All Posts - Page 160 of 207 - United States Golf Teachers Federation

3 May 2013 Corina Pelloni

PLAYING BETTER GOLF IS UP TO YOU

In many places around the country, the golf season is just getting underway. Clubs are coming out of their hibernating places such as garages or attics, club lockers, or car trunks. And, the quest for the perfect golf swing begins again. It seems like each season there is a new theory on how to do something that people have been doing for hundreds of years. It is often easy to become over-reliant on the words of a golf teacher to the point of forgetting that golf requires time and repetition. Not to say that a teacher isn’t relevant, but understand that the teacher/student relationship is really a journey in self-discovery. Unfortunately, golfers good and bad will try anything that even hints at being the one thing that they think will quickly make them better. If it is on the cover of a magazine or a 30-second spot on TV, a note to self is recorded and off to the range one goes. Many of my friends are like this, and probably yours, too: Eternal experimenters, quick-fix searchers, and generally on a path to failure. I am going to paraphrase from a recent article I came across in a popular golf magazine. Getting better at golf requires a deeply personal engagement. It is a subtle and difficult process that is always a mystery. In essence, what it comes down to is that golf is hard. When I contemplate that, I often recall the movie A League of their Own, when character Jimmy Dugan is told by his player that baseball is too hard, his response is classic: “It’s supposed to be hard. If it was easy, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.” We should never forget that golf is a journey, a winding road with many ups and downs. There are guides to help along the way. In the end, however, it is up to you.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BALL POSITION AND STANCE WIDTH

Ball position and stance width are two key fundamentals that can have a great effect on a golfer’s impact position. The following data is an average of the measurements for these positions from over 100 Tour players. How do you measure up? Ball Position

For the driver, the ball is positioned directly in line with the lead foot instep.
The ball slightly moves progressively back in the stance with each club.
From the driver to the 9-iron, the ball moves back 2.7 inches for Tour professionals.
For individuals with extremely wide stances, the ball can move slightly further back but not more than 5 inches or past the center point.

Stance Width

The stance width with a 5-iron should be shoulder width.
The driver stance is the widest, with averages near 2 inches outside of the shoulders for each foot.
The 9-iron stance is 2 inches narrower than each shoulder.
The lead foot is opened toward the target (flared) 25 degrees.

Distance from the ball These are measurements with standard clubs from the end of the lead foot (toe) to the center of the ball. Excessively large or small foot size can change this slightly. The average foot size is 11. Proper distance from the ball (toe to center of the ball) is dictated mostly by length of club. This distance can also be affected by numerous body characteristics, including height (taller = closer), shoulder and hip width (narrower = closer), arm length (shorter = closer), and foot size (larger = closer). The reality is that most people will fall between these tolerances. Height, arms, hips, and foot size only have a slight effect on distance.

The driver distance (45- to 46-inch driver) is between 32 to 36 inches from the ball (pro average: 33 to 34 inches)
The 5-iron distance is between 22 to 26 inches (average 24 inches).
The 9-iron distance is between 18 to 22 inches (average 22 inches)
For every inch in length of a golf club, there is a .5 inch (1/2 inch) difference in distance.

Blog