Opening my left food to allow hips to open...

[lollavid]

I've been playing a lot this summer to finally try and solidify a golf game. I've brought myself to a consistent high- 80s almost every single round. However, I have tried desperately to break 85 to no avail.

Yesterday evening, I brought my gap wedge to the park near me and found myself opening my left foot and really felt it allowing my hips to open during the follow through. I should also mention my hips really aren't all that flexible.

Well, today I went to play a round only to find out my course had a tournament in 3 hours. So I got in a good 15 holes. I tried to translate my open stance to all of my clubs, including the driver.

It was my best, most consistent golf ever. I felt my swing so much more, had such a better view of my line. I hit 2 birdies (one a 30-yard chip in!), 7 pars, and 6 bogies. Also, my drives in fairways and GIRs were much higher than normal. If I had finished out the round, I would have easily been somewhere around an 8 over which is phenomenal for me.

I want to ask what the general take is on this sort of stance. I am sure it's not the magical discovery I am always looking for. It also helped me immensely to know that my round wouldn't count. I was so relaxed, had so much fun and really enjoyed myself.

One more thing, I did find a mistake that I made two times. With the open stance, I am obviously aiming too far left. A couple times my swing path didn't compensate for this and I pulled the ball. But generally I kept the ball along my desired line.

Any advice/ input is appreciated.

[geast]

How far are you opening your foot?

[mirv]

everything i've ever read regarding the stance advocates opening up your left foot about a quarter of a turn, or about 25-30 degrees. this allows you to turn and clear through the shot. if your left foot is square, somewhere very shortly after impact, your left knee and leg will lock up and you won't be able to turn yourself around to face the target in your follow through.

[normdamarine]

I've used this stance with my driver for the last 12 years or so... My MCL on my left knee has always bothered my and this allowed me to keep the stress off of it as well it allowed me to clear my left hip and I could drive the ball a lot harder when I did it... My only problem is I slide sometimes when I do this and leave the ball to the right... It works for me though...

[lollavid]

I think a quarter turn (~20%) is just about exactly where it's at. I'm looking forward to more comments. So far however it doesn't seem this is entirely unorthodox...
Since you mention your MCL, I sprained my left ankle pretty badly about 2 months ago and it's bothered me since. In fact, by the 18th hole I've still got a nice hobble. Maybe that has been also limiting my rotation and is eased by this new open stance.

One more thing- I had always thought that your "line" was determined by your feet and following the line of your toes. With my left foot open, there must be some other way of determining the line. Is it then determined by my hips at address (i.e. assuming they are square to the target)?

[nlowplacez]

what you're doing by opening that foot is not only orthodox, its ideal. Tiger does it, Ben Hogan did it, Jack sometimes did it. I do it. Most good ball strikers I know do it. HOWEVER, I doubt that is the sole reason you were hitting so good, but it may have played a big part in it. A lot of great ball strikers like the aforementioned will flare the left foot but square the right. This restricts your hip turn going back to build the coil and tension in your torso and hips, and allows easier hip rotation on the downswing for power, finding the slot, and all around better consistency. And a lot will even flare the right because the hips turning a lot going back is not always bad, especially if your shoulder turn is huge. Look at Bubba watson. Hips turn so much his right foot comes up a lot. (hes a lefty) But ya keep doin it, and take care.

Drew

[NativeTxn]

At my last lesson, my instructor had me turn my left foot out (I'm a right handed player) about 20* or so when we were working with the driver to help promote a better hip turn on the downswing and follow-through.

So for what that is worth, and from what others have said, I think you are on a perfectly fine track.