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The Golden Rule 

Everybody always asks me “what’s the best advice you give as a pro?”  That’s a great question.  My answer is this, whether you slice, hook or top the golf ball, you must have a solid grasp of the fundamentals before you can expect improvement.  Posture, grip and alignment (or PGA) is the foundation for a consistent golf swing.  I’ll use a math analogy to illustrate my point.  Try to solve the equation x + y = z without being given any of the variables.  If you were given x=1 and y=2 then it becomes very simple to solve.  In the golf swing if you have the correct variables:  excellent posture, the proper grip and good alignment solving your swing issue becomes easier. Bad posture, I believe, is the most common problem I see in any golfer.   You need to havea stable base from which to execute any golf shot. Good posture starts with a straight spine and the correct bend from the hips.  Try this drill:  With your feet shoulder width apart, take a club and place it behind your back with the head of the club touching your tailbone and the grip end touching the back of your head.  Now tilt forward about 30° keeping the club in contact with those two points – you’ll feel yourself bending from the hips.  Next flip the club over your head and let your arms hang straight down from your shoulder sockets.  Allow your knees to flex slightly so you feel 70-80% of your weight on the balls of the feet.  Now you have excellent posture!

The proper grip is important because simply put, grip = clubface.  A sound grip will not only increase your chances of hitting straighter shots but also farther shots.  Start by placing the club at the base of the fingers in your left hand with the thumb down the right-center of the shaft.  Remember the club should NOT be in the palm.  In placing the right hand on the club you may choose to use an interlocking, overlapping or ten-finger grip, whichever is most comfortable and creates the least amount of tension. Start by placing the club in the very last knuckle of your index finger and run the club diagonally toward the base of your ring and pinky fingers. Then cover your left thumb with the lifeline of your right hand and place the right thumb on the left-center of the shaft. This creates a trigger with your index finger.  Now, a good check is to see that the V’s  formed by your thumbs and index fingers point toward the right shoulder.  Many people with an improper grip will tell me this feels weak with little control.  In reality you now have a grip that allows the club, hands and wrists to work together properly.

Many inconsistent golf shots are a direct result of poor alignment to the target. I stress to my students, when practicing, visualize yourself standing on a railroad track with your feet on the inside rail and your ball on the outside rail.  The ball on the outside rail will be aimed at the target but your feet on the inside rail will point slightly to the left of the target.  The most common answer I get to the question “where are your feet aimed?” is they’re aimed at the target.  Remember the goal is to hit the ball to the target not your feet.  During practice, I highly recommend the following drill:   place a club on the ground, next to a ball, that points to the target. Now place a second club parallel and to the left of the first club.  Notice the club points slightly left of the target (remember the railroad track visual).  This will get your eyes adjusted to how your body should be aligned.  Remember when addressing the ball your eyes, shoulders, hips, knees and feet are all aligned parallel and to the left of the target line.

For answers and expert advice, please email us.  Andy is looking forward to helping you to get back in the fairway and improving your game!