Golf Setup Routine

There are a lot of lessons in golf to learn. I’ve watched my friends who used to play college sports get ready to hit. They have a completely different approach to getting ready. So I asked Jeff Ritter one of our top instructors “What are the pieces of a good set up routine? He focused on three main elements: eyes, blade and feet.

Eyes

“The first thing to consider is the role of the eyes. Your eyes are forerunner of all that is to come. Get into the habit of standing behind your ball and letting your eyes help you find your way. Take note of the lie the ball, elevation changes and wind conditions. All of these factors will influence the type of shot you play and the line of flight you take.

Once you decide on your course of action, a good tip is to pick out an “intermediate target.” This is a target that is closer to you, yet still along the line of flight you have chosen. Aiming at an old divot, twig or broken tee along your path that is only a few feet away will make aiming to any distance a snap!“

When I was covering the US Amateur I noticed many of the golfers have this habit of standing behind the ball. It’s a completely new part of my routine buy it feels like it really helps me to get lined up.

Blade

Once you decide on your course of action, a good tip is to pick out an “intermediate target.” This is a target that is closer to you, yet still along the line of flight you have chosen. Aiming at an old divot, twig or broken tee along your path that is only a few feet away will make aiming to any distance a snap!“

When I was covering the US Amateur I noticed many of the golfers have this habit of standing behind the ball. It’s a completely new part of my routine buy it feels like it really helps me to get lined up.

“Once your eyes have shown you the way, now it’s time to set the club face on target. Most golfers, will instinctively walk into the ball and set the feet first, however, this is a recipe for disaster! Begin, with your feet together and the ball centered between your feet. Take a small step towards the ball so that the inside of your right foot is aligned with the back edge of the golf ball. Your left foot should remain back in its original position. Posture should be represented by a slight bend forward from the hips.

Focus on your intermediate target positioning the leading edge of the club face perpendicular to the line of flight. Shift your gaze back and forth between your target, intermediate target and your club face. Once you feel you have found proper face alignment, shift to setting the position of your feet.”

Another new set up routine for me. But I find that I focus on squaring my blade to the target and I think a bit about having my blade square to the ground, too.

Feet

“Now that the face is set, aligning the feet should effortlessly fall into place. Step your left foot to the left of your ball about the width of your club head. In general, this is a perfect distance inside the left instep for striking a ball from the turf with an iron, hybrid or fairway wood.

Finish your footwork by stepping with your right foot to the right to your desired stance width. A good rule of thumb is: small step for short clubs (SW, PW, 9, 8), medium step for medium clubs (7, 6, 5), long step for long clubs (4, 3, Hybrid and Fairway)!”

This is a change in my stance so it will be a while until I know how it works for me. I like how it alters the angle of attack to match the club I’m using.

Long Look – Short Look

“End your routine with a long look at the target, followed by a short look at the ball. Spending more time focused on where you are going vs where the ball is sitting, will ensure that you stay relaxed, athletic and connected with your goal!”