Every golfer wants more consistency, better ball-striking and a swing that just feels smooth. But one of the biggest reasons you might not be hitting it solid has nothing to do with your backswing or follow-through. It has to do with how your hands are positioned at address.
A common setup mistake many golfers make is having their hands either too high or too low. It seems like a small detail, but it directly affects the first key lever in your swing: the angle between your forearms and the shaft. Get this wrong, and you’ll struggle to build a proper swing sequence.
When your hands are set correctly, there’s a natural angle between your forearms and the club. This is known as the first lever, and it sets the stage for the second lever — when your lead arm is parallel to the ground and the club points skyward during the backswing.
But if your arms and the shaft form a straight line at setup — as seen with outliers like Bryson DeChambeau or Moe Norman — it becomes extremely difficult to create that second lever. For most golfers, that leads to poor mechanics and weak, inconsistent contact.
