.

• You’ll want to widen your stance by about 2 to 3 inches greater than shoulder width for longer clubs such as woods and drivers.

• Reduce your stance by about 1 to 2 inches less than shoulder width for short irons and wedges.

Setting Up the Perfect Golf Posture

Using the following three step posture drill to find a great starting position for your stance:

1. Begin by standing up straight, feet shoulder width apart, with your arms and golf club extended out in front of you.
2. Flex your knees and bring your arms down until they’re resting on your chest.
3. Bend forward slowly from your waist until the club head touches the ground

Once you complete this drill, you should find that your hands are underneath your chin and your spine is slightly tilted forward while being relaxed.  If either your hands or spine do not match this setup, repeat the process until you get this dialed in.

• Be sure to not round your back too much and keep your hips too level, which can result in a ‘C Posture’.

• Be sure not to arch your back too much and excessively tilt your hips, which can result in an ‘S Posture’.

Practicing both of these improper postures can give you a good reference point for what’s right and can should feel natural. 

Pay Attention to Your Balance

Balance can affect the angle of your backswing, so it’s important to pay attention to where you are distributing your weight.  Spread your weight evenly between your toes and heels and between both feet.

• Use this balance for middle irons.
• For woods and drivers, shift a little more weight to your back foot (your right foot if playing right-handed)
• For short irons and wedges, shift a little more weight to your target-side foot (left foot if playing right-handed) 

Flex Your Knees

Make sure your knees are lightly flexed, but not bent – just enough to engage the large muscles in your legs.  If you flex your knees too much, you’ll shift too much weight to your heels, which will make it harder to stay balanced.  Additionally, too much flexing can reduce your hip flexion, making your swing too high above the ground.

Begin by barely starting the motion of sitting down in a chair – this forces your backside out behind you just a little, building the solid foundation you’ll need.

Proper Golf Stance Alignment

The basis of your alignment starts with the target line, or where we are aiming to hit the ball.  Determine your target line by placing your golf club behind the golf ball and point it to the target (where you want the ball to go).  Think of this like railroad tracks, with your club face and golf ball on one rail, and your body and feet along the other rail.

Start with both feet at a 90 degree angle, or square, to the target line.  Avoid pointing your toes out at an angle.  You may want to experiment with pointing your front foot out just a few degrees which can add length to your backswing – be careful with this, as opening your front foot too much could affect your balance and make it difficult to strike the ball accurately.

Proper Golf Ball Position

The ball’s position in your stance can be a major factor, and needs to be changed based on what type of club you’re using.  Since different clubs are different lengths, you’ll want to first make sure that your arms are hanging down comfortably, rather than ‘reaching out’ for the ball.

• When using mid-irons and wedges, a descending strike is desired, allowing the club loft to send the ball upwards.  Place the ball in the middle of your stance when using mid-irons and wedges.
• When using a driver, an upwards strike is needed,  Place the ball just inside of your front foot when using drivers and woods.

Build Your Golf Stance Around Your Target

Golf is a game based largely around targets.  As such, it’s important to have a destination for your ball in mind when setting up your stance.  Make sure you’re as specific as possible when focusing on your target for a shot.  Pick out a specific spot in the fairway or a single tree in the distance to aim at.  

Make Small Tweaks to Shape Your Shot

Once you get comfortable maintaining a consistent golf stance, experiment with your stance for specific shots.  For example, moving your front or back foot by a few inches can help your angle your shot and produce draws or fades.  Practice these techniques only after you’ve perfected your stance, and do it on the driving range when keeping a specific target in mind so you can build control.

Shoes Matter More Than You Think

Using a quality pair of golf shoes can provide you great traction, resulting in more confident and aggressive golf swings.  You don’t need to break the bank here, but keeping your feet in place throughout your swing is important.  Consider the weather and course conditions where you usually play golf when picking out golf shoes.

Avoid Getting Stuck

A common problem – even for some top players – is getting stuck in the golf stance, and having difficulty getting their swing started.  If you find yourself standing over the ball too long after getting in position, simply take a glance at your target, and get your club moving.  Doing this forces your instincts to take charge and will break you from the ‘analysis paralysis’ when taking your shot.

When done properly, here’s what the events leading up to your swing should look like:

1. Walk up to the ball – set the club down in position, place your feet, and lightly flex your knees.
2. Look up at your target, lock it in, and bring your eyes back to the golf ball.
3. Start your swing, turning your shoulders away from the target.

Conclusion

Having a proper golf stance is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle in the game of golf.  Putting in the time to focus on your stance will pay off big in the long run and greatly reduce the barriers to you playing a better game.