SET-UP

Melissa Williams, PGA 
Tara Golf & Country Club

Set-up is so important in many ways. This is the part of the swing where, if your body is properly positioned, you will have more ability to make a good swing through the ball. If your body is not set up properly, you will have a very hard time getting consistency in each swing, each swing will feel different and you will wonder why...

Set-up includes: foot placement, ball positioning, the body's total posture, weight distribution and muscle readiness.

1. Feet, shoulder-width apart, in an athletic position.
   
   
2. Ball position will depend on what club you have in your hand.
   
   
3. Knees must be slightly bent at all times through the swing and you must bend from the waist, not the stomach.
   
   
4. Weight distribution is a very important part of the set-up, which takes all the above three into consideration. The heels and toes are used as stabilizers, like training wheels on a child's bike. Once the swing begins, the weight then shifts toward the right side and toward the left side on the forward swing.
   
   
5. Muscle readiness is the relaxed feel you get before starting the golf swing. This cannot be described as "ATTACK THE BALL," but can be described as: you have thought every part of the set-up through and are ready to make a nice, easy swing through the ball.