Philosophy is “the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline”. The Open Stance is a set-up philosophy. Every able-bodied golfer should use the Open Stance to create efficient movement, positions, and angles.
There is no physiological make-up that does not benefit with this philosophy. One underlying principle of this philosophy is that the golfers are symmetrical.
Another is that you must also create a very specific intention for your golf ball. For example, making perfect impact and hitting the flag with a high fade is a specific intent. Keeping it between the trees is not a specific intent.
The Open Stance, over time, allows every golfer to reach their ball-striking potential. At the same time, each golfer uses unique movement to express their solution. Moreover, an Open Stance golf swing aligns efficiency of movement with less stress on our body. You benefit with more longevity in this wonderful game.
Golfers like myself know a good idea when they hear it. We just make the change and let our golf swing evolve. Others need to see the idea in action. They require proof and rationale before they’ll invest in themselves.
This site provides the building blocks of the Open Stance philosophy. You are encouraged to create a better relationship between your feet, ball, and target. You’ll read about my research and judge for yourself. One way or the other, the golfing world will, eventually, come to the same conclusion I have.
The famous Philosopher, Socrates, has been quoted as having said, “I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think”. He also said, “Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” The Open Stance is an idea no one can own, trade, or sell. The fact that I have put my research into book form is just my way to reach golfers around the world.
John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy
Set-Up Philosophy Can Create or Destroy Golf Swing Efficiencies
Different People, Different Swings, Same Philosophy
Hi Mike,
strange how I came to go to your website. I somehow assimilated the golfing machine in 1992 and had a low handicap and struck the ball solidly with a slight draw. basically set my right wrist back towards my forearm, folded my right arm up and back while putting my right hip behind me. I then reversed the motion for my forward swing, by unfolding my right arm ,retaining the bent back right wrist as I turned my left hip behind me. the faster I did it the further I struck the ball. I learned this from a gentleman named Tom Tomaselo ,might be spelled wrong, who was one of the first students of Homer Kelly.
fast forward to my 70th b’day last week and my back won’t allow any such hip movement.
so here we are at the beginning. yesterday while playing, and still trying to create some lag/speed with my hips with not much consistency. [ from a square stance.] I decided to open my stance like I would do if I were trying to fade the ball. instead of fading the ball I tried to draw it from this position. instead I hit it pretty straight and old time long ,I had to hide I the cart so no one would see my tears of joy. I struck the ball as good as I have in years. so today I went on line and typed in “open stance swing” and “the open stance academy” came up and I was thrilled.
read the info on line and watched videos. good stuff. I am to far away for a lesson. do you have any literature? I fear the quick fix /tip syndrome. sorry for the long winded comment.
Wayne Graves
Hi, Wayne. This is John. Though I am not surprised, I’m so pleased you’re striking it well now. It is remarkable, isn’t it? Anyway… the literature you’re looking for may be under “Articles” in the menu bar. I’m also glad you found corroboration in my web site. You’re on the right road. If you enjoy Homer Kelly, you might read Percy Boomer, too. It was recommended to me years ago by the Russian gentleman whose questions are responsible for setting me on this path. If you send your swing video to my Email address jjwrightpar2@yahoo.com, I’ll give you some feedback.
On Jan 25, 2015, at 6:18 PM, John Negley (email removed) wrote:
Thank you for your response. I’ll keep working on the change. I am excited by the initial results. Thanks again. John
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 24, 2015, at 8:13 AM, jjwrightpar2@yahoo.com wrote:
John,
The “line” from the leading shoulder to the ball should be straight as seen from head on. In other words, perpendicular to the target line.
There will always, should always, be some left wrist angle at impact. But the angle I’m talking about is not visible from a head-on view, but a down-the-line view. This has much to do with the grip and it’s radial orientation.
I hope this was helpful. Please feel free to write with any more questions.
Best Wishes in 2015,
John Wright
Sent from my iPad
On Jan 23, 2015, at 1:04 PM, John Negley (email removed) wrote:
Hello. I have been experimenting with an open stance with some degree of success. In reading one of your articles, I gathered that the shaft of the club and front arm should be completely straight to the ball. Does this mean that I must eliminate any left wrist angle, or just ensure that the angle must be established in a direct line between the front shoulder and ball? I appreciate your response. John
Sent from my iPhone
I found your site looking for answers about my new open stance….it works. Big time. 170 8 irons on the button. I can draw it. Fade it. Low and high. On cue. Contact is amazing.
Good for you, Michael. You obviously have good instincts and an open mind. Keep at it.
Best wishes,
John Wright
Hello, my story essentially goes like this. I was a mid to high handicap golfer with an out to in swing trying everything to fix it for 4 months and 20 hours per week. Nothing worked, I kept hitting more and more out to in. So, I started trying new ideas that my instructor was against. I opened my stance up a few inches and the pulls and slices went away in an instant and have been almost non existent for a month now. Also, I was suddenly able to swing in to out. đ˛
After a few weeks I was starting to close my stance to more square and started hitting very thin shots, opened it up again and problem solved.
My two questions that others have been unable to answer are 1. Why does an open stance enable me to swing I to out? 2. Why does the open stance stop me from hitting thin? (At first I thought number 2 was simply because an open stance effectively moves the ball back in the stance, but that isn’t the reason). I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.
Hi, Eric.
Thank you for the note. Its amazing, isn’t it? How could something that so simple be so effective in fixing a golf swing issue. The reason for both your questions is that you chose a set-up that requires a deeper, pre-coiled backswing to get the club run that feels natural for you. You also necessitate a flatter approach to the ball to mitigate an impact-steepening set-up that the open stance creates. The relative ball position is the biggest determinant of shot shape. So, when you say it moves backward, you are not only correct, but also creating your own, unique solution to deal with your set-up philosophy. This says nothing of athletic response mechanisms that take place naturally in every person to hit a golf ball away from the alignment of their feet. Due to the immediacy of your improvement, I would guess that your natural swing is a great fit for the open stance set-up and the resulting ball position, and all it took was a little digging to discover it.
Let me ask if your instructor or anyone else ever told you your club was “Over the line at the top”?
Best Wishes,
John Wright – Founder
http://www.openstanceacademy.com
The open stance is the most natural way to swing a golf club.
I learnt to play the game as a ten year old boy and my stance was 45 degree open. But my shoulders were square through the ball and my open feet allowed my left side to clear and the hands to release and play with a draw. All of my life in lessons I have been told to square everything up with my feet. It all feels alien to me as if my left side is in the way
Steve,
Thanks for writing. You know when I was a kid, my dad had me set up open to copy Lee Trevino. So I associated it with hitting the ball short. I didn’t know any better. I remember hitting it very well, though. Fast forward thirty years, and here we are.
Best Wishes,
John Wright – Founder
http://www.openstanceacademy.com
Hello John, I have been battling a duck hook with my driver/3 wood and a pull/pull hook with my irons. Today I tried opening my stance in hopes of hitting a fade, or at least taming my hook. It took a few attempts, but I was soon hitting my driver straight with a slight draw as the ball was falling. The swing feeling my brain was giving me felt I was taking the club away along my feet line and then looping it back inside and swinging more square to the target or even in to out. Would your instinct be that Iâm actually doing this looped swing or is it just a feeling? Also would this loop, if indeed I have one, be an acceptable way to play golf?
How you doin’, Bo. I believe your feeling is accurate. But, as we know, the way we feel swinging a golf club and the way it looks on camera can be dissimilar at first. As for being an acceptable way to play… the answer is, yes. You’ll be in on the ground floor of what, I am absolutely certain will become, a very important shift in the way we discuss the golf swing in the future.
Happy New Year, Buddy.
John Wright
Founder – http://www.openstanceacademy.com
Hi John,
Not quite sure what shoulder and hip alignment should be with open stance? In line with slightly open feet or in line with target line?
Thanks
Joe
Joe,
The hips are slightly closed to the feet. The leading knee will bend more than the trailing knee. The shoulders are parallel to the target line. The tilting of the torso behind the ball and ball position determine shoulder alignment. If you have any other questions, you can write or consult any of my books on Amazon.
Best Wishes,
John J. Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy
Hi John,
Like the other fellow I happen upon your website by typing in open stance golf on you tube. I was having trouble with consistency so playing this week on the ninth hole decided to open my stance and hit the sweet spot on every shot. Just went to the range today worked on it again with similar results look forward to using your teachings to help. One question that I have is I gain clubhead speed with my irons but seem to shorten my backswing with my driver am I over doing the stance with the big stick also I play left handed being right hand in everything else.
Thank You Ed
Ed,
The big dog does swing a little flatter than the iron, naturally. So it may be to your advantage, in developing a longer run of the clubhead, to move your ball position forward for the driver. I’m speculating without seeing your move, but it seems logical to assume the “Shorter” feeling of the driver swing is due to a leading arm constrained by your torso in a flatter arm swing condition.
Thanks for being patient, Ed. I’m having the high-quality problem of being busier all the time. Let me know if I or any of my books can help from here.
Best Wishes,
John J. Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy
John,
I’m really liking the open stance. I’m hitting my irons and hybrids with much more consistency and better ball flight. Probably the best I have ever played. However, my driver is a big slice. I can’t get the Fade like all my other clubs. I’ve tried tweaking everything. Is there 1 or 2 things you would suggest to do different?
Hi, Dave
The discrepancy with your driver is, with all other things being equal, steepness at impact. The assumption is that your ball position is progressively forward with the longer clubs or your stance is less open, which moves the b.p. forward – one of the two. That said, what is required is a shallower angle of attack. Flattening the swing without me there usually causes the student to flatten their backswing. Dont worry about dissecting the backswing. Concentrate on flattening the downswing, and let me know how it goes.
John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy
Hi John,
Glad to hear that you are moving forward with the Open Stance instruction.
I own your books and am a subscriber to your posts. I have tinkered with the Open Stance because it feels natural to me and because I am a 77 year old( 13 handicap ) with arthritic shoulders . You mention that this set up encourages hands below the shoulders to lessen shoulder pain and that should help me. The thing that confuses me is that a lot of your models -Jack,Freddie a Bubba have very high hands with Rickie and Lee having low hands. The other thing that confuses me is that you feel the swing is back friendly but Jack, Lee and Freddy all had severe back problems.
At this age I need a simple swing that doesnât require a lot of practice, because hitting a lot of balls is a lot harder than playing.
I love to practice but my body doesnât.
I like the Open Stance concept and plan to stop tinkering and adapt it, not so much to improve but reduce shoulder pain.
Keep up the good work.
Bob,
Thanks for writing, and thanks for the kind word. Let me see if I can answer your question by asking you a cause-and-effect question. What causes tires to wear out on your new car? Did you say, âI drove it to the tire storeâ? Let me talk from my own experience.
I developed back issues in my youth that showed up in my oldth. I was swinging too hard with over-rotation for thirty years before my own L4-5 issue emerged. And, the reverse âCâ was our, collective way of capturing swing momentum during that period.
I assumed my issue was the result of wear and tear over an extended period. I opened my stance to relieve the issue without sacrificing power. I appear to have made the correct assumption. Because, now I swing my driver 118mph without any pain. Itâs a wonderful life.
I wrote an article in 2012 titled âShoulder Width and The Golf Swingâ. It is in the articles section above. Maybe youâd get something out of it.
Best Golfing Wishes,
John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy
Hi John
Stance is open, got that. Shoulders parallel to target line, got that. I cannot find 2 things…do hips align with shoulders or stance?…and what is the distribution of weight at address?
Having developed a dodgy shoulder over the past few years and crept up to 6 Handicap I am searching for a philosophy that will keep me playing longer (and hopefully equally effectively)
Thank you
Neil
Neil,
Your weight should be neutral. The orientiation of your hips should split the difference between stance and shoulders. This will produce understandable results while you begin the flattening process. Flattening your swing should help tremendously with your shoulder issue. Thanks for writing in. Let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Best Wishes,
John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy
Hi. Fascinated with your philosophy! Tried today so only first time but some of the results were very good. However still working out exactly how much open and where ball placement should be. Getting a number of toe shots but oddly found that these tended to be corrected by standing further away from the ball !?? No shanks but then I was never a shanker! Iâm on a mission/journey now – no way back! Any tips on degree of openness and ball placement much appreciated. Best regards.
Richard,
That’s great to hear.
And…No. No recommendations. You don’t need ’em.
I teach the Open Stance as a way to break bad swing habits and replace them with efficiencies.
Any amount of open will bring positive change over time.
Get the club pointed at the target at the top and adapt, brother.
John Wright – Founder