Golf can seem like one of those sports that might seem overwhelming in the initial stages because of all the different shots that the game requires, and the amount of equipment needed to play the game.
A good golf setup that is learned in the initial stages of the game can go a long way to producing a consistent golf swing and learning the game at a much faster pace.
The Golf Setup paves the way for a successful and consistent golf swing and is a vital component to achieving more consistency in the game.
Why is the Golf Setup Important?
The Golf Setup is important because it will get the body in the correct position before the takeaway and give the golfer the best chance to take the club back and through on the correct path.
The Golf Setup is often ignored by beginner golfers but ignoring the Golf Setup will pave the way for the hands and body to take over the swing. This will lead to a sequence of movements that are not in perfect sync and will cause errors to creep into the Golf Swing, which become more difficult to fix at a later stage.
The Golf Setup will give the golfer the best possible chance to hit the golf ball more consistently and a greater chance to repeat a more reliable and consistent motion.
What is the Correct Golf Setup?
The correct golf setup would be one where the player is in a relaxed position, but each and every golfer will be different based on body makeup and athletic ability.
The basics are that the knees would be flexed rather than bent and the arms would hang directly down from the shoulders. A player just needs to bend down from the hips to achieve the optimal golf setup.
The setup will look different for certain players, but the basics are all essentially the same and give the golfer the best possible chance to hit more consistent golf shots.
Will the Right Golf Setup Help my Golf Swing?
The correct golf setup is vital to achieving a golf swing with speed safety and strength.
This should be implemented as soon as a golfer starts the game and will make learning the rest of the golf swing a lot easier.
This can be related to any other sports in which most basketballers, baseball pitchers or hockey players are in a ready position prior to performing a specific action. The golf swing should be no different as it is a sequence of movements that should flow, but the information age has made this more difficult to understand and many golfers believe they need to be in certain positions in the swing.
A bad golf setup will make it almost impossible to achieve consistency with a golf swing and will be the root cause and effect of a host of different problems that show up at a later stage.
A lot of the time a simple adjustment to the golf setup can help improve golfers at a fast pace, because their bodies are now in the correct position to achieve a decent golf swing.
How much Should I Flex the Knees in the Golf Setup?
There is often a bit of a misconception with this question because the age-old advice would be to bend your knees at the golf setup.
If a golfer simply thinks of the knees being flexed rather than bent, it will go a long way to determining how much the knees should flex in the setup.
Knees that are bent will make it difficult to make an effective turn in the golf swing and will also make it tough to transfer any weight.
The correct knee flex will look athletic, relaxed and allow the golfer to turn and maintain some sort of flex throughout the swing.
How Wide is the Stance in the Golf Setup?
The Width of the golf stance would depend on what club is being used and the type of shot that is being played.
There are many different types of shots to learn in the game of golf, but the standard width for the feet for the setup of the driver would be about shoulder width apart.
This can vary based on the body makeup of the golfer and their overall athletic ability, but the longer the golf club, the wider the stance.
A stance that is too narrow will make it tough to maintain balance throughout the golf swing, whilst a stance that is too wide, will make it difficult to transfer any weight throughout the swing.
Where Should the Hands be in the Golf Setup?
Ideally when a golfer is facing the target, the hands would hang directly underneath the shoulders in a relaxed position.
There should be no reaching for the golf ball and if a player has setup to the ball correctly, they can get the hands in the best position quite comfortably.
From the front on position, there is no need to place the hands too far in front of the golf ball or too far behind the golf ball.
Placing the hands too far in front of the ball, will de-loft the club face and make it difficult to get the golf ball in the air.
Placing the hands too far behind the golf ball will make it tough to achieve more consistent contact and will encourage golfers to hit up on the ball.
An easier way to hit up on the golf ball (which is only needed for a driver) is to simply place the golf ball more forward in the stance.
This will help golfers hit the golf ball on an ascending angle of approach. This is needed for a driver and helps launch the golf ball high with less spin.
Will a Poor Golf Setup impact my Game?
If a golfer is not in the correct setup to begin the golf swing, it makes it very tough to achieve a golf swing that flows.
The best golf swing is one with speed, safety and strength and a incorrect golf setup can ingrain all kinds of faults into a players game.
Most faults in a golf swing are a fault that leads to another fault. The Cause and effect of a poor golf swing starts from a player not learning the correct golf setup early enough when learning the game.
Fixing the original cause is the best way to fix the swing, but this is a lot tougher the longer a bad golf setup is left to fix.
Conclusion
The Golf Setup is an especially important part of the golf swing and should never be ignored.
If you have ever been to a golf driving range and seen all the different funky golf swings out there, have a look at their golf setup and see if it looks anything like any of the many golf professionals out there.
You may start to notice how important the golf setup is and the benefits of learning this before a player even sets out on the golf course.
An incorrect Golf Setup will cause a number of faults in the golf swing which leads to a number of other faults and keeps the many golf coaches out there very busy trying to fix them.
If you want to learn more about some of the Basic of the Game of Golf, check out some of the posts below.