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FROM THE PRO by Dave O'Connor

The season is here and it is time to get started so you might as well get started correctly. The following is a checklist that I would like you to use to check your grip, setup and alignment. Once you check these items, just swing. As soon as you get comfortable with your grip, setup and alignment, we will give you some swing tips.

GRIP: Grip the club deep in your fingers, at the end of the palm of your hand. Grip the club so your left thumb is pointing at 1:00 (right handed golfer) Grip the club so your right thumb is pointing at 11:00 (right handed golfer) You should see 1 or 1 ½ knuckles of your left hand when you look at your grip in the address position. The “v” of your left hand, created between the thumb and pointer finger should be pointed at middle of your right shoulder (closer to your cheek). Never outside your right shoulder. The back of each hand should be almost perpendicular to the ground. The “v” of your right hand, created between the thumb and pointer finger should be pointed at middle of your right shoulder (closer to your cheek). Never outside your right shoulder. The butt of the club should go under the heel pad of your left hand, not in the palm or bloodline of your left hand. Grip the club while the club head is in the air, not while it is resting on the ground. Make sure the toe of the club is pointing toward the sky (12:00 p.m.) and the leading edge of the club is perpendicular to the ground. Grip the club firmly in both hands. On a scale of 1 to 10, you should grip the last three fingers of your left hand to a power of 6, 7, or 8, and you should grip the middle tow fingers of your right hand also to a power of 6, 7, or 8. The pointer finger and thumb should squeeze the club quite loosely, approximately power 2 or 3. Grip the club with your left hand approximately ½ to ¾ of an inch from the butt end of the club. This is a preference.

SET UP: The inside of your feet should be approx. shoulder width apart (plus or minus a little). Be comfortable. Bend at the waste Flex your knees slightly Your body should be one wide hand span from the butt end of the club at the address position. Your weight should be evenly balanced between you left and right foot. The weight should be kept on the inside portion of your feet at the set up and throughout the swing. Right elbow should be pointed at your right hip or pocket. Right elbow should be bent slightly. The butt of the club should pointing to the left of your zipper just below your first belt loop during the set up (for a right handed golfer). This will help keep your hands even with the ball. The ball should be positioned 2” or 3” from the inside of the left heel (forward of center) when the ball is on the ground and you have a fairly level lie. Position the ball even with your left heel when you hit your driver.

ALIGNMENT: The reason most players hit the ball to right of their target is because they aim to the right of the target. What determines where the ball is going to go? The players feet determine where the ball is going to go. If a player wants to hit the ball at the flag, they must aim their feet left and parallel to the target. This means they must aim their feet left of the target, NOT AT THE TARGET. The only thing going toward the hole is the ball and the club head, not your body. Your feet, hips, and shoulders must aim parallel (and left) of the target. This will allow you to swing the club around your body on the back swing and at the target on the downswing, without your body getting in the way. If you do not align your body parallel and left of the target you should not even swing the club. You will be setting your self up for a bad swing. A poor or bad set up can be the major root of most of your swing problems or flaws. If you aim your feet and body right of the target you can or should do one of two things. First and most importantly, if you hit a good solid shot it will usually go way left of the target. If you do not hit the shot very solid, the ball will usually start somewhere toward the target then slice to the right. It is very difficult (almost impossible) to hit a straight shot if you align your feet to the right of the target. How do you check your alignment? While you practice or after you hit a shot, get into your address position and place the shaft of your club on the ground so the shaft is touching the toe of your shoe of your left and right foot. Next, walk behind the club laying on the ground and see which way is pointing. Make sure you walk at least 15 feet behind the club on the ground. The further back behind the club you get, the easier you will be able to see where you are aiming. 95% of players aim their feet to the right of the target. How far is too far? One inch is too far. When you are practicing, you should do this every 4-5 shots. I will bet anything that within 4-5 shots you will be aiming right of the target again. It will take you 3 or 4 practice sessions to get comfortable with this alignment process. The ball will go where your feet tell it to go, not where your eyes tell it to go. Players tend to look where they want the ball to go and your feet determine where the ball will go. Now, how should you set up to the ball the same way every time? If you can not set up to the golf ball the exact same way every time you take a swing, how can you expect to hit the ball good every time? You can’t!

SET-UP PROCEDURE: Grip the club with BOTH hands. Place the club head behind the ball and align the club face square to target with the ball positioned at a right angle to your left big toe. Separate your left foot approximately 2 ½ - 3 ½ inches so that the ball position is in the same spot for every club (unless the shot is a specialty shot). Make sure you separate your back foot (right foot for right handed golfers) so that your foot line is parallel to your target line (flight you want the ball to travel). If you are going to make a mistake, line up a LITTLE LEFT of parallel, NEVER RIGHT. The inside width of your stance should be approximately shoulder width, with the stance widen slightly as the clubs get longer. This will help you maintain better BALANCE through out the swing. Set Up Routine: Keep your tilt when ever you look at the target. Do NOT stand up erect when you look at the target as this will allow you to set up RIGHT of the target. You will be allowed look over your shoulder while setting up instead of "maintaining your tilt" while you look at the target. Then and only then can you work on your golf swing! TILT - STAY BENT OVER: Stay bent over at the waist through out the back swing (b.s.) and the down swing (d.s.). If you think you are lifting your head, you are NOT. Your head comes up as a result of two things:    1. Your hips come in and your upper body becomes aligned with your lower body. People will think you are lifting your head, but you are not, you are lifting your upper body.    SOLUTION: Feel your fanny back and high (over the heels of your feet) and your shoulders forward, keeping your back quite straight. This should make you feel balanced and centered. Your arms should hang loosely under your shoulders. If your arms fell off your body they would hit your foot somewhere near your toes.     2. During your swing the second way you appear to be lifting your head is by locking your knee(s) during the swing which will cause your entire body to raise up. People will again think you are lifting your head, but, you are NOT!    SOLUTION: Keep both knees flexed during your swing until the ball is hit. Something that will help you align properly to the target is to stay bent over at the waist every time you look at the target. DO NOT STAND UP AT THE WAIST AND LOOK AT THE TARGET. If you stay bent over and turn your chin (without lifting your chin) to the side to look at the target you will most likely line up parallel to the target. If you stay bent over and turn your chin to the side and your shoulder is in your view of the target, this will tell you that you are aiming to the right of the target. At this point you must move your feet to the left (if you are a right handed golfer) until you can see the target without lifting your body or chin. The next tip will answer the myth about where to position the ball in your stance for each club. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call.