Most golfers try to influence the left or right flight of the ball by adjusting their stance and/or grip. We will address the stance in this section.
When they think of their stance, most golfers focus on foot placement:
Square: Straight shot: Both feet in line with target line. Open : Fade shot (left to right): Left foot lower than target line. Closed: Draw shot (right to left); Right foot lower than target line.
While the foot placement in the previous example is correct, the draw or fade does not occur without the correct placement of the hips also.
Have you ever stood for a draw and actually sliced the ball worse than ever? If you move the right foot back, (assuming a right handed swing) but leave your hips open, you will fade or slice the ball regardless of your draw stance. (mouseover here) It is the placement of the hips that dictates the closedness or openness of the “swing”, not the placement of the feet.
The feet and legs provide a foundation for the spine. But, unlike the hips, which have a direct relationship to the spine, they can move independently of the spine without impacting it. (For example: when you squat to read a green the spine remains straight.)
So, why so much focus on the hips? Since, they are connected to the spine, any placement, tilt or movement of the hips has a direct effect on the rotation of the spine, which in turn dictates the inside/out or outside/in plane of the swing.
When adjusting your stance for a draw/fade, it is important to first align the feet, then the hips.
Slight hip and foot position changes (1 to 3 inches) have far greater effect on the flight of the ball than exaggerated ones.
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