An Open Stance moves us further from our ball at impact. First, I want to go over the “How?” Then, I’ll cover “Why” moving further from your ball with motion is important. Answering both questions is the only valid way to substantiate a philosophy.
By opening our stance, we are moving our lead foot further and our trailing foot closer to our ball. When we do, our toes create an oblique, diverging line from our target line. Without getting into foot orientation to any line, I’ll ask you to concentrate, for today, on the line itself. Furthermore, keep in mind when I say “move toward the target” I mean onto our front foot, and not literally toward the target.
When two lines diverge toward the target, any movement away from our target means we get closer to the ball. Any movement toward our target means we get further from the ball. However, momentum dictates we move forward for power, so we can eliminate backward as an option.
As an aside, if we set up closed, we move closer to the ball at impact. It’s no wonder this is the set-up choice of shankers worldwide. Physics is neither negotiable, nor merciful.
Therefore, as we move toward the target, we move our body and golf club to adapt to increasing distance between we and our ball. As a result, some very specific and exciting incidentals occur during our golf swing. Here is where I answer “Why” it works for us.
Transferring our weight onto our front foot, in balance, means we have to release our club to reach the ball. Releasing our club requires a full turn. A full turn makes the necessary flattening of our swing along our foot line – easier.
For repeatability’s sake, we also have to position our trailing elbow inside our trailing hip. Therefore, we have to create room for the elbow to travel, so we instinctively keep our hips and shoulders closed longer before opening into impact. Our flatter plane means downforce needs help, which means we have to move our torso down through impact to assist.
Moving “down” through impact necessarily means we swing our torso toward our target. This motion is how we get our shoulders into hitting position as well as keep the club lower, longer post-impact. NO ONE keeps the club lower longer if the clubhead moves toward the target after impact.
Our clubhead MUST move back inside our target line to remain close to the ground. Our clubhead swings on an arc, after all. By virtue of our Intention, Open Stance, balance, and necessary mechanisms, we achieve a “lower-longer” ideal without even trying.
Strange how we we’ve been told what to do without being told that we are allowed to obey the arc around our body while doing it. It’s almost as if Magazine contributors and instructors were trying to break us. But, of course, that’s a silly proposition. They probably just didn’t know the truth.
Open your stance, and play golf.
John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy
https://www.openstanceacademy.com/golf/asking-why/
https://www.openstanceacademy.com/golf/why-open-stance-controls-trailing-elbow/
https://www.openstanceacademy.com/golf/open-stance-creates-great-ball-strikers/
