The Foundations

The foundations of a golf swing are so important and often so over looked. I have been teaching for nearly 20 years now and I can count on one hand the amount of players who have turned up for a golf lesson and I have said "perfect foundations, let's have a look at your motion".

The truth of the matter is that foundations give the golfer the opportunity to build a sound and consistent golf swing, but what's right for one person may not be right for another. It is therefore the role of the instructor to evaluate the individual and create the best set of foundations for them. Things that have to be taken in to account are height, build, age & flexibility to name a few.

What I plan to do in this section is highlight some ground rules for golfers to work from which will help them get back on the right track when working on their golf games.

The Grip

The grip is so important when setting the foundations because it's the only part of the body which touches the golf club. This makes the position of the hands crucial to the golf swing as it has a massive influence on the shape of your shot. The goal for all golfers should be to get their hands to work as a unified team every time they position them on the golf club. With the correct configuration of the hands the amount of pressure applied is very important to maintain control of the club face. Grip pressure should be firm in the hands with loose wrists and relaxed forearms enabling the desired release on the downswing.

Take a look at the pictures below to see how the hands are applied to the golf club. We can see that the left wrist is flat with the grip mainly in the fingers and sitting under the heel pad of the left hand.

The right hand is positioned on the side of the golf club with the left thumb sitting in the middle of your right hand. The right hand has a pressure point in the middle joint of the index finger so the golf club should sit in that part of the finger.

Application of the Left Hand   

 Applying The Right Hand 

Both Hands Together

When you can achieve this neutral position with the hands consistently you have a much better chance of controlling the club face and thus having better control of the golf ball. I would like to point out that there are many different ways to position your hands on the golf club as seen on the PGA tours but you have to remember that these golfers are very very talented and have found a way to control the ball flight by maybe making a compensation along the way because of a not so neutral grip. When starting out I would suggest this would be a great place to start with your hands on the golf club. If your already a good player you would have to have a good look at your ball flight and your motion before you start meddling with the position of your hands.

Posture

Posture is very different from player to player as we all have different builds and physical limitations. Correct posture is the whole basis of good golf.

• Your feet should be shoulder width apart (mid iron) and will gradually get wider for the longer clubs and closer together for the shorter clubs. 
• Weight should be evenly balanced between both feet, and be in the middle of both feet, for example not on your heels or toes. You should have an athletic feel in your feet as if you were poised and ready for action.
• Your knees need to be slightly bent to create stability for your hip turn.
• Your hips should be positioned in a neutral position. To find neutral bend forwards from the hips from here arch your lower spine as far as you can. Then pull your hips in as far as you can to create a curve in your lower back. The point in the middle of those two extremes is what we call a neutral position
• The spine is best positioned flat as it's far easier to rotate a flat rod than a curved one, with your shoulders back and arms hanging freely.
• Your head should be positioned centrally, away from your shoulders, to accommodate their turn with your neck relaxed.