Golf Coaching Setup-Checkpoint

The Set Up
1. Alignment
To ensure correct alignment, place one club down in front of the ball, aiming at the target and
another club parallel to the first.
o If your toes are level with this club this would be described as a square stance.
o Aiming to the right of the target is described as a closed stance.
o Aiming to the left of the target is described as an open stance.
2. Face Angle
Check that the club is held with the face square or perpendicular to the target line.
A club that points left is referred to as a closed club (photo 0809)
o Check that the club is held with the face square or perpendicular to the target line.
o A club that points left is referred to as a closed club.
o A club that points right is referred to as open.
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3. Width of Stance
o To ensure correct width of stance, measure the width of your shoulders using the club.
o Then make sure the insides of your feet are at least this wide apart.
4. Angle of Feet & Knee Flex
o Avoid pointing your toes out at too much of an angle.

o Ensure the rear foot is at right angles to the target line. The front foot can be angled
forwards but only slightly.
o Knees should be lightly flexed but not bent, and the body weight should be spread 50/50
between the toes and heels as well as 50/50 between your left and right foot.
5. Distance From Ball
o Take the chosen club and lower it onto your front thigh - the club should touch one inch
above the kneecap. If this doesn’t happen, alter your distance accordingly.
o To correct a slumped or poor posture position, hold the club in front of your belly button
with your arms and legs straight, stand up tall with your shoulders back and stick your
chest out.
o Tilt forwards making sure you tilt at the hips only – keeping lower back flat. Feel like you
are pushing your hips backwards.
o As the clubs lowers to touch the ground behind the ball, just a little knee flex should get
you in the correct position.
6. Shaft Angle
o To ensure that your set up mimics your impact position, point the butt end of the club at
your front or left hip.
o Having the club held too far back may promote scooping.
o Likewise having the club held too far forwards would result in inconsistent strikes.
7. The Grip
A good grip will help you to achieve more distance, greater feel, better ball striking and more
consistency with every club in your bag. Follow these steps for a great grip (reverse the
instructions if you are left-handed):
Left Hand
o Place the club in the fingers of the left hand. The grip of the club should run from the
middle of the index finger to the base of the little finger.
o Grip the club half an inch from the end.

Compared to gripping it right at the end, this
will improve your control of the club and ball
striking ability - without any loss of power.
o As you look down at your left hand, there should be 2½ knuckles visible. This is
classed as neutral position. The ‘V’ made by your left thumb and forefinger should
point to your right shoulder.
o If you can see more than 2½ knuckles your left hand is said to be in too strong a
position.
o If you can see less than 2 – 2½ knuckles your left hand is in a weak position.
NEUTRAL STRONG WEAK
Right Hand
NEUTRAL STRONG WEAK
o Place the fleshy pad of your right thumb directly on top of your left thumb.
o The ‘V’ made between your right thumb and forefinger should point to your chin.
Types of Grip
INTERLINKING GRIP OVERLAPPING GRIP BASEBALLGRIP
o The fingers of the right hand can grip the club and link with the left hand in 3 different
ways – referred to as the interlinking grip, the overlapping or ‘Vardon’ grip and the
baseball grip.
o It’s a common misconception amongst amateur golfers that the interlinking grip is
predominatly used by ladies and juniors. Both Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods use the
interlinking grip.
o I recommend you use either the interlinking or overlapping grip – whichever you find
more comfortable.
Grip Pressure
o You’ll often hear that gripping the club tightly causes
tension in the body, which in turn hinders your ability
to make a good swing. However, gripping the club
with a lot of pressure at the point of impact will help
you to better control the strike.
o On a scale of 1 to 10, imagine that a level 10 equates

to gripping the club as tightly as possible. A level 1
equates to holding the club so loosely it only just
stays in your hands.
o At address, hold the club with a grip pressure of 4 out

of 10.
o At impact, your grip pressure should increase to a 9

or even a 10 out of 10. You might want to
consciously grasp the club more tightly at impact to
see how that effects your ball striking.

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The Set Up

A club that points left is referred to as a closed club (photo 0809)

4. Angle of Feet & Knee Flex

o Avoid pointing your toes out at too much of an angle.

o Grip the club half an inch from the end.

NEUTRAL STRONG WEAK

NEUTRAL STRONG WEAK

INTERLINKING GRIP OVERLAPPING GRIP BASEBALLGRIP

o On a scale of 1 to 10, imagine that a level 10 equates

o At address, hold the club with a grip pressure of 4 out

o At impact, your grip pressure should increase to a 9

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