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Why Flaring Your Feet at Address Makes Golf Easier

mvmac

By mvmac,
in Swing Thoughts

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bones Member

bones

Hi guys...

Thanx for the replies...

Played yesterday and experimented with varying degrees of flare for

left and right foot...Definite improvement in ball striking and turning

and pretty much eliminated the block.

Will continue the tweaking...thanx again...

 

 

 

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mvmac
mvmac

As we all know, golf is hard, so here's a quick tip on making it easier Turn both feet out at address. I grew up playing golf at a course in San Francisco where Ken Venturi was a

boogielicious
boogielicious

Great post @mvmac I would add one thing: Flaring the feet also takes stress off the left knee for people who have knee issues.  Your knee bends more naturally during the down strok

mpb1472
mpb1472

Through experimentation of my own, I like to flare my right (back) foot and keep my left (front) foot straight or less flared. I know its the opposite of what is commonly taught but it seems to work f

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  • 2 weeks later...
bones Member

bones

Hi guys...

Well after a bit of tweaking, he's hitting the driver beautifully...

The final adjustment was to go to a double overlap grip...

Results, together with the flaring are wonderful....

Cheers to all....

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Lugowskins Dedicated Member

Lugowskins

So about 6 months ago I started paying distinct attention to my foot angles in my setup and have been flaring both out about 20 degrees. I just finished reading Ben Hogans 5 lessons though and in it he says you should only flare out your front foot and the back plant foot should be perpendicular to the target line. I have been experimenting with it the last 2 nights and it felt slightly uncomfortable as I have gotten used to flaring my right foot out. That being said the explanation in the book makes sense and I looked up a few pros (Tiger, Thomas, McIlroy) and they go with that setup as well. Are they able to because they are most likely more flexible and don't need the help achieving a full turn? The subtle differences between Rory McIlroy's driver and iron golf swing

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DaveP043 Incredible Member

DaveP043

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1 hour ago, Lugowskins said:

Are they able to because they are most likely more flexible and don't need the help achieving a full turn? 

If you go back to the very first post, @mvmac makes exactly this point, that many of us benefit from turning the feet out because it allows us to turn our hips more freely while remaining centered.  The best players in the world are, for the most part, substantially more flexible than the rest of us mortals.

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Dave

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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

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11 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

If you go back to the very first post, @mvmac makes exactly this point, that many of us benefit from turning the feet out because it allows us to turn our hips more freely while remaining centered.  The best players in the world are, for the most part, substantially more flexible than the rest of us mortals.

Yeah, this.

I teach my better players a more "squared up" back foot, but many others benefit from the turned out deal.

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DaveP043 Incredible Member

DaveP043

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1 minute ago, iacas said:

Yeah, this.

I teach my better players a more "squared up" back foot, but many others benefit from the turned out deal.

Especially old fat guys.  Not pointing fingers at anyone else, only at myself,

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Dave

:callaway: Rogue SubZero Driver

:titleist: 915F 15 Fairway, 816 H1 19 Hybrid, AP2 4 iron to PW, Vokey 52, 56, and 60 wedges, ProV1 balls 
:ping: G5i putter, B60 version
 :ping:Hoofer Bag, complete with Newport Cup logo
:footjoy:, :true_linkswear:, and Ashworth shoes

the only thing wrong with this car is the nut behind the wheel.

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bones Member

bones

Going out on a tangent here rather than start another thread...

Whats the general opinion about focusing on a spot about half a ball

in front of the ball at address, rather than the ball...this seems to work

brilliantly for my son...perhaps not something for everyone...

(irons only)...the strike is so pure....


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boogielicious Incredible Member

boogielicious

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11 hours ago, bones said:

Going out on a tangent here rather than start another thread...

Whats the general opinion about focusing on a spot about half a ball

in front of the ball at address, rather than the ball...this seems to work

brilliantly for my son...perhaps not something for everyone...

(irons only)...the strike is so pure....

I can start another thread on this.

11 hours ago, bones said:

Going out on a tangent here rather than start another thread...

Whats the general opinion about focusing on a spot about half a ball

in front of the ball at address, rather than the ball...this seems to work

brilliantly for my son...perhaps not something for everyone...

(irons only)...the strike is so pure....

 

Scott

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jsgolfer Super Member

jsgolfer

19 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

Especially old fat guys.  Not pointing fingers at anyone else, only at myself,

Hey wait a minute, I resemble that.  :banana:

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  • 2 weeks later...
cooke119 Great Member

cooke119

After watching "How to hit a driver" above, which I have taken to heart, I always flair my feet and follow those direction. It has help my driving a lot.


  • 1 year later...
Bmich Newbie

Bmich

Flaring the feet out is great for people who have a lack of sufficient internal hip rotation.  Turning the feet and legs outward is like taking years off your swing.  You turn better on the backswing and better on the thru swing.  It also is more comfortable turning back and through.  This allows the core and pelvis to initiate the proper downswing sequencing more consistently due to less tension/pain.  It has brought pleasure back to playing again for me as I am no longer suffering in the middle of the round with stiffness and pain and feel free flowing all the way to the end of the round.  Background:  72 years old male, handy cap 6 (from men's standard tees), average drive 245 yards,  7 iron carry 150.  Physical impairments: Spinal fusion L4-L5, Diffuse Idipathic Skeletal Hyper Ostosis, recent left hip replacement, right hip pending

 


dennyjones Incredible Member

dennyjones

2 hours ago, Bmich said:

Flaring the feet out is great for people who have a lack of sufficient internal hip rotation.  Turning the feet and legs outward is like taking years off your swing.  You turn better on the backswing and better on the thru swing.  It also is more comfortable turning back and through.  This allows the core and pelvis to initiate the proper downswing sequencing more consistently due to less tension/pain.  It has brought pleasure back to playing again for me as I am no longer suffering in the middle of the round with stiffness and pain and feel free flowing all the way to the end of the round.  Background:  72 years old male, handy cap 6 (from men's standard tees), average drive 245 yards,  7 iron carry 150.  Physical impairments: Spinal fusion L4-L5, Diffuse Idipathic Skeletal Hyper Ostosis, recent left hip replacement, right hip pending

 

Welcome to TST @Bmich.   We're glad you've joined.   Like yourself, I've found that flaring my feet helps my swing.

From the land of perpetual cloudiness.   I'm Denny

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mohearn Dedicated Member

mohearn

21 hours ago, Bmich said:

Flaring the feet out is great for people who have a lack of sufficient internal hip rotation.  Turning the feet and legs outward is like taking years off your swing. 

 

Been experimenting with it, how many degrees open is your front and back foot? I've been trying about 30 degrees. Takes some getting used to.  245 average is heck of a performance, way to go!

Mike

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  • 10 months later...
klineka Super Member

klineka

24 hours difference. Focusing on same priority piece of steeper shoulder turn but today I flared my front foot out too and I really like the immediate change it made.

It feels like it's flared so much further than it looks in the picture but I'm sure I'll get used to it over time.

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