Is your golf stance too wide? This simple test will tell you

When it comes to the basics of the golf swing, there are many elements to consider: grip, the position of the ball AND ATTITUDESto name a few. But what about your stance width? How can you tell if your posture is right for your body type?

GOLF Top 100 Teachers Jason Baile has a simple test to find out.

In a video posted on Titleist’s YouTube pageBaile showed how easy it is to make sure the stance you’re using is the right width.

First, Baile recommends getting into a stance and posture that feels stable and athletic.

“I want you to feel like you can play anything,” he says. “Like you can take a picture from the center, play basketball, on the court as a stop. But once you feel that width and that athleticism, put your golf club right here in your thighs, just take a swing at the target and tell me if your thighs can kiss right here.”

By “kiss,” Baile means that the top of your thighs should be able to touch as you turn and follow.

On Baile’s first move, he finds that his thighs are too far apart to kiss, so he narrows his stance and tries again.

“If I narrow this stance a little closer, now I can easily turn around, kiss my thighs, and I really feel like I’m in much better balance here,” he says.

The trick to finding the perfect fit for your body type is to go wide enough to feel athletic, but tight enough to feel stable going forward.

“We want you to be wide, but not so wide that you can’t do this movement and stay balanced,” Baile says.

Once you’ve sorted out your stance, other basics like position and ball stance can more easily fall into place. Try the Baile Test during your next practice session to become a more athletic and powerful golfer.

To watch a full video of Baile’s advice, click here.

Editor of Golf.com

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural women’s varsity player class, Jessica can blow away anyone in the masthead. She can also drive them in the office, where she is primarily responsible for producing print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Issue, which debuted in February 2018. Her series The original interview, “A Round With,” debuted in November 2015 and appeared in both magazine and video form on GOLF.com.