“Look where your feet are pointing?”
“Look where your feet are pointing?”
“Your feet were pointing exactly where the ball has gone”
Can be heard on any course and driving range and so often from parents as they watch their children play.
Before I begin I just want to add that on OCCASIONS it MAY be important that your feet are aligned with your body in the general direction of your intended target, but NOT always!!!
Let’s start by looking at the picture…
This is Kevin Carpenter, trick shot extraordinaire, and all round good guy!
WHERE ARE HIS FEET POINTING??? And I know for sure, because he told me, that this shot went exactly where he intended – a RIPPA as I call them 😉
Now when it comes to children who are beginning their journey in golf I would suggest that they need not worry about pointing their feet “straight”
Why??? Lots of reasons, here are a couple to get you thinking;
- Focus on the clubface. Where the ball strikes the face, where the club makes contact with the ground and where the face is pointing and moving at impact. Much more important than the feet!
- Let them MOVE. Often children that are focussed on their feet (and along with pointing straight they are told to keep them still) stop moving! And then if their body stops moving so does the club, bad news!!! Encourage them to move, move fast and move far. That way they get the club moving and have the ability to strike the ball.
- Adaptability. We want children to be flexible and creative; we want them to get out onto a golf course and be ready to react to the environment and the ever changing tasks! So much to consider and where their feet are pointing should be high on their list of priorities!
Finally if Kevin can hit RIPPAs off his unicycle with his lower body pointing in the opposite direction to his intended target that has surely got to get us thinking that pointing our feet straight is not all it is cracked up to be.
Would love to hear your thoughts and about your experiences…