Most golfers set their feet square to the target line. It feels stable, feels right. But if you're dealing with physical limitations—bad knees, tight hips, a sore back—that rigid setup can lock you down and force you to compensate in ways that hurt.
One of Surge's students, in his mid-60s, had both hips and knees that needed replacement. When he swung with his feet square, his left foot would spin out, pulling his entire body off the line. His hips, spine, and head would shift around the ball. Every rotation put pressure on joints that couldn't take it.
The fix was simple: flare his left foot open more toward the target. Just a little. Keep the big toe on the toe line and open it up until he found the angle where he could turn without pain. That small adjustment changed everything. His weight stayed grounded, his finish became solid, and he stopped either pulling shots left or pushing them right.
When your feet spin, your whole body spins with them. When they're stable and open, you stay connected to the ground. That connection means your angles stay consistent from takeaway to impact—and that's what produces solid shots. It's the difference between playing on solid ground and playing on a waterbed.
If rotation hurts going into the backswing or forward swing, don't force it. Flare your feet a little more. Find the angle that gives you freedom without pain. That's the beauty of the peak performance setup: it adjusts to your body, not the other way around.
What's one setup detail that always trips you up? Leave a comment below.