The following is a checklist for your use with a new student. Following the checklist you will find detailed instructions on how to implement each item of the Checklist. This is an html document. I will be adding a good bit of content / illustrations and videos. Please return over the next several months and review the additions as needed.

UPDATE 10/21/23

NOTE: **Wright Balance® has made significant updates since the publication of this EBook as the technology continues to evolve. When you see "UPDATE" throughout this EBook, it means there has been an evolution that has created a change in the instruction methodology. **

  1. UPDATE: Tape one fingertip or the nail of one toe. On the opposite hand place a piece of tape on the Upper Core Power Spot (Anterior Zone). If this Zone is dominant for the player:

a. Their hips will be square in all stance Widths
b. Their carrying angle will be the same in all stance widths (Note: This observation is pending further research in our Smart 2 Move research project conducted in 2023 and being completed in 2024)
c. Their arms and hands will hang exactly the same in all stance widths
d. They will have power in all stance widths (the power in all stance widths is created by the same carrying angle in all stance widths).

If the (Upper core) Anterior Zone is not dominant (absence of a. through d. above), move the tape from the Upper Core Power Spot to the Middle Core Power Spot. If the Middle Core Power Spot is dominant, you will observe a. through d. above. If the Middle Core is not dominant, a. through d. above will be absent. If a. through d. is absent, move the tape to the Lower Core Power Spot. You will find a. through d. present in only on of the 3 Core Zones. The most obvious of these "test" is "d" where power is present in all stance witdths.

The above was tested for proof of concept using the power test in June, 2023 with 90 plus KLPGA teachers and players in Seoul, South Korea then tested again in the fall of 2023 by George Puchinsky using the Smart 2 Move balance system.

Eight, 10 and 12 Inch Screen for Zone Dominance

The Wright Balance® 8, 10 and 12 inch screen: Determine Core Load / Dominant Core Region. If hips square at 8 inches, your student is an Upper Core / Anterior Zone player; If the hips don’t square at 8 inches move to 10 inches. If the hips square at 10 inches, your student is a Middle Core / Interior Zone player; If the hips don’t square at 8 or 10 inches, move to 12 inches. If the hips square at 12 inches your student is a Lower Core / Posterior Zone player. Notice and point out to your student that when their hips square, their hands hang the same at their sides. Note: when the hips square, they will remain square for 8 inches. As soon as your student steps inside or outside their 8 inch range, their hips will rotate open or closed and their hands will no longer hang the same at their sides.

  1. Have your student experience the balance where their hips square and their hands hang the same and discuss sequencing of motion and what that creates with lead knee and center of mass (COM).

  2. Assessment of Body, Set up and Swing: Photograph the body looking at shoulder and hip height and address position with bar on hips. Also photograph from behind to determine if trail hip is higher at address. Use your students phone to shoot photos and review the implications of imbalances, trail hip, etc. with regard to performance and injury

  3. Do the formal WB measurements using the Wright Balance® APP

  4. Grip Sizing: Use the 3 Stance Widths of the Core Zone / Region of the observed 8 inch range. Test your student’s club handle size before using a cue stick. If the grip handle of their club fits in the 3 Stance Widths of their “dominant Core” Zone, use that for the exercise.

  5. The Wright Balance® 4-Way Express with 2 fingertips or toes taped. When doing the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express, use 14 inches for the Upper Core / Anterior Zone player; use 16 inches for the Interior Zone player and 18 inches for the Lower Core / Posterior Zone player

  6. Show your student rotation of their hips with both fingers taped. Demonstrate how grip or improper posture opens and closes the hips. Remove one piece of tape and leave one piece on one finger or one toe. The one piece of tape will result in a square hip line regardless of Stance Width or Posture. Demonstrate the square hip line with a “bad grip” so your student understands why they would use tape on one finger or toe to play. Once the hip line is isolated, you are able to teach, arms position, lead and trail hand grip and posture

  7. Tell your student that one piece of tape on one finger or toe allows you to teach and them to practice lead and trail arms position, grip and posture.

  8. Demonstrate arms placement on chest wall starting with the lead arm. Demonstrate a “correct” lead arm position facilitates a full shoulder turn in their back swing and how an “incorrect” lead arms position limits shoulder rotation.

  9. Demonstrate how a “correct” trail arm position facilitates an unrestricted through swing and how an “incorrect” lead arms position limits the through swing causing an early release of the club.

  10. Lead Hand Grip: Demonstrate how placement of lead hand on club with heel pad on top and strength and weakness of lead hand on the club impacts shoulder rotation in the back swing.

  11. Trail Hand Grip: Demonstrate how placement of trail hand on the club with lead thumb in lifeline and strength and weakness of trail hand on the club impacts rotation through the swing.

  12. Demonstrate posture setting arms on chest wall, standing tall with no knee flex, for their playing Core Zone. Emphasize the importance of practicing setting their posture with a club shaft parallel to the ground and one piece of tape on one finger following the Wright Balance 4-Way Express. The arms should remain on the chest wall until the club is grounded. Then, with the club across the chest, test the ability to rotate.

  13. Sequencing of Motion: With a ball placed on the ground that is their ball position, demonstrate to your student the sequencing of motion for their playing Core Region / Zone without a club. Show them the matching center of mass (COM) and the position of the lead knee at the top of swing. Demonstrate the COM and lead knee at the top when the sequencing is done incorrectly.

A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE CHECKLIST FOLLOWS

1. The Wright Balance® 8” 10” and 12” stance width Screening

• Make sure the hip bar is on correctly, flat on the pelvis, below the hip bones and below the belt line with the feet perpendicular and equidistant to the yard stick.
• Place a finger sleeve or tape on your student’s Upper Core Power spot on one hand. NOTE: You will not be able to determine the dominant zone without the finger sleeve on one Upper Core Power Spot
• Using a yardstick, have your student place their left foot on the 0 inch line and their right foot at the 7” inch line. Look at the hip bar from both sides and you will see the hips rotate left or right. If the hips remain square, check the hip bar to be certain it is flat on the pelvis and tell your student to stand tall, look straight ahead, take a deep breath and relax.
• Once you see left or right rotation of the hips at 7 inches, you are ready to proceed.

UPPER CORE / ANTERIOR ZONE 8 INCH STANCE WIDTH TEST (8 INCHES)

• If the hips are square at 8”, you have a student who is an Upper Core / Anterior Zone Dominant
• Add 8” to the 8” stance width. Have your student move their right foot to the 16 inch line.
• Next, have your student move their right foot to the 17 inch line. If they are an Upper Core / Anterior Zone player, their hips will rotate left or right. If the hips DO NOT rotate left or right at 17 inches, your student IS NOT an Upper Core / Anterior Zone player.
• If the hips do not rotate at 17 inches, repeat the Upper Core/Anterior Zone test.
• If the hips rotate at 17 inches, you just confirmed that your student has an UPPER CORE dominance.
• This gives you a playing stance width range from 8 inches to 16 inches. This means that if the player is playing from an UPPER CORE / ANTERIOR ZONE, their set up, posture grip, etc. must be from in between 8 and 16 inches when they practice or play in the absence of the Wright Balance®®®4-Way Express followed by tape on one finger as described below
• BALANCE: The UPPER Core /ANTERIOR Zone player will feel their balance OVER the balls of the feet. DO NOT TELL YOUR STUDENT THAT. Have your student move between 8 and 16 inches and add knee flex. Ask them to describe their balance in their feet. “Where do you feel your balance?” You may need to place your hand on one foot and point to the balls of the feet, then between the balls of the feet and center of arches and then to the center of their arches. Ask them which of the 3 positions they feel their weight. Tell your student they should practice finding the 8 to 16 inch Stance Width range while looking at a precise target. (Is this taking place from behind the ball or addressing the ball?) That is how they will play golf and what they should feel at address before they place their hands on the club.

Provide your student with a link to this video demonstrating sequencing of motion in an Upper Core / Anterior Zone player. Note the center of mass (COM) in the Anterior Zone player. The COM is a position that we, as golf professionals, thought was what we called a reverse pivot and we worked hard in those days to get the player to move to their trail side and clear their hips at impact. That coaching was a distance, a balance killer and sets the player up for poor performance and injury.

MIDDLE CORE / INTERIOR ZONE 8 INCH STANCE WIDTH TEST (10 INCHES)

• If the hips DO NOT square at 8”, you will need to continue testing for the Dominant Core Zone
• Have your student move their right foot to 9 inches. If their hips did not square at 8 inches, their hips SHOULD NOT SQUARE at 9 inches.
• Have your student move their right foot to 10 inches
• (NOTE: If your student’s hips DO NOT square at 9 or 10 inches, go to the 12 inch mark described in the Lower Core / Posterior Zone tests below)
• If your student’s hips square at 10”, add 8 inches
• Have your student move their right foot to the 18 inch line on the yardstick
• Have your student move their right foot to the 19 inch line. If they are a Middle Core / Interior Zone player, their hips will rotate left or right. If the hips DO NOT rotate left or right at 19 inches, your student IS NOT a Middle Core / Interior Zone player.
• If the hips do not rotate at 19 inches, repeat the Middle Core/Interior Zone test.
• If the hips rotate at 19 inches, you just confirmed that your student has a MIDDLE CORE / INTERIOR ZONE dominance.
• This gives your student a playing stance width range from 10 inches to 18 inches. This means that if your student is playing from a MIDDLE CORE / INTERIOR ZONE, their set up, posture grip, etc. must be from be between 10 and 18 inches when they practice or play in the absence of the Wright Balance®®®4-Way Express followed by tape on one finger as described below
• BALANCE: The Middle Core / Interior Zone player will feel their balance just behind the balls of the feet and forward of the center of their arches. DO NOT TELL YOUR STUDENT THAT. Have your student move between 10 and 18 inches and add knee flex. Ask them to describe their balance in their feet. “Where do you feel your balance?” You may need to place your hand on one foot and point to the balls of the feet, then between the balls of the feet and center of arches and then to the center of their arches. Ask them which of the 3 positions they feel their weight. Tell your student they should practice finding the 10 to 18 inch Stance Width range while looking at a precise target. (Is this taking place from behind the ball or addressing the ball?) That is how they will play golf and what they should feel at address before they place their hands on the club.

Provide your students with this video on how to practice the motion and experience the center or mass for the Middle Core / Interior Zone player.

LOWER CORE / POSTERIOR ZONE 8 INCH STANCE WIDTH TEST (12 INCHES)

• If the hips DO NOT square at 8” or 10”, you will need to continue testing for the Dominant Core Zone
• Have your student move their right foot to 11 inches. If their hips did not square at 10 inches, their hips SHOULD NOT SQUARE at 11 inches.
• If your student’s hips DO NOT square at 10 or 11 inches, go to the 12 inch mark
• If your student’s hips square at 12 inches , add 8 inches
• Have your student move their right foot to the 20 inch line on the yardstick
• Have your student move their right foot to the 21 inch line. If they are a Lower Core / Posterior Zone player, their hips will rotate left or right at the 21 inch mark. This test is a confirmation that your student is Lower Core / Posterior Zone Dominant
• This gives your student a playing stance width range from 12 inches to 20 inches. This means that if your student is playing from a LOWER CORE / POSTERIOR ZONE, their set up, posture grip, etc. must be from be between 12 and 20 inches when they practice or play in the absence of the Wright Balance®®®4-Way Express followed by tape on one finger as described below
• BALANCE: The LOWER Core / POSTERIOR Zone player will feel their balance over the center of their arches. DO NOT TELL YOUR STUDENT THAT. Have your student move between 12 and 20 inches and add knee flex. Ask them to describe their balance in their feet. “Where do you feel your balance?” You may need to place your hand on one foot and point to the balls of the feet, then between the balls of the feet and center of arches and then to the center of their arches. Ask them which of the 3 positions they feel their weight. Tell your student they should practice finding the 12 to 20 inch Stance Width range while looking at a precise target. (Is this taking place from behind the ball or addressing the ball?) That is how they will play golf and what they should feel at address before they place their hands on the club

Provide your Lower Core / Posterior Zone player with this video which demonstrates the Lower Core sequencing of motion and COM on the trail side at the top of the swing.

This EBook is an overview of how each Core Region / Zone sets up, sequencing of motion and how each uses the ground during the swing.

https://instructions.wrightbalance.com/ghost/#/editor/63b3600e4a41020001504cab

This EBook is a comprehensive overview of the 8 inch stance width range.

https://instructions.wrightbalance.com/stance-width-range/

The following video was shot with an Upper Core Player, Wright Balance Professional, Jeff Shaw. In this video Jeff describes how he has managed his back pain by doing the Wright Balance Express and ending on the Lower Core / Posterior Zone, thus taking the stress off his Upper Core / Anterior Zone. He had done the Wright Balance 4 Way Express the day prior to this video. When tested using the yardstick and Upper Core Power Spot, Jeff's hips didn't square until 12 inches, the Lower Core / Posterior Zone 8 inch range. Note Jeff's balance move toward his heels in that 8 inch Posterior Zone.

BALANCE Mat?

If you have a pressure mat or force plates, use the mat for your student to observe their straight line of force in and outside of their 8 inch Stance Width Range. Show them their point of balance heel to toe that matches their 8 inch range. Have them set their posture by Core Region / Core Zone and note the straight line of force.

2. ASSESSMENT OF BODY, SET UP and SWING

Please remember that Core / Zone dominance determined during the 8 inch stance width assessment Does Not necessarily mean that is the Core Region / Zone where your student will play. However, the majority of the time, I believe you will find your student will play from their Core / Zone Dominance. The following guidelines will take you to the next level. If you haven’t already, REMOVE THE FINGER SLEEVE OR TAPE FROM THE UPPER CORE POWER SPOT YOU USED IN THE 8 INCH STANCE WIDTH ASSESSMENT
• Take a photo of your student (using their phone when possible) standing tall face on and from behind. Have them place their thumbs on their hip bone and take another picture. Show them the photo noting a lower shoulder on one side. Most often, when one shoulder is lower, the hip on the same side is higher
• With a bar on their hips and standing on a lined surface or with a reference line on their stance, note the hip rotation
• Have your student take a step forward and note the rotation of their hips
• Have your student take a step back and note the rotation of their hips
• Take a second photo at set up with a club from behind. Note the position of the trail hip. If your student’s hips are open at address, the trail hip will likely be higher

3. Formal WB measurements using the Wright Balance® APP

NOTE: Remove the finger sleeve or tape from the Upper Core Power Spot you used to determine the Core Region / Dominance at 8, 10 or 12 inches

• Have your student stand up straight, look forward and relax. Take the shoulder width & body width measurements utilizing the calipers or a yardstick.
• Enter the student’s info and measurements into the Wright Balance®®® APP
• Note the measurement results in the APP
• If your student is only taking a golf lesson, plot the first 3 numbers (Stance Widths) from the measurements of their Core Region / Zone of dominance result when you tested their 8 inch Stance Width Range. Mark those 3 stance widths on a yardstick using a blue marker for Lower Core, black for Middle Core or red for Upper Core.
• You found the dominant Core Region / Zone when you did the eight inch stance width testing. Use the 3 Stance Widths of the dominant Zone with the hip bar on and NO FINGER SLEEVES. You are ready to test your students dominant Sub-Region of the dominant zone .
• Have your student place their left foot on zero of the yardstick. Using the 3 Stance Widths you marked on the yardstick, have your student test each of the 3 Sub-Region stance widths to determine the Dominant Sub-Region. Your student’s hips will only square on one of those 3 stance widths. Without a club, you can demonstrate that the one Sub-Region where their hips square is the only Sub-Region of the 3 you are testing where they have power. Test this without a club by having them swing to the top of their swing gripping their lead hand thumb, move under their hands and provide resistance in the downswing.
• Have your student step to the 2 stance widths where their hips did not square. You want your student to see how their hip line opens and closes in the 2 Stance Width.

Why do this exercise? Teaching is belief conversion. Who knows what information your student has gleaned over the years from reading or lessons ®®or what their expectations are with regard to your lesson. You want to get their attention in the context of how important balance is in their set up and swing.
No, you don’t have to do the strength test. You could go right to the 3 the Sub Region Stance Widths and test their club handle for grip size, set their grip size and move immediately to the Wright Balance®® 4 Way Express in either a single Stance Width in using the 3 Sub-Region Stance Widths.

Explain to your student that you could stop your lesson at this point and they could use the 8 inch Stance Width Range to play. However, grip size will move heel to toe balance, their hip line will likely be open or closed at address, their trail hip will be higher when their hips are open and the club will be behind them in the downswing which means they will either be under or over the plane in the downswing and their misses will be pronounced.
Continue to grip sizing and with a 1 minute Wright Balance 4 Way Express exercise in one of their dominant Zones (based upon their ideal playing carrying angle) and they will aim their irons, putter and woods exactly on line. The putter will remain square to that line through the entire stroke.

4. Grip sizing

• Leave the hip bar on without any finger sleeves.
• To do the grip sizing, use only the non-dominant hand. (If a player swings right-handed, measure the left hand; if a player swings left-handed, measure the right hand).
• Do the grip sizing first using your student's golf club grip to test. With the hip bar on, have your student stand tall, relax, look straight ahead and close their eyes. (If they look down, left and right, their hips will likely rotate.) If the hip bar squares while your student is standing on each of their 3 dominant core region stance widths, you have the correct grip size. When they step to a non-dominant stance width, note that their hips rotate left or right. If their hips rotate in their dominant core region stance widths, use a pool cue stick to do the grip sizing.
• With the hip bar on, go to one of your student's dominant core region stance widths. Start at the narrow end of the pool cue stick and work your way up slowly, until the hip bar squares.

This video is a demonstration of how to do the grip sizing.

• Beware of screening flaws. Make sure the pool cue stick is in the left or lead hand, the forearm is at a 90 degree angle to upper arm, use firm grip pressure and make sure feet are perpendicular and equidistant to the yard stick on the ground. Be sure not to push your lead arm out as this will rotate the shoulders and hips. Make sure pool cue stick dissects the lead shoulder. If the stick is inside or outside your lead shoulder, there will be rotation and you will get a faulty screen. Again be certain your student is standing tall, looking straight ahead (not looking down at the hip bar) and relaxed.
• When the hip bar squares, mark the pool stick in the corresponding core region color at the EXACT POINT of the location of the middle finger on the pool cue stick. Measure the diameter of the pool cue stick with digital calipers and give that number to your student. (in the event they don't want to do the Wright Balance 4-Way Express they can ask their club fitter to set their grips the precise size for play).
• For pain management, recovery, sleep or malocclusion, you will need to do the grip sizing for all 3 Core Regions / Zones. Be certain to color code (red, black and blue) both the stance widths and the cue stick handle with the corresponding color. A convenient "tool" to mark 14 inch, 16 inch and 18 inch stance widths is a 5 gallon paint stick available in home improvement stores.

• Do the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express Exercise, using the Upper Core, smallest handle size, (red) at 14 inches; then do the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express using the Middle Core (black) at 16 inches followed by the Wright Balance® Lower Core (Blue) using the largest grip size at 18 inches.

• The Upper Core / Anterior Zone is the smallest grip size, the Middle Core / Interior Zone will be the next largest grip size and the Lower Core / Posterior Zone will have the largest grip size. Color code and mark a pool cue stick or other tapered measurement tool you are using with their corresponding Core Region / Zone using red for Upper / Anterior Zone; Black for Middle / Interior Zone color.

I have worked on grip sizing for the past 30 plus years. Early on, precise grip sizing became important to see the heel to toe balance changes. I have worked on grip sizing for the past 30 plus years. Early on, precise grip sizing became important to see the heel to toe balance changes. We know that once the Wright Balance 4-Way Express is done in the playing Core Zone that the player can use any grip size they wish without changing heel to toe balance. However, exercise is not always going to be done by players. Therefore, we still use the old grip sizing from decades old research.

When the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express is done in the playing Core Zone that the player can use any grip size they wish without changing heel to toe balance. However, exercise is not always going to be done by players. Therefore, we still use the old grip sizing from decades old research.

Below is a chart I developed some 10 years ago. It is imperative that the grip be measured to the location of the middle finger of the player's lead hand. If you are familiar with former PGA Tour player Anthony Kim you will recall how far down from the butt of the club he gripped as shown in the following images.

The industry standard for grip size is 2 inches down on the butt of the club. Anthony Kim grips down a few inches from the butt as you can see from the above images. Any players grip MUST be measured to the middle finger of the lead hand AFTER they grip the club.

The following chart was developed for the hand to be measured to the middle finger. The industry standard is shown in the red font. The Wright Balance standards are shown in blue font.

As noted, if the player does the Wright Balance 4-Way Express, grip sizing is a moot point. However, compliance with the exercise is imperative to play without changing out grips.

5. The Wright Balance® 4 Way Express Exercises

This is a short video for your students. I would provide them with a link so they have this to review. You are presenting so much information with which you are familiar but all new to them.

When you do the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express, place tape around a fingernail of each hand or toenail of each foot and use the 1 Stance Width that matches the handle size.

If you are using the Upper Core / Anterior Zone handle size, do the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express at 14 inches; 16 inches for the Middle Core / Interior Zone and 18 inches for the Lower Core / Posterior Zone.
• Finger sleeves or tape on two finger tips, one on each hand or one toe of each foot.
• For playing golf, you are going to leave one finger tip or toe taped after the 4 Way Express Exercises. Taping one toe may be more effective while playing in hot, humid climates.

(## FOR GOLF)

• After doing the Wright Balance® 4 Way Express Exercises, the hips are square 100% of the time at address when ONE piece of tape is left on a wrapped fingernail or toenail, no matter how the club is gripped.
• The trail hip will be lower than the lead hip at address. The shoulders and the hips will have the correct amount of side bend with the trail hip lower

BEFORE Wright Balance® 4-Way Express:

After Wright Balance® 4-Way Express:

BEFORE (LEFT) & AFTER (RIGHT) Wright® Balance 4-Way Express in a Junior

After doing the Wright Balance® 4 Way Express Exercises, keep one fingertip or toe tape on and place tape on the Upper Core power spot of one finger of the opposite hand taped. When that is done, the following will occur:

• The Putter will be aimed precisely on line and the putter will remain square to the path 100% of the time.
• Your student can now play with a grip size that is comfortable to them.
• The shaft plane will be neutral in all stance widths
• The pronation or supination of knees will be corrected over the center of each foot for better balance.

****Before play, take one finger sleeve or piece of tape off one finger or toe and leave one on with an Upper Core Powers spot on a finger of the opposite hand covered.

After doing the Wright Balance® 4-Way Express, use your student’s camera and take the same photos you did at the beginning of the lesson.
• Take a photo of your student (using their phone when possible) standing tall face on and from behind. Have them place their thumbs on their hip bone and take another picture. Show them the photo noting that their shoulders and hips are level.
• With a bar on their hips and standing on a lined surface or with a reference line on their stance, note the hip rotation is NO LONGER PRESENT. The hips remain square in all stance widths
• Have your student take a step forward and note the rotation of their hips is NO LONGER PRESENT and the drag created by hip rotation with walking is eliminated
• Have your student take a step back and note the rotation of their hips is NO LONGER PRESENT and the hips remain square.
• Take a second photo at set up from behind with a club. Note the position of the trail hip. The trail hip will now be lower at address when the hips remain square
• Use a laser and demonstrate the changes in putter aim.

• Use a magnet on the face of an iron and demonstrate how an iron is aimed precisely on line.

Hold the face where it is aimed and ask your student to walk to the front of the target line and see the clubface aim.

Posture

This EBook covers Posture in detail.

Grip

This EBook covers arms position and lead and trail hand grip in detail. Getting the heel pad of the lead hand on top is critical. Please pay special attention to the images and process of getting the lead hand on top.

https://instructions.wrightbalance.com/grip-2/

Routine

The Learning Process: Backwards Chaining to a repeatable Routine

Learning takes place most efficiently in what is called successive approximations. We learn "Backwards". This learning process is called Backwards Chaining.

For example, as infants, we learned to drink while a bottle was placed in our mouth. We laid passively and drank. Over days and months we began to grasp the bottle with both hands, eventually reaching for it as it was brought to our mouth. Over time, with repeated practice, we held the bottle on our own. Ultimately, we were able to pick up the bottle and drink without assistance. The "sealed" bottle went to a cup (with a few accidents) and finally by age 6 or 7 we were able to drink from many different types of glasses, cups and bottles with few accidents. Then we added pouring liquids into glasses and cups.

The end result is a behavior we engage in daily and, with few exceptions, we don't spill a drop of what we are drinking. There are numerous "links" in this chain leading to a specific behavior we learned "backwards". We have learned the chain of reaching for a glass, picking it up and taking a drink and returning it to the counter or table. We learned this chain backwards. It is called a chain because it has behavior "links" also called approximations.

The order of the learning process is also important. If I were to ask you to learn an 8 verse poem and I had you begin at verse 3, then verse 7, then verse 2, etc, when it came to time to recite the poem, your performance would be a struggle to put the verses in order. When you are teaching a golf swing, there are a number of considerations for the first link that should be taught.

GOLF set up and motion Chain Links to a Precise Goal

Tell your student the end goal is to walk into the ball, align to the target, assume their stance width and posture and then grip the club as they look at the target as demonstrated in this video.

This video shows the final goal of practicing the links in a total chain. Emphasize to your student that each of the links described below must be practiced in order and independent of each other.

Have your student walk into a shot and set up with a club without swinging. Then test, from this set up position, the lead and trail grip using their ability to rotate back. Next, from this same setup position, have them place a club across their chest and test their ability to rotate in their backswing.

Practicing Links in the Total Chain

Recall the order of the links in the setup chain. Broadly speaking, that is the order in which the setup links should be practiced. The overview below breaks these links down in a more specific order.

The Following is the order of teaching I would recommend. Each item is a new link in the total setup chain. We always start at the ball and work backwards. There are distinct learning goals in each link of the total chain.

  1. Playing Core Zone sequencing of Motion with ball position set
  2. Lead and trail arms position for maximum rotation
  3. Lead hand Grip
  4. Trail Hand Grip
  5. Posture
  6. Sequencing of motion for 2 feet in backswing with a club with ball position set
  7. Sequencing of motion for 2 feet in backswing with breathing, relaxation of traps and image of target with ball position set
  8. Alignment with focus on precise target with ball position set.

[WHY NOT PRACTICE Downswing?]

The downswing sequence is just the opposite of the backswing. The downswing will automatically track the reverse sequence when the backswing sequence is set correctly.

Remember, as we learn new behavior, a chain is as strong as its weakest "link". Players who refer to themselves as scratch golfers on the range but not the course are well practiced "at the ball" but seldom integrate a full routine into their practice where they walk into the shot. They hit ball after ball without walking behind the ball, finding a target, working on their alignment and walking into the shot and setting up before swinging.

We can learn most things when the links are broken into small enough learning segments or approximations. It is important that the links be organized in separate behaviors that can be blended into a "Routine" with practice.

Teaching is "belief conversion". If you provide your student with enough Guided Discovery they will be more compliant with their "homework". Your long term goal is to make your students Visual and Independent when they practice and play.

Our students expect to hit balls and work on swing mechanics during a lesson. It is important that you provide them with that opportunity while building the foundation of their swing.

Some of your students will bypass some of these approximations and go right to setting up with a club, getting their grip and setting their posture. Everyone of these setup conditions has the potential to open or close your student's hips. Your students will learn best and advance faster if they practice and master each of the approximations before moving to the next level of practice. Your better students will master each step quickly. Guided Discovery as you proceed will embed the importance of starting with a good foundation.

If your student is an experienced player they will already have a Routine. [By the way, a Routine is simply a series of behavior links in a total chain.] Watch your students Routine on the range and adjust their practice to include an alignment on their heel line to check alignment to a target. You may be able to make minimal changes in their Routine to set all of the links in the total setup chain.