Tip From the Pro – Steve Haggard Explains “Stance and Posture”

Stance

Posture

Backswing

The stance is much more than how a player lines himself up.  The stance is how the golfer sets himself up so:

1. Your body is in balance
2. The muscles are able to perform
3. You can create maximum power

Stance –  your feet should be set about shoulder width apart when playing a standard 5 iron shot.  Your feet can be slightly closer together with shorter clubs and slightly more apart for longer clubs such as driver.  Your back foot (the foot furthest away from the direction you are hitting) must be 90 degrees to the ball so it can act as a brace in your backswing and create the power to push through the shot on the downswing. 

Posture – tilt your chest slightly forward by bending at the waist and then “unlock” your knees (flex them about 2”-3“down), the upper part of your body should remain relatively erect but not ridged.   You should feel your weight evenly distributed between the toes and heels of your feet.  This will put you in a nice relaxed athletic position and allow you to swing easily and freely.

A right handed player will feel if your stance and posture are doing what they are supposed to when in your backswing there is restricted tension in your right hip and leg as it braces you from swing too far back. You will create a feeling of a coiled up rubber band getting ready to shoot forward in the downswing.

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