# Where should my weight be during my setup, then through the swing?



## xreyuk (Jul 19, 2017)

After reading a few articles, they seem to suggest that weight at setup should be 55-60% on the lead foot (left foot in my case as a right hander) on the ball of the foot, or slightly towards the toes.

During the backswing, weight should transfer on the trail foot, to about 70-80% and be distributed even only over the foot or slightly towards the heel. 

The first move in the downswing should be to shift weight to the lead foot, with a tour playing going from 80% on the trail foot, to 52% on the trail foot. Then when arriving at impact, around 80% of the weight on the lead foot. 

Main bulk of the information taken from here: http://www.golfwrx.com/202921/the-difference-between-professionals-and-amateurs-is-in-the-ground/

Firstly, does this seem accurate?

Secondly, I've read conflicting information about weight distribution at setup when using a driver compared to irons. A lot of articles say the weight should be on more on the trail foot at setup with driver, but then other articles say that weight distribution should be more on the lead foot, regardless of club. Which is correct?

Thirdly, at impact, how much weight should I have on the lead foot with as I get into longer clubs. Should it always be 80% ish at impact, or should I be say 80% with a wedge, 70% with a long iron, and 55% with a driver for example?


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## the_coach (Jul 19, 2017)

often times what should be happening at set-up address re good practice with weight distribution is all around having good posture angles & ball position

my take & advice on set-up given those things would be for the driver weight pressure distribution around 50:50 to 45:55 (L:R) to full shots with irons around 55:45
wedges 55:45 
but these can only ever be ballpark guidelines
for then what all these 'average' approx percentages then rely on to be of any use is good swing motion

_what then is real important is an athletic set-up in posture ready to provide both stability & balance & motion_ 
- so neither the weight on the toes tipping the body leaning too much forwards 
- or weight sat back on the heels with more of a sit back body upright position 
- good guide is set-up then rock on to toes feel that forwards unbalance then rock back onto heels again feel the sitting back unbalance
what both of these positions have in common is the lack of any ability to be about to move well dynamically 

so the weight pressure more under 'the laces' more to the foot mid-point to ball of both feet (can stand on an alignment stick through the middle of the feet to highlight the awareness of balance)

so athletic set-up - posture angle of both pelvic region & spine (both forwards leaning & secondary tilt angles) is real key to then being able to make a backswing & downswing in balance

think for sure the golf industry - teaching - even Tour pro's talking about what they do - around the term 'weight shift' have done a whole bunch of index players a deal of harm - as weight shift more implies shifting the COM of a player both laterally right & then laterally left with this weight shift been applied 'on' top of the ground

the actual weight pressure changes during a swing motion if they are happening optimally for the player they are happening mostly because of the rotational movement of the hips & upper body plus the 'actual weight' + forces of the arms & club swinging around the body - but what for sure real important to get the drift of is the majority of the weight pressure changes are vertical - as the rotational motion is 'pushing' the weight 'into' the ground (sure there's a bunch of lateral & diagonal sheer forces taking place also but the root cause of this is the vertical pressure)

so if the set-up is good and the movement is good so in the takeaway/backswing the only real move the right hip makes is rotating back away from the ball/target line & similarly the upper body is rotating back away from that line also - that done in connection with the arms will then have the right amount of weight pressure through both the right side & the left - 

same is true of transition it's the initial vertical pressure in the left side plus keeping good posture in the downswing that allows good weight pressure transfer to take place during the subsequent lower & upper body rotation

knowing the actual data of the #'s in terms of percentages is really only useful if taking lessons of pressure/force plates or mats

if concentrate on real good set-up posture with those initial guideline %'s - then with good swing movement & motion the weight pressure will be where it needs to be when it needs to be

say a player starts at 50:50 in a good set-up & makes good rotational motion with connection to the arms then by the time the lead arm is approaching 1st horizontal position the majority of the weigh pressure that's goin to be on the trailside in the backswing is already there (what that weight percentage then is varies with the player & there individual swing motion) completing the turn (the pivot) with connected arms after this position will not add a deal more weight pressure

then as the upper body turn is moving to completion with the arms to the top position so say on the way to this top position when the hands are around shoulder height so still a bit to go to that top position the weight pressure has already started to transfer to the lead side & then on start down by the time the lead arm again gets around horizontal to ground in the downswing the majority of weight pressure is already pushing vertically downwards through the leadside the subsequent rotation of the hips & upper body + arms/club swinging down through & back in around & up only adds a tad more weight pressure with the rotational movement putting the weight pressure on the lead heel & outside edge of lead foot

so goin back most of the vertical weight pressure gets to the trailside a deal sooner than most folks think & likewise the majority of vertical weight pressure gets back to the leadside a deal sooner than most folks think


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## Robster59 (Jul 19, 2017)

Mine tends to be mainly around my gut! :mmm:


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## xreyuk (Jul 19, 2017)

Thanks coach!


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