W GOLF
L
BACK TO BASICS - POSTURE
BY TOM ATKINSON, PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL
So here we go again, last month we gave you an insight into
the grip and what it meant for the clubface. Here’s the next
step, how should you stand to the ball? Once again there’s
a lot of preference involved here, after all we need to be
comfortable don’t we.
There are some postures I see that definitely won’t help your
consistency. However. If you don’t feel quite right have a look at
this checklist for addressing a mid iron.
• Feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Flare with your toes outward a little to help you rotate.
• Upper body bent over from your hips (around 40 degrees).
• Chest and chin up, shoulders back.
• Weight centred, not too much in the toes or heels but over
the balls of your feet.
Try this great posture drill - without a club in your hands, let
your arms hang down naturally from your 40 degree spine
angle and then clap your hands together. Right where your
hands clap, that's where you should grip the club.
This easy little drill will get the club in the right position in
relation to your body. If you're in correct golf posture when you
address the ball, you'll have a much better chance of making a
good swing and controlling fundamental number one - the low
point of your swing arc!
Beginners try to keep the ball position constant for your irons,
about 1" ahead of your sternum is ideal.
You can contact Tom at Heswall Golf Club on 0151 342
7431, www.heswallgolfshop.co.uk or @heswallgolfshop.
74 wirrallife.com
Intermediate/advanced players can tinker around with this to better
understand the relationship between ball position and ball flight.
Go out and try it for yourself, the key to good golf is consistency, let’s try
and make the same setup each time we take our address.