Dynamics of the Golf Swing Cont'd

       On of the most important parts of the swing is the set-up. This is one position you can incorporate into your game and look as good as any Tour player! It is important to understand the alignment of the body at address is not the not the same as the alignment of the body at impact.  However, good alignment positions at address go along way toward ensuring you will have good alignment at impact.  The checklist below will help you attain a proper set-up, which will give you the best chance of achieving a successful swing.

• For shorter irons, the heels of your feet should be as wide as your hips -- your stance will get wider as the clubshaft gets longer
• Your right (rear) foot should be square(perpendicular) to the target line.  In this position, the foot restricts the hip turn on the backswing.
• Your left (front) foot is approximately 20-30 degrees open (depending on the club)
• Your weight should be balanced equally between the right and left foot
• Your weight is distributed on the balls of the feet
• The proper knee flex should give you the sensation of sitting on a stool.
• Your head is behind the ball.
• The grip of the club should be slightly ahead of the clubface
• Left wrist is flat or slightly cupped
• Arms hang in a relaxed fashion from the shoulders
• On a scale of 1 to 10, your grip pressure should be around 3 or 4
• Your right shoulder is slightly lower than your left shoulder
• Your arms form a triangle
• Your sternum is slightly behind the ball

I know that it is a lot of information there and it can seem over-whelming, If you practice this in your home(I recommend a full length mirror to help see it more clearly), driving range or where ever you can swing a golf club, by the you get on the golf course, your set-up should feel natural to you. And as your set-up improves, your ball-striking will also become better.