In this article let's talk about how to take a proper stance when getting ready to hit short game shots. While you won’t need much in the way of flexibility to putt or chip, it is still important that you stand over the ball correctly. The advice provided in this article should help you get into a comfortable and productive position.

First, we are going to talk about putting. What do you need to do to create a solid putting stance? The following points are crucial.

• Plenty of width in your stance. The exact distance that you spread your feet apart when putting is a matter of personal preference. Some golfers like to stand with their feet approximately shoulder width apart, while some go out farther. We would encourage you to try using a wider stance, but feel free to settle on the width that makes you feel most comfortable over the ball. Remember, you don’t want to be moving around during your putting stroke, so staying on the wider side makes a lot of sense.
• Plenty of tilt from the hips. You want to feel like you are out over the ball when making your stroke. Rather than hunching over at the shoulders to get into that position, try tilting forward from your hips. This will let you hang your arms down freely from your shoulders, and it should be much easier to make a smooth stroke as a result.
• Sufficient knee flex. This is another one of those points that comes down to personal preference. While it is a good idea to have at least a little knee flex in your stance, the exact amount you use will need to be determined through trial and error. You should be flexed enough at the knees to feel stable over the ball, but not so much that you are uncomfortable.

Although they are both in the category of short game shots, the chipping stance doesn’t actually have much in common with the putting stance. Let’s take a look at some of the keys you can use to prepare yourself for chip shots.

• Open stance. When you are putting, you should be using a stance which has your feet square to the target line. However, when you step off the green and need to chip, it is a good idea to open your feet to the line. This will give you a better view of the target, and it will also help you to swing on an outside-in path. That path is going to make it easier to get the ball to pop up into the air.
• Casual posture. The key when chipping is comfort. You don’t need to make a big swing, so you don’t need to be in a particularly athletic position. Stand in a way that makes you feel comfortable and that gives you a good chance to swing freely through the hitting area.
• Adjust to the lie. Chipping, perhaps more than any other part of the game, requires you to adapt to your situation. You will often draw tricky lies around the greens, and you will need to customize your stance in order to hit the ball cleanly. Always be ready and willing to make up a new stance on the fly in order to suit the situation at hand.

Posture is important in golf. It might not get as much attention as some of the other key fundamentals, but you can be sure that it will play a big role in your success or failure on the links. We hope this article has provided you with the motivation and information you need to work on this part of your own game. Good luck!