How to Fix the G.A.P. in Your Golf Score

Jan 22, 12

Any touring professional will tell you that the most important thing to remember when you’re setting up to your shot is grip, alignment and posture. This is also referred to as the “G.A.P”. Usually when something is off in your golf game, one of these three things is to blame. In the following article we will discuss how to improve your chances of hitting a good shot by making sure these three elements are in place.

The first thing you’ll want to check when you step up to the ball is your grip. The shaft should lie across the middle part of your fingers and the heel of the hand should rest on the top of the shaft. This is the setup for the first hand you grip the club with. Your next hand should either cover the first hand’s index finger, interlock with it, or press close to it like a baseball swing.

There are gloves called GripPerfect that tell you exactly where you need to put the club in order to grip it properly. If you seem to be having issues with how to grip the club, these gloves might just be the investment you’re looking for. There are also many videos on the internet that will show you exactly where your hands need to be in order to have the right grip on your club.

The next thing you want to check for in your setup is that you are aligned to your target correctly. You’ll want to make sure that your feet are square and your toes are parallel to the target line. This is the stance you want to be in if you want to hit the ball straight. If you are looking to hit a fade or a draw your feet alignment will be off target a bit but you will still have to pick a target in the distance to align to. Having an open or closed stance when you’re trying to hit the ball straight can cause you to hook or slice the ball.

Lastly, you’ll want to make sure that your posture is right with the club you’re holding. This is one of the hardest things for golfers to get down and one of the most common mistakes people make. Sitting too low on the ball while holding the driver can cause you to hook while sitting too low on a wedge can cause you to hit the ball fat. There are charts on the internet that will tell you the exact distance you should stand from the ball depending on which club you’re holding. You also have to have your spine aligned and your legs and arms in the right position.

These three tips will greatly increase your chances of hitting a more solid shot. All of these should be checked in your pre-shot routine. If even one of these is off, chances are you’re going to hit the ball wrong. By checking your G.A.P. before you swing it will help keep that gap in your score from being too large.