Correct Posture

Correct posture is something that few golfers seem to pay much attention to. Many seem overly hunched over the ball or squatting excessively with too much knee bend and too little bend at the waist.

Golfers are often told to "keep the head down" as they set up to the ball. This is quite possibly the worst golf tip in the history of golf instruction. When someone hears "keep your head down" they almost always lower their head so that the chin is touching the chest. As they swing the club back the chin restricts the shoulder turn that is necessary for a full swing. Consequently, they are forced to either move their head up and out of the way to allow the left shoulder to turn back (which throws the swing off plane and makes good contact nearly impossible), or they simply stop turning their shoulders and swing with too much arm movement (resulting in an over the top move which equates to a slice or a pull).

Rather than telling my students to keep their head down, I ask that they keep their chin higher to allow for a full shoulder turn, and keep their eyes down on the ball (until after contact). This helps to keep the head stationary throughout the swing and results in better contact and a full shoulder turn back and through. Our head and spine are the axis that we turn around to swing the club, so it is very important to keep them still throughout (as we follow through towards the finish it's ok to bring the head up as it turns towards the target).

Very little knee bend is required when setting up (maybe two inches total). The golfer should bend close to forty five degrees towards the ball while maintaining a very straight spine angle. The rear end should feel like it's pushing out just a tad, which will lend to a straighter spine at address.

One should feel like they are in an athletic position during the set up. That is, keep the weight a bit more towards the balls of the feet than the heels (although both feet should be flat on the ground at address with weight distributed fifty percent left foot - fifty percent right foot for most shots). If the posture is correct then the golfer will feel a bit of tension, or stretching in their thighs as they set up to the ball.

There is a good method to check that you have correct posture. Take a seven iron and grab the clubhead with your right hand, bringing it around your back so that the clubhead is touching the very back of your belt. Adjust the shaft of the club so that it is pointing straight up your spine (the whole shaft should be touching the spine), and have the grip touch the back of your head. Now, bend over almost forty five degrees and flex the knees a couple of inches. Then, simply grab the grip of the club with the left hand and bring the clubhead back down to the ground without moving any body parts. This is what correct posture should feel like; chin up, eyes down, spine straight, arms hanging down naturally, rear end sticking out just a bit, knees slightly bent, weight predominantly on the thighs and balls of the feet.

The stance should be about shoulder width for most shots. A little more narrow for shots that require more precision (chips, pitches, very lofted clubs), and a bit wider for shots that require more balance (long irons, fairway woods, and driver).