Having balanced posture at address is a crucial component for solid and consistent ball striking. Watch Adam Scott’s swing. He starts from the same athletic, balanced position every time he puts a move on the ball. His consistent ball striking is thanks in large part to this attention to detail in his setup.
I recently saw GOLF Top 100 Teacher Tony Ruggiero for a lesson, and the first thing he and his team noted was that my setup position was out of balance. With the aid of Swing Catalyst force plates, he noted that my weight was sitting too far in my heels at address, which led to issues in my swing.
To correct the flaw in my balance, Tony’s lieutenant, Jackson Koert, had me stand on an alignment stick pointing down the target line. He had me rock on my feet back and forth between my toes and heels to feel the sensation of having my weight on each end of the spectrum. Then, he had me settle with my weight directly on top of the alignment stick.
Throughout the lesson, my first thought before every shot was to get my weight properly balanced in the middle of my feet — all aided with the feel of the alignment stick under me. Before long, many of the flaws that had been plaguing my swing in the weeks prior started to dissipate, by fixing my balance at address.
Now when I head to practice, I always make sure I have an alignment stick bisecting my feet. If you’re someone who struggles with balance in your swing, give this method a try. Once you get a feel for what proper balance actually feels like, it becomes a heck of a lot easier to make solid swings.
3 Things I’m Thinking
1. Can’t beat it: I spent a couple days at Merion last week for the U.S. Amateur, and I came away convinced there is no better viewing experience in golf. With no ropes and a fraction of the number of fans for a pro event, you get closer to the action than just about any other event in golf. If you’re a golf fan, you need to make it a point to take in the U.S. Am in person.
2. ‘Little Star’: Speaking of amateurs, how ’bout Asterisk Talley? She put on a clinical display in the U.S. Women’s Amateur at The Honors Course, and looks to be the future of women’s golf. Keep an eye on “little star.”
3. He’s back: Just when we all thought there might be something wrong with Scottie Scheffler, he shows up to the first playoff event and blitzes the field. He continues to prove that no one can touch him when he has his A game.
