Create a solid foundation before swinging your club

I'm sure the vast majority of golfers are in agreement that there's nothing better than hitting a solid golf shot. We've all gone through a certain period of time while playing the game, even if it's just for a week or two, when we just seemed to hit almost every shot solid. I'm sure that solid contact equated to some positive results too.

As I'm always analyzing my game and subsequent results, I've always taken notice that when I'm hitting the golf ball exceptionally solid, that there's one common denominator; I have good balance. That brings me to a question sent to me by Daily Herald reader, Brain B. Brian wrote that he was losing his balance and moving closer to the ball on the downswing, causing some major mishits.

My recommendation to Brian would be to create a solid foundation before you swing the golf club.

When I see players lose their balance toward the ball inswing; I see too much bend in the knees pre-swing. Start by setting up to the ball with a slight knee flex as opposed to a deep knee bend. When you bend your knees too much, you get too much weight out over the balls of your feet causing the loss of balance. By using a slight knee flex, your weight can be evenly distributed between your heels and the balls of your feet. The end result will be solid contact, creating the desired ball flight and consistent distance.

Ask the Pro:

If you have a golf question, please submit it to golftips@ivanhoeclub.com for future consideration. While I can't answer every question, I'll include ones of general interest in future columns.

• Jim Sobb is the PGA director of golf at Ivanhoe Club. A member of the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame, Sobb is a three-time winner of the Illinois PGA Championship, with eight major championships in Illinois PGA events, and is a two-time Illinois PGA Golf Professional of the Year. For more on Jim and Ivanhoe Club, the home of the 2017 Rust-Oleum Championship (June 5-11), visit ivanhoeclub.com.