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Hello all,

I often struggle with my setup, probably because I tend to play too quickly, so I was wondering what routine or sequence you guys use when actually stepping in to address the ball.

Do you ground the club behind the ball, and then settle into your posture "around" the club shaft? Or do you set your posture first, and then move nearer or further from the ball until it is at the club face? Also, to help with ball position and alignment, do you find it better to step up to the ball and place your feet together at first, and then open your stance by moving both feet, or do you step into the ball with one foot, and then immediately place the other foot where it should be?

And do you take your grip before you address the ball, or as the last thing before you begin your swing?

I have seen some guys take ages to finally play their shot, while others seem to simply step up and smack it. I was wondering what works for you.....

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With my right hand on the club I set the face where I want the ball to start, set my feet, grip it with both hands, look at the target a couple times, make a practice waggle and hit it.

For more on posture in case you haven't seen it

Mike McLoughlin

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Interesting question, I stand behind the ball, set my grip, pick the target and intermediate target, align feet and shoulders to hit ball over intermediate target, look, waggle, hit!

Gaz Lee

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I pick out my intermediate target and double check it's line with my club shaft held out horizontally in front of me and pointing down the target line. Walk around to the left of the ball with club held loosely in right hand while focusing on the imaginary line between the centre of my ball and the intermediate target. Rattle my watch on left wrist (I dunno but I do...) Grip club with fairly strong left hand and step into address with right foot. Still focused on imaginary plane line I make sure that my left hand grip is pointing down this line. Add right hand to grip. Step left foot into address position. Shuffle feet for balance and alignment. Sometimes waggle club vertically to free up wrists and release any tension brought on by gripping procedure. Look at plane line, look at target, plane line, target, plane line. Feel momentary wave of intense panic. Draw club back with right arm, nice and wide while simultaneously thinking, "oh shit!" Stop backswing early to stay in control and balance. Black out. Scan sky for ball.
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With my right hand on the club I set the face where I want the ball to start, set my feet, grip it with both hands, look at the target a couple times, make a practice waggle and hit it.

For more on posture in case you haven't seen it

Same here, I will expand on it for mine.

I usually stand behind the ball and use my golf club to select my target line in front of my ball. From there I walk to the side of the ball keeping my eyes focused on that spot. I will lay the club down behind the ball with my right hand, pointing the face were I want the ball to start, usually slightly right of that mark. I then take my stance parallel to that target line, though I will start taking a more open stance to help with my golf swing.

From there I grip the club, and I take a waggle to get more comfortable over the ball. I usually waggle about 2-3 times over the ball, looking towards my target.

@mvmac , what is a practice waggle? Is that something related to a feel you want in the swing, does it change?

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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How do you determine your intermediate target? And what is the purpose of it?

Let me ask you this, what is easier, to line up the clubface at a small point in the distance or at a point about a foot in front of your ball?

Basically imagine a straight line, that is your target line. Lets say the pin is in the middle of the green. So you put yourself behind the ball, so you can keep the ball between you and the hole. Now, imagine a line from the hole to you. Now look infront of the ball about a foot to 3 feet. Find a spot that stands out. Now, you line up to that instead of trying to line up to the hole. It just makes it easier.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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Let me ask you this, what is easier, to line up the clubface at a small point in the distance or at a point about a foot in front of your ball?

Basically imagine a straight line, that is your target line. Lets say the pin is in the middle of the green. So you put yourself behind the ball, so you can keep the ball between you and the hole. Now, imagine a line from the hole to you. Now look infront of the ball about a foot to 3 feet. Find a spot that stands out. Now, you line up to that instead of trying to line up to the hole. It just makes it easier.

About mid-summer I started doing this and it has helped me not only with my club face but also with my stance. It has given me a lot more confidence that if I can make a good swing it will pay off. When teeing off, I find a spot that stands out around where I want to be on the tee box.  I position my ball there. In play it is obviously different; however, there is usually some spot that you can identify to assist you with your setup.

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Let me ask you this, what is easier, to line up the clubface at a small point in the distance or at a point about a foot in front of your ball?  Basically imagine a straight line, that is your target line. Lets say the pin is in the middle of the green. So you put yourself behind the ball, so you can keep the ball between you and the hole. Now, imagine a line from the hole to you. Now look infront of the ball about a foot to 3 feet. Find a spot that stands out. Now, you line up to that instead of trying to line up to the hole. It just makes it easier.

Sweet thanks I will try that next time I go to the range.

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The first thing I do is take a practice swing. Then I stand behind the ball and get my target.

Then I'll walk up to the ball and set up right next to it, and make sure I'm comfortable with my setup. Then I just walk towards the ball until the clubface is square. The reason I set up beside it first is because I have a tendency to get too cramped at address, and by setting up without a ball I can get comfortable.

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I take a good look at what's in front of me.

I stand behind the ball, and pick out my target

I then align the score lines on my club face with something vertical to make sure the club is in my hands correctly.

Next I walk to the side of the ball, while continuing to look at my target.

Next I align the club face with my target, and step into my address position. A check point is to see where my left shoulder is pointing.

I tend to ground the club in front of the ball because I want the low spot of my swing arc in front of the ball.

I return the club face to back of the ball. The club will not be touching the ground.

When comfortable, I start my swing.

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I do one of those Happy Gilmore swings, so I push off with my left foot and take ten strides before I wail on it. :-) No , basically do what Mvmac does. Except I forget to waggle sometimes.

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@mvmac, what is a practice waggle? Is that something related to a feel you want in the swing, does it change?

Similar to what Lexi Thompson, Brian Harmon, Mike Weir, Chris DiMarco, Rickie Fowler do, they rehearse a piece or feel on the takeaway. For me right now it's a feel I have from A1-3, it changes depending on what I'm working on.

Mike McLoughlin

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With my right hand on the club I set the face where I want the ball to start, set my feet, grip it with both hands, look at the target a couple times, make a practice waggle and hit it.

For more on posture in case you haven't seen it


I started doing something similar after watching one of your rounds.  The only difference is that I set my grip first, then set my face with my right foot forward, then keeping a steady head, I place my left foot where it needs to go in terms of how far forward I want the ball in my stance and then I place my right foot.  After that, I look at the target and do any adjusting I feel necessary to my club face and feet.  Also, I do not make a practice waggle

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Thanks for the comments, guys.

I notice the "grip first" and "grip last" tally is just about evenly split. But with only one exception everyone sets lines the club up behind the ball before stepping into their stance and posture. Is this why it's so important to have the correct lie and shaft length clubs because variations here will affect the height of the grip at address, as well as distance from the ball?

This leads to a follow-up question.. How should the club head sit behind the ball? Should the sole sit level on the ground, or should the club rest slightly on the heel? l tend to pull my short irons a bit, so could resting the club incorrectly on the ground contribute to this?

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It has been my experience, that a club face properly placed behind the ball, will look some what closed to the golfer. I have seen many a golfer when they see what appears to be a closed club face will open it to what looks square to them. Then wonder why they miss to the right. I don't know if it's a visual thing at the address position, or not. I know my club face looks a little closed when I am at address, but I still hit the ball reasonably well towards my target. That's why I check my grip, and the score lines on the club face before placing the club behind the ball.

Another quirk I have is I do not rest the club on the ground, behind the ball. To me that is the same as making the low point in my swing arc behind the ball. If the low point is behind the ball, then to me  I would be starting my divot before I hit the ball. Instead I keep it off the ground much the same way I would when hitting out of a bunker. I have a practice drill I use where I hit balls with a 5I blade off very thin lies.

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It has been my experience, that a club face properly placed behind the ball, will look some what closed to the golfer. I have seen many a golfer when they see what appears to be a closed club face will open it to what looks square to them. Then wonder why they miss to the right. I don't know if it's a visual thing at the address position, or not. I know my club face looks a little closed when I am at address, but I still hit the ball reasonably well towards my target. That's why I check my grip, and the score lines on the club face before placing the club behind the ball.

I don't think that is true at all. It might be for you, but not all golfers.

Also note that most slices are hit with a closed clubface at impact. This is why the ball starts left and then curves off right. The issue is that the path is more outward to in than the face angle. So lets say the face angle is 2 degrees closed at impact, but the swing path is 8 degrees out to in. That would produce a ball that launches at about 3 degrees left, and curve a ton right.

I tend to like to see a more open clubface at address, compared to what I use to aim. I use to be a 20-30 degree aim right, pull to pull draw it back left. To me a closed clubfaced looked square until I fixed my alignment and my swing, now it looks closed. I can hit perfect push draws with an open clubface. Actually it is preferred to have the clubface pointing at were you want the ball to start. So for a draw that starts right and curves back left, the clubface needs to be open to the target line. How you visually perceive that is a whole different matter.

Another quirk I have is I do not rest the club on the ground, behind the ball. To me that is the same as making the low point in my swing arc behind the ball. If the low point is behind the ball, then to me  I would be starting my divot before I hit the ball. Instead I keep it off the ground much the same way I would when hitting out of a bunker. I have a practice drill I use where I hit balls with a 5I blade off very thin lies.

That is you, but not everybody. There are plenty of pros who ground the club, yet hit the ball first.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
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Bag: :ping:

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This leads to a follow-up question.. How should the club head sit behind the ball? Should the sole sit level on the ground, or should the club rest slightly on the heel? l tend to pull my short irons a bit, so could resting the club incorrectly on the ground contribute to this?

The toe should be off the ground slightly. An old trick by some fitters is to get on a hard flat surface, and then have someone slide a business card under the the club from the toe towards the heel until it touches the sole of the club and stops. The leading edge of the card should be about half way into the club face.

Mike McLoughlin

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Note: This thread is 3513 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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