Firstly, the following points about putting are crucial.
- Your stance should be wide enough. The exact distance your feet are spread apart when putting is a matter of personal preference. Some golfers prefer to keep their feet about shoulder-width apart, while others go further apart. You are encouraged to experiment with a wider stance, but you are free to choose the width that makes you feel most comfortable on the ball. Remember, you don't want to move during the putt, so it makes sense to keep the wider side.
- There is plenty of tilt at the hips. You would like to feel like you are on top of the ball when you hit it. Try leaning forward from your hips rather than hunching your shoulders into that position. This will allow your arms to hang freely from your shoulders, making a fluid stroke should be more accessible.
- Enough knee flexion. This is another one that depends on personal preference. One knee bend or two. It depends on your choice. You should have enough flex at the knee to feel stable on the ball but not so much that you feel uncomfortable.
Although they both fall into the short game category, the chipping position doesn't have much in common with the putting place.
- Open stance. When you putt, the position you should use is to keep your feet square to the target line. However, when you walk off the green and need to chip, opening your feet up to the line is a good idea. That will give you a better view of the target and help you swing on an outward path. This path will make it easier for you to get the ball to bounce into the air.
- A casual stance. The key when chipping is to be comfortable. No need for you to make a big swing, so you don't need to be in a position to be particularly athletic. Stand up to make you feel comfortable and gives you an excellent chance to swing freely in the hitting zone.
- Adapt to the terrain. You'll often draw tricky shots around the green, and you'll need to tailor your stance to hit the ball cleanly. Be ready and willing to improvise a new stance to suit the situation.
Posture is vital in golf. It is often overlooked or viewed differently, but you can be sure that it will make a difference to your success or failure on the course.