Pre-Shot Routine/Set Up
1- DISTANCE TO BALL -Start by soling the club behind the ball with your left hand only.
Soling the club means making sure the bottom of the club is flat on the ground so the club sits at the ‘normal shaft angle’. This club position will help set your distance away from ball when you grab the club and straighten your left arm (forearm straight in-linewith shaft) – making one straight line from club head to left armpit.
Obviously this angle changes with length of club – flatter with driver/closer to ball but and more upright with wedge.
2- POSTURE – Shoulders back/ Back flat/ Chin up – no bending over with head down. We don’t want a curved or rounded back.
3- T.H.E GRIP – Thumb – Hand – Elbow – make sure Symple Swing grip is correct with thumb on backside of grip in the 2 to 3 o’clock position. The back of your hand and your wrist is FLAT (stays that way thru out whole swing). Your front elbow should be “softened” (bent) slightly and rotated slightly so the elbow is pointed to target in case the elbow bends in your swing you’ll still be on-plane.
4- ALIGNMENT/STANCE using SQUARE AND FLARE – Know your target line – the line from behind ball to your exact target (pin or middle of green, side of fairway or tee box etc). Next, get into your stance with hips and shoulders both square (meaning parallel to target line).
Once your line has been determined and you are placing feet in correct parallel line Remember to FLARE the back foot to allow for full torso turn. The movement of the core (shoulders, chest & abdomen) will pull the back hip open moving it back away from the ball. (see The Symple Turn – A simplied lower body motion for the golf swing. http://simplegolf.com/blog/full-swing/lower-body-action/the-symple-turn-a-simplied-lower-body-motion-for-the-golf-swing/
5- ROCK AND LOCK – rock the hips slightly forward and brace into the front leg. The head should be over back knee and stay there thru out swing.
Lastly now that you have set-up you should relax and release tension. Try to have only one swing thought – maybe get to same top of backswing position for every swing. You must know this position to repeat it every time.
Once you have ‘this sequence’ down and it is habit you can now PLAY GOLF – enjoy the round, the strategy involved with each shot, have FUN as you makes pars etc and not be on the golf course trying to fix or find a swing and getting frustrated.
