Should the left foot be square at address (for right handers)?

[Talldog]

I have always had my left foot slightly flared open at address (I am right handed). If just ran into this Golfwrx article: Why flaring your left foot out at address could be a big mistake.

 

Well, that didn't make sense to me. So, I went to one of my goto slow motion videos which has front and side views of swings of over a dozen LPGA golfers. Sure enough, every single one had a square left foot at address.

 

• About half kept their left foot square through the entire swing
• About half rotated their left foot open during the follow-through, after impact
• Two rotated their left foot open prior to impact

 

Have I been wrong about having my left foot slightly flared open?

 

Here's the video I referenced:

 

 

 

Edited June 9, 2021 by Talldog

[b.mattay]

I see flare in about 1/2 those players. 

[Talldog]

1 minute ago, b.mattay said:

I see flare in about 1/2 those players. 

 

So, in 1/2 you don't see flare.

[b.mattay]

1 minute ago, Talldog said:

 

So, in 1/2 you don't see flare.

Correct. I always chalk it up to comfort/flexibility whether you flare out the foot or not. Personally, I flare the front foot more as I get progressively closer to the green! 

[j.b.newton]

1 hour ago, b.mattay said:

Correct. I always chalk it up to comfort/flexibility whether you flare out the foot or not. Personally, I flare the front foot more as I get progressively closer to the green! 

I thought I may be one of the few that did this... 

[Duffer222]

I’ve done it to varying degree for 30 years.

[ChipNRun]

I keep both feet square for putts and greenside chip-and-run shots.

 

I have always kept left (lead foot flared), to aid turning through the ball.

 

For right foot, I've done it both ways. For first 20 years of golf I flared both feet because everyone did it.

 

In my 40s, I went with a square right foot to prevent overswinging.

 

About age 60, I went back to flared right foot (and left) to ensure proper backswing and lessen lower back strain.

[Pepperturbo]

First, I am self-taught, using 3 books, one being Ben Hogan's Five Lessons.  Also, I move my left foot forward a touch, and open my left toe like instructed in his book.  However, I do NOT open my left hip, like said elsewhere, it's a recipe for spinning out and too many points are inline for a slice/fade. 

Having said that, whether a person squares both toes to the line, depends on their physique and muscle mass, even age. 

 

Every instructor has an opinion and some will argue for attention.  I disagree with Rod Lidenberg statement that Hogan's foot instruction harmed many golfers.  It hasn't harmed this self-taught 70yrs old that has a low of 2, and hovering at 4. 

 

 

[chippa13]

You can get in trouble at Chorchkie's with the wrong amount of flair.

[Edsland]

The older I get the more I flair 

[Zitlow]

No, you want to flair the left foot. The right side should pirouette around left leg and hip. 

[Moonlightgrm]

Hogan recommended flaring the lead foot as much as 45*. When I started seeing a chiropractor, once he learned that I played golf, he told me to flare my left foot. The golf swing is friendlier on the lower back with a flared lead foot. 

[Krt22]

29 minutes ago, chippa13 said:

You can get in trouble at Chorchkie's with the wrong amount of flair.

It's Chotchkie's but you are right, they do have a flair minimum 

[naval2006]

Flaring does help through the ball to a finish on left heel. Especially when you get older. I had never flared but I’ve been doing it for a while now and it helps me both ways: to not going to far back and through the ball without any hindrance to the finish. 

[aenemated]

1 hour ago, chippa13 said:

You can get in trouble at Chorchkie's with the wrong amount of flair.

 

Look, we want you to express yourself, okay? Now if you feel that the bare minimum is enough, then okay. But some people choose to wear more and we encourage that, okay?

[RichieHunt]

You can have the foot flared or square.  Produces different things.  I try to keep it somewhat square because in transition I want it square so I can push off it better and get better rotation.  I think with foot flare it can lead to some low point control issues.  Your body's center of mass is likely to get well behind the ball if the foot is flared too much in transition.

 

 

 

 

RH