Hearing the word square in golf can be confusing because it’s used in a few completely different ways. It’s one of those foundational terms that, once you understand it, makes everything else about hitting a golf ball and playing the game make a lot more sense. This guide will walk you through exactly what it means to be square, from the way you set up to the ball to the way a match is scored.
In short, “square” is all about proper alignment. Whether it's your clubface, your body, or your swing, being square means being correctly oriented to your target line - the imaginary line that runs from your ball to your target. Think of it as a neutral, starting position. When you start with everything pointing in the right direction, you don’t have to make big compensations during your swing to get the ball to go where you want. For most shots, a square setup is the simplest path to a straight and consistent result.
A good golf shot is built from the ground up, and that foundation starts with a square setup. If you can get this part right before you even start your swing, you’ve won half the battle. Your setup has two main components that need to be square: your clubface and your body.
The single most important factor for where your golf ball starts is the direction your clubface is pointing at impact. Think of it as the steering wheel for your shot. A square clubface is one where the leading edge of the club a perfectly perpendicular (at a 90-degree angle) to your target line.
Imagine your clubface has a laser pointer coming out from the center of it. If that face is square at address, that laser is pointing directly at your target. If the face is “closed” (angled left for a right-hander), the laser points left. If it’s “open” (angled right), the laser points right. Your number one priority in your setup should be making sure that "steering wheel" is pointed straight down the road before you hit the gas.
A great way to check this is to use the lines on your club. Most irons have horizontal grooves on the face. When the club is sitting behind the ball, those grooves should create a perfect "T" shape with your target line.
Once the clubface is aimed correctly, you need to align your body to support that aim. This is where the famous “railway tracks” analogy comes in. Imagine two parallel tracks running all the way to your target.
When your body's alignment lines are parallel to the target line, you are in a square stance. This allows you to swing the club down the correct path, delivering that square clubface to the back of the ball seamlessly.
A Very Common Mistake: Most amateur golfers aim their body directly at the target, then place the club down. When you do this, your body is aimed at the target, but for the club to sit in front of you, it means your feet, hips, and shoulders are on a line actually pointing well left of the target (for a right-hander). This is called being "open" and it encourages an "over-the-top" swing path which is a primary cause of the slice.
A square setup is essential, but the real magic happens at impact. The ultimate goal of the golf swing is to return that clubface back to a square position when it strikes the ball. A square face combined with a neutral swing path (one that approaches the ball from the inside and travels straight through to the target) will produce a straight shot.
Your ability to achieve this is influenced by two main elements: your grip and your body rotation.
Your grip is your only connection to the club, making it the primary controller of the clubface. A neutral grip makes it easiest to naturally deliver a square face at impact. If your grip is too "strong" (hands rotated too far to the right for a right-hander), it tends to close the clubface at impact, sending the ball left. If your grip is too "weak" (hands rotated too far to the left), it tends to leave the face open, sending the ball right.
A simple a good starting point for a neutral grip, look down at address. You should be able to see two knuckles on your lead hand (the left hand for a right-handed golfer). This position puts your hands in a natural, powerful position to square the face without extra effort.
Many golfers think they need to flip their hands at the ball to get the face square. In reality, correct body rotation does most of the work for you. As you unwind from the top of your backswing, your torso, hips, and shoulders rotate toward the target. This powerful rotation pulls the arms and club through the impact zone, naturally bringing the clubface back to square.
If your body stops rotating, your arms take over and you lose control. If you focus on turning your chest through the shot to face the target at your finish, you'll find it's much easier to let the club square itself up. This body-driven motion is much more consistent than relying on last-second hand manipulations.
The term “square” takes on a completely different meaning when you shift from swing technique to scoring. In the format of match play, where players or teams compete hole-by-hole, “All Square” means the match is tied.
If you and your opponent are walking to the 5th tee and neither of you is ahead, the status of the match is "All Square" (abbreviated on scorecards as "AS").
Here’s a simple example:
You’ll only hear this term in match play. In traditional stroke play, where total score is what matters, you simply have the same score, there's no concept of being "square" with another player.
Let's address a few final points to clear up any lingering confusion about being square.
No, and it's not supposed to. On a correct swing plane, the clubface will naturally and gradually open relative to the target line on the way back and close relative to the target line on the way through. The only point where it needs to be perfectly square is for the split-second of impact. Trying to keep the face pointed at the target the whole time will lead to an out-of-sync and weak motion.
While a square stance means your body lines are parallel to the target line, golfers sometimes use an open stance (front foot pulled back from the line) or a closed stance (front foot pushed over the line). An open stance can help promote a left-to-right fade, while a closed stance can help promote a right-to-left draw. For the vast majority of standard golf shots, a square stance is the ideal, neutral starting point.
Understanding what "square" means is a massive step towards playing better golf. It refers to the fundamental alignment of your clubface and body at setup, the crucial position of your club at impact, and the simple way of describing a tied match in match play. Focusing on getting these basics right removes a huge amount of guesswork and builds a solid, repeatable foundation for your entire game.
If you're ever standing over the ball wondering if you're truly square or trying to figure out which part of your setup is off, getting instant and personalized feedback can make all the difference. That's why we designed Caddie AI. It's a golf coach in your pocket that's ready 24/7 to answer any question about your technique. You can ask for a quick drill to check your alignment or even take a photo of a tricky lie - like a ball in a divot - to get immediate, smart advice on how to play the shot, helping you swing with more confidence knowing you’re set up for success.
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