Good setup sets scene for ideal swing path

Good setup sets scene for ideal swing path

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

Of paramount importance for the ideal in-to-out swing path through impact is standing the proper distance from the ball. How your body is built determines how far to stand from the ball.

A good rule of thumb is that golfers with arms of average length need to let the handle of the club point just left of the navel with a mid-iron in hand. Golfers with shorter arms need to stand a tad closer to the ball so the butt of the club points to a spot just above this standard position. Similarly, players with longer arms need to stand farther away from the ball so the club points just below the standard position.

With a longer club the handle will gradually point to a spot slightly lower than the standard one.

Standing either too far from or too close to the ball inhibits you from swinging the club on the correct path, which is slightly from inside the ball-target line to outside of it.

Standing too close to the ball, chances are you will swing on an out-to-in path, hitting the ball on the heel-side of the clubface. Standing too far away from the ball, you will swing the club on too far an inside path, hitting the ball on the toe-side of the clubface.

An off-center hit can also result from poor weight distribution either on the toes or heels of the feet at address and during the swing.

Excessive weight distribution on the toes means standing too far from the ball and setting your weight overly on the heels means standing too close to it.

Obviously, an improper distance from the ball or poor weight distribution at address makes it hard to turn around the spine and swing in balance, which prevents the clubhead from working on the correct path.

Crucially, for the correct swing path the shoulder alignment needs to be given undivided attention. The swing path is affected by the grip, the eye line and the alignment of the hips, knees and feet at address, but basically the clubhead tends to swing along the shoulder line.

An open shoulder alignment causes an out-to-in swing path and a closed shoulder alignment spells an overly in-to-out path. only a square alignment brings about a moderate in-to-out swing path.

Similarly, standing overly erect or immoderately bending over the ball at address causes the swing to become too flat or too steep, making it hard to swing on the correct path.

On average, the longer the club, the less you have to tilt forward from the hips. The upper body will lean more toward the ground with a wedge than a driver as the club is shorter and more upright.

Likewise, the longer the club, the more you need to tilt the upper body to the right away from the target so the right shoulder is lower than the left. The shorter the club, the more neutral your spine should be with the shoulders more level. Retaining a rightwards spinal tilt on the way down presents you with a better chance of swinging the club on the correct plane and path.

Every time you assume the address position, ask yourself what the best position is for each part of the body to get the clubhead to work on the correct in-to-out path through the ball. That will definitely help you set up properly without too many headaches.

At address you need to have a definite feeling that you can swing the clubhead on the correct path, from slightly inside the ball-target line to outside.

In a good golf swing the clubface is aligned slightly open before impact, square or slightly closed at impact and more closed after separation of the ball from the clubface. However, you don't have to be overly concerned about this. It happens naturally if you grip the club properly and swing the clubhead from inside to out through impact.

Incidentally, a weak grip will impart left-to-right sidespin on the ball and too strong a grip right-to-left sidespin. A neutral or slightly strong grip imparts pure backspin on the ball, bringing about straight shots.