Careless Setup Routine Makes For Poor Golf Swings

Mon, 11/19/2018 - 07:33 -- Don Trahan

A message arrived from a student asking about getting "cocky" with your swing when things are going well. He asks:

"You started to caution me not to get cocky now that I am hitting the ball solidly. You never finished your thoughts on that and I am interested in what you have to say"

The purpose of that statement means, do not get careless with your swing when things are going well. Do not neglect your setup routine. Practice the same method each golf shot, the same walk in, the same grip, the same practice swings, and last but certainly not least, proper Alignment!

If you get careless with your routine, your golf game will suffer - a problem that happens to everyone, even Tour players. How often have you seen someone doing well early in a tournament to cave toward the end? Overconfidence and carelessness cause us to start to neglect our setup routine. With a lot of people, once you start sliding downhill, it can be a huge mental challenge to correct it mid-play.

Blog Tags: 
PPGS Setup
Setup Routine
setup determines the motion

Comments

d.ramsey's picture

Submitted by d.ramsey on

Don, I understand that the new golf rules prohibit placing a club down to help alignment? If this Is correct do you have any other suggestions? thanks

MikefromKy's picture

Submitted by MikefromKy on

d.ramsey

Using any kind of alignment on the course has always been against the rules nothing new. You can only us them during practice.

If your out playing for fun and not in a tournament of any kind what does it matter as long as you are not holding anyone up using a club or what ever for alignment .

Dave Everitt's picture

Submitted by Dave Everitt on

At 4:56 in this video Surge mentions one of the basic setup details of this swing. He describes setting the shaft angle and squaring the clubface while holding the club in the air. This is a detail that I probably should revisit, to get more consistent forward shaft lean at setup.

gbdoc's picture

Submitted by gbdoc on

I just watched (as you write it):
Careless Setup Routine Makes For Pour Golf Swings

No, no, no! it's POOR, not Pour

You're too good, your advice is too valuable, for you to be embarrassed by such a mistake, which makes a bad impression. Correct ASAP.

Actually, this mistake documents what you say in the video about getting careless.

Best regards,
George

Tom-the-Golfer's picture

Submitted by Tom-the-Golfer on

Jumped all over the place, Tried six different instructors. The basics Surge taught are undeniable. I'm back.