Balance =  Accuracy

To have a successful golf swing, there are many factors involved: stance, alignment, posture and swing path to name a few. One of the most important (and least thought of) aspects of a successful swing is balance. There are few magazine articles, fewer “golf channel” shows and even less people approaching their instructors saying “I want to work on my balance today”. The fact is, without good balance throughout your swing, nothing else matters. Good balance allows the golf club to approach the ball the same way every time, while bad balance can cause you to hit every type of shot imaginable. Unless you are trying to play a specialty shot, on every swing your weight at address should be equally balanced between your two feet and be centered over the balls of your feet. So if you are hooking or slicing, topping the ball, hitting it fat or even the dreaded s-word, your balance may be an issue.

How to check:

Take your normal stance to ensure that you are aligned to your target properly, then lay a club down along your toes. Narrow your stance to the point where your feet are almost touching each other (approximately 2-3 inches of space between is good). Now take a full swing at the ball... ** warning ** I have seen people fall over while taking their first few swings, so be cautious! If your balance is good, you should find little to no difficulty in making a full swing. However, if your balance is off, the narrow stance will exaggerate it and you will find it quite difficult to remain balanced throughout the swing.

If you hit half a bucket with your stance narrowed each time you practice, your balance will improve and so will your accuracy.

Happy Practicing!!

Brett Prosser
CPGA Associate Professional