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Golf Stance and Alignment Basics: Setup the Shot Before You Swing

Balance, posture, and aim—made simple for beginners.

If your swing feels different on every shot, your stance may be changing without you noticing.

A consistent stance helps the rest of the swing “fall into place,” because you start from a stable, repeatable position.

In this post, you’ll learn a simple setup routine: balance, posture, ball position, and alignment—plus a quick drill you can do on the range.

The “balanced start” rule

Before thinking about technique, make sure your stance is balanced—if you’re unstable at address, you’ll fight the swing all the way through.

Aim for weight evenly distributed between left and right sides at address.
A quick test: you should be able to lift either foot briefly without tipping or shifting dramatically.
Keep pressure centered over the balls of your feet—not stuck on toes or heels.

Tip: If you feel “stiff,” soften your knees slightly and let your arms hang naturally—tension at address often creates tension in the swing.

Step-by-step: a beginner golf stance

This is a simple setup that works as a baseline; small tweaks can come later after you build consistency.

1) Feet width (start here)

For a driver or 3-wood, start around shoulder width (or slightly wider) for stability.

2) Posture (bend from hips, not the back)

Hinge forward from the top of your legs/hips and keep your back straight (avoid rounding).
Add a small knee bend so your kneecaps sit above the balls of your feet.
Let your arms hang down from the shoulders instead of reaching out stiffly.

3) Ball position (simple starting point)

A beginner-friendly cue for longer clubs: set the inside of your lead foot slightly ahead of the ball so you’re not crowding it.

Quick reflection: When you miss, do you feel off-balance at the finish? If yes, your best fix is usually at address.

Related Post: Golf Equipment for Beginners: What to Buy

Alignment: target line + “railroad tracks”

Alignment is not just where your clubface points—your feet, knees, hips, and shoulders should all be organized to support the same shot line.

The simple concept

Imagine your target line as one track, and your feet/hips/shoulders as a second track running parallel to it.
A line across the front of your feet should point toward your intended direction, and your knees/hips/shoulders should be parallel to that line.
It’s normal for the trail shoulder to sit slightly lower at address so the lead arm and club can form a clean line down to the ball.

Fast alignment drill (range-friendly)

Place a club (or alignment stick) on the ground pointing at your target.
Set a second club parallel to it where your toes will go.
Step in and match feet/hips/shoulders to the “toe line,” not directly at the target (so you’re parallel to the target line).

Tip: Many golfers aim their feet at the target by accident, which can make the body misaligned—use a club on the ground occasionally to “recalibrate.”

Club type	Stance width (easy starting point)	Balance cue	Alignment cue
Driver / 3-wood	Shoulder width or slightly wider	Stable enough to lift either foot briefly	Feet/hips/shoulders parallel to target line
Irons (general)	Slightly narrower than driver (as clubs get shorter)	Pressure centered over balls of feet	Use a club on ground to verify toe line is parallel

Common stance mistakes (and quick fixes)

Too much weight on toes or heels: reset so weight is centered on the balls of your feet, then soften knees slightly.
Reaching for the ball: let arms hang naturally, then step closer/farther until it feels relaxed (not stretched).
Aiming feet at the target: remember your body lines are usually parallel to the target line, not directly at it.

Quick reflection: If you had to “fix” only one thing before every shot—balance, posture, or alignment—which would help most?

Key Takeaways:

✓Balance first: if you can’t hold your setup steadily, your swing will compensate.
✓Posture should come from the hips with a straight back and slight knee flex.
✓Alignment works like railroad tracks: body lines parallel to the target line.