Grip (long & short game)
- Left hand — approach the grip like a handshake. The club runs across the hand and ends at the side by the small finger; the thumb rests on top of the grip.
- Right hand — sits in front of, and below, the left hand.
- Interlock — the right-hand small finger and the left-hand index finger interlock.
- Checkpoints (looking down) — you should see the first two knuckles of the left hand, and the thumb-and-index “V” of the right hand points toward your right arm.
Putting uses a different grip — see Putting.
Setup & stance
Base setup (long game):
- Feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Right foot straight; left foot turned out slightly toward the target.
- Ball slightly forward, toward the left foot.
- Slight knee bend; club about four fingers from the waistline.
- Hinge forward from the hips to get into posture.
⚠️ Watch-out: don’t sink too much into the knees. Tilt forward from the hips — over-bending the knees messes up the swing.
Stance by area:
| Long game | Short game | Putting | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feet | Shoulder-width | Closer together | Shoulder-width or a bit less |
| Left foot | Slightly open | Set back behind the hips | Square |
| Ball | Forward | Centred | Centred, eyes over the ball |
Your set & how to practice
Six clubs cover every situation while you learn feel instead of buying a club for every yardage. Distances are rough beginner ballparks — yours will differ.
| Club | Rough carry | Main job |
|---|---|---|
| Driver | ~150–200 yd | Max distance off the tee |
| Hybrid 4 | ~150–175 yd | Long shots — tee on tight holes, long approaches |
| 7-iron | ~120–140 yd | Mid approaches + your main swing-learning club |
| 9-iron | ~100–115 yd | Shorter, higher, softer approaches |
| 56° wedge | ~50–80 yd | Short game, pitching, chipping, bunkers |
| Putter | — | On the green (your most-used club) |
Mind the gaps: this set skips the 5/6-iron and the pitching wedge. Bridge those with feel — swing the 9-iron a touch softer, or take a fuller or shorter swing with the 56°.
Where to spend practice time:
| Where | What | Rough share |
|---|---|---|
| Range | Full swings, mostly 7-iron; then Hybrid 4, 9-iron, driver last | ~40% |
| Short-game area | Chips & pitches with the 56° to targets | ~25% |
| Green | Putting — short putts + lag | ~25% |
| Bunker | Splash shots with the 56° | ~10% |
Most of your shots happen from 100 yd and in — give short game and putting at least as much time as the range.