What Is an Address in Golf?

Thinking about addressing the ball in golf? It’s simply the final, static position you take right before you start your swing. Getting your address right is the foundation for a good shot, setting the stage for everything from power to accuracy. This guide will break down every component of a solid address, giving you a simple, repeatable process to build confidence over every single shot on the course.

What "Address" Actually Means in Golf

According to the official Rules of Golf, you have "addressed the ball" when you have grounded your club immediately in front of or immediately behind the ball, whether or not you have taken your stance. For us, we can think of it in simpler terms: the address is your complete setup to the golf ball. It's the moment of stillness just before you pull the trigger.

Why is this so important? Because your address position dictates a huge portion of what will happen in your golf swing. Your posture determines your swing plane. Your alignment determines your starting line. Your ball position influences your angle of attack. If you start in a weak, inconsistent position, you're forcing your body to make all sorts of complicated compensations during the incredibly fast motion of the swing just to hit the ball straight. A good, athletic address position pre-sets a successful swing, making your job a whole lot easier.

The Foundation of a Great Address: A Step-by-Step Guide

Building a great address position shouldn't feel like rocket science. By following a consistent sequence, you can build a solid foundation every time. The most effective way is to build it from the club outward, not from your feet inward.

Step 1: Aim the Clubface First

This is the most common mistake amateur golfers make. They align their feet and body to the target and then try to get the clubface to match. Instead, you need to aim your weapon first. The clubface is what sends the ball to the target, so it demands priority.

• Stand behind your golf ball and look down the line to your target (e.g., the flagstick, a spot on the fairway).
• Pick out an intermediate target just a foot or two in front of the ball on that line. This could be a different colored patch of grass, a broken tee, or a small leaf.
• Walk up to the ball and place the clubhead down first, aiming the leading edge of the club squarely at your small, intermediate target. This is far easier and more accurate than trying to aim at a target 150 yards away.

Once the clubface is aimed perfectly, every other piece of your setup will build around it.

Step 2: Take Your Grip

With your clubface aimed, it's time to put your hands on the club. Your grip is your only connection to the club, making it the steering wheel for your shots. How you hold the club is a fundamental part of your address.

While there are different styles (interlock, overlap, ten-finger), the principles of a good, neutral grip remain the same. For a right-handed golfer:

• Left Hand (Top Hand): Place your left hand on the grip so you can see two knuckles when you look down. The "V" formed between your thumb and index finger should point roughly toward your right shoulder. Hold the club more in your fingers than in your palm for better feel and control.
• Right Hand (Bottom Hand): The "V" on your right hand should mirror the left, also pointing toward your right shoulder. The B of your right palm should cover your left thumb. This hand should feel like it's on the side of the grip, not on top or too far underneath.

A good grip allows the clubface to return to a square position at impact without you having to manipulate it. This is your goal. It will feel weird at first, especially if you're changing an old habit, but stick with it.

Step 3: Build Your Posture and Stance

Now that your clubface is aimed and your hands are on, you can finalize your setup by building your posture and stance. This should feel athletic, balanced, and ready for rotation.

Correct Golf Posture

Proper posture is strange because we don't stand like this in any other walk of life. It’s what often feels “weird” to beginners, but it’s what looks “right” in a good golfer.

• Bend from the hips: The most important move is to tilt your upper body forward by hinging at your hips, not by rounding your back. A good cue is to feel like you’re sticking your bottom out behind you.
• Maintain a relatively straight spine: Avoid slouching. Your back should be straight but tilted over toward the ball. This creates space for your arms to swing.
• Let your arms hang naturally: From this tilted position, just let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders. This is where your hands should hold the club. If you stand too upright, your arms will be jammed into your body. If you hunch over too much, you’ll be reaching for the ball.
• Flex your knees slightly: Your knees should have a soft, athletic flex. They shouldn't be locked straight, nor should they be deeply bent like you’re sitting in a chair.

Stance Width and Balance

Your stance width is your platform for power and balance. An incorrect width can seriously restrict your ability to turn.

• For a mid-iron (like a 7 or 8-iron), your feet should be about shoulder-width apart. This provides a stable base that still allows your hips to rotate freely.
• For longer clubs like fairway woods and the driver, you can go slightly wider for more stability.
• For shorter clubs like wedges, you can bring your feet a little closer together.

Your weight should feel evenly balanced, 50/50 between your left and right foot for most standard iron shots. You should also be balanced between your toes and heels. A good checkpoint is to feel the weight in the balls of your feet, ready to move.

Ball Position

Where you place the ball in relation to your feet has a massive impact on your strike. It needs to match the club you're using. Here’s a simple guide:

• Short Irons (Wedges, 9-iron, 8-iron): Place the ball in the exact center of your stance. This puts it directly under your sternum, the lowest point of your swing arc, which promotes a clean, ball-first strike.
• Mid-Irons (7-iron, 6-iron, 5-iron): Move the ball slightly forward of center - perhaps one ball-width toward your front foot.
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Move the ball another width forward, so it's roughly under your front armpit. -

The ball is at its most forward position. For the driver, it should be played off the inside of your lead heel. This encourages you to hit up on the ball for maximum distance.

Bringing It All Together: The Power of a Routine

Knowing all these individual pieces is great, but the key to a consistent address is to combine them into a smooth, automatic pre-shot routine. A routine plugs these steps together and makes them a habit, so you don’t have to overthink it on the course.

Here’s a simple routine to practice:

1. From Behind: Stand a few yards directly behind the ball and visualize the shot you want to hit. Pick your final target and your intermediate target.
2. The Approach: Walk up to the side of the ball and place the clubhead down first, aligning it to your intermediate target.
3. The Grip: Settle your hands into your correct grip.
4. The Stance: Build your stance around the club, getting your feet to the proper width and checking your ball position.
5. The Posture: Get into your athletic posture - hip hinge, straight back, soft knees.
6. The "Waggle" and Look: Give the club a little waggle to release any tension in your arms and hands. Take one or two final looks at the target to reinforce your aim.
7. Commit and Go: Once you're set, stop thinking and start the swing.

This whole process should only take about 15-20 seconds. It’s not about being slow, it’s about being deliberate. Committing to a routine like this will make your address monumentally more consistent and free you up to make a confident swing.

Final Thoughts

Your address in golf is more than just standing over the ball, it's the foundation of your entire shot. By building a consistent and athletic setup from the ground up - starting with the clubface - you eliminate variables and give yourself the best possible chance to execute a clean, powerful, and accurate golf swing.

Of course, building this feel takes time and feedback. When you're on the range or on the course and feel unsure if your posture is right or how to adjust your ball position for a difficult lie, it can be tough to just guess. That’s why we’ve built features into Caddie AI to provide instant support. You get on-demand advice for any shot situation, including a unique feature where you can photograph a tricky lie and Caddie will analyze it and explain the best way to adjust your setup and play the shot, helping you build confidence in real-time.