Kelley Brooke shares common setup pitfalls that can derail your move.
to YouTube
If you’re having trouble with your swing, chances are you can trace the problem back to you configuration.
Your setup sets the foundation for everything that follows, and if you have a flaw in yours grip, RESIDENCE OR ATTITUDESyou are likely to make subconscious adjustments to your movement.
How can you be sure your configuration is sound? Teaching professional Kelley Brooke outlined five common setup pitfalls to avoid in a video posted on LPGA Professionals YouTube Page.
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“Setup is the foundation of the whole swing,” says Brooke. “It’s like a house: If the foundation in your house is cracked, everything will fall on it.”
Below, Brooke shares five common setup mistakes that can lead to poor swing motion.
1. Spine angle
Don’t let your back turn too far at address, says Brooke.
“If your vertebrae in your back are rounded, how in the world can you do a good turn?” says Brooke. “You can’t. We need the vertebrae to line up in a straight line in order to make a good turn.”
A spine that is too rounded can lead to swinging off or across the ball, creating poor fades, slices and hooks. Brooke suggests tilting your hips to about 35 degrees and bending your knees into an athletic position.
“Now my back is in a position where I can roll easily and make a good turn,” she says.
2. Head position
Well-meaning advice to “keep your head down” through influence can often be counterproductive, says Brooke. When your head is down, the spine becomes rounded again.
“It doesn’t allow you to make a good turn,” says Brooke. “We want your flat spine to start (at your neck) and end at your tailbone. So even if the spine is flat, I don’t want you to put your head down because now you’re not going to be able to roll easily on your back leg.”
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3. Grip pressure
Don’t try to squeeze life out of the club, says Brooke. On a scale of 1 to 10, she suggests keeping grip pressure below 5.
“We should be able to free that club,” Brooke says. “If your grip is tight, your muscles will just tighten up and you won’t be able to release.”
4. Distance from the ball
If you’re stretching to reach the ball, you can inadvertently create a rounded spine, says Brooke. As we learned above, this does not lead to anything good.
5. Weight distribution
Standing too far off the ball can also lead to having too much body weight concentrated on the toes. Not only should your weight be evenly distributed on both feet, says Brooke, but also from the heel to the toes on each foot.
“If you’re too far, you’ll have to bend over your toes,” she says. “You’ll be off balance before you even start.”
Ideally, Brooke says you should stay close enough to the ball that you can let your back hand hang and easily grip the club.
Try Brooke’s tips to limit mistakes and give your swing its best possible foundation, and watch the video above to see a full setup tutorial from Kelley Brooke.
