If you are interested in setting some personal goals, then you need to have a
plan for reaching them. The one area that contributes to second-rate shot making is
poor pre-swing setup, or grip, alignment and stance,
i.e. G.A.S.GOLF TIP
by Cathy Mant"G.A.S. Up for the Golf Season"
If you are interested in setting some personal goals, then you need to have a
plan for reaching them. The one area that contributes to second-rate shot making is
poor pre-swing setup, or grip, alignment and stance,
i.e. G.A.S.
A poor grip in many cases is a leading cause for either a slice or a hook. In other words, how your hands are set on the club effect the direction of the golf ball. The grip can also effect your distance because a poor grip can limit your ability to hinge your wrists correctly thus limiting potential clubhead speed.
Alignment is an area that even the world's best players constantly check. There are a number of way to work on aligning your body correctly to the target. An easy exercise is to lay a club down on the ground pointing directly to your target. Stand with your feet and shoulders parallel to this club. Generally speaking most golfers have a tendency to aim 15-20 yards to the right of their target, because they believe that they are to align their feet to the target when in fact they should be aligning their feet parallel to their "target line" (the imaginary line drawn from the target right back through the ball).
The final ingredient of a great setup, is the stance. This incorporates your posture, your weight distribution between both feet, your ball position and the distance that you stand from the ball. An improper stance makes it more difficult to produce a good repetitive golf swing.
Posture plays a critical role in hitting the ball. When bending to hit the ball you should be in an athletic ready position, which means that your knees are very slightly flexed and you back is tilted at approximately a 45 degree angle (this depends on your height). Many golfers bend from the waist which gives the back the appearance of being rounder or hunched. The back should remain fairly straight but tilted, bending from the hip joints.
Your weight should be evenly distributed between both feet for most shots and you should feel completely in balance at address. Finally the distance that you stand from the ball can vary slightly, your hands and club should hang about a hand-spread from your left thigh (if right-handed).
It takes a lot of practice to have good G.A.S., but the rewards are in the great shots that you will make and the lower scores that you will shoot.
Another Golf Tip by Cathy, Key Elements for a Successful Swing