Consistency starts with the start position

All golfers would like to improve their game by being a little more consistent but have found achieving this goal difficult or impossible.

The reason more consistency is hard to achieve is that we often look in the wrong place. In the golf swing most technique flaws can be traced to the start position. The start position is the foundation for a technically sound golf swing but is often overlooked when the golfer analyzes his or her swing.

One of the most common technique flaws is the club swinging on a path through impact that is too steep or outside resulting in a slice or topped shot. The root of this problem can usually be found in the start position, playing the ball too far forward causes the club to swing across the ball as does poor alignment of the body in relation to the target. I spend a lot of time on the driving range and almost always the people struggling with consistency are aiming poorly and have the ball positioned incorrectly.

The good news is that these extremely important components of a consistent golf swing are veasy to correct. An effective teaching aid can be made with a few dollars worth of pvc pipe. Make a cross shape as pictured, aim the pipe directly at the target and stand parallel to it.

Use the center pipe to see that the ball is placed slightly forward of center for the middle irons and about the center for the short irons. For tee shots the ball should be slightly more forward than for the middle irons. This simple practice aid eliminates the need for compensation in the swing and is the first step towards more consistent ball striking. Make sure to practice like this every time you visit the driving range, many golfers are surprised how poor their aim and ball position is.

Terry Gingell is a PGA Class A Golf Professional. For information about adult and junior instruction programs at Empire Ranch and Genoa Lakes, call Gingell, 690-7970.