Set up for Success
SET UP FOR SUCCESS
By Tracy Chapman, TPI Golf Fitness Specialist
Sit up straight. Pull your shoulders back. Stick out your chest. Bring your head back.
This is not your mother speaking. It’s your teaching professional. There is general agreement among teaching professionals that most, if not all, of a golfer’s inconsistent swing motions are in some way caused by incorrect posture at address. Poor set-up posture also contributes to physical stress.
The most common mistake is bending from the wrong place. Most golfers tend to bend from their waist and/or mid-back rather than from their hips. This interferes with a safe and consistently effective golf swing in three primary ways:
- It prevents ideal balance.
- It limits a complete turn.
- It reduces optimal swing motion along the swing plane.
When a golfer bends too much from the mid-back (thoracic spine) at address, the center of gravity moves excessively to the heels. The initial positioning greatly affects both static balance during the address position as well as dynamic balance throughout the entire swing. The golfer must make compensations or adjustments wherever possible to maintain balance during the swing. This challenges the out-of-balance golfer’s ability to consistently move his hands and club in the proper swing plane. Also, the lack of rotational ability in the spine forces an excessive amount of leg and hip turn during the backswing. This often leads to a reverse pivot on the backswing and a lateral sliding motion during the downswing.
It’s one thing to know what the proper posture at address is; but a totally different thing to be able to achieve a spine angle that is straight with an appropriate amount of bend from the hips and knees.
To correct a postural problem at address, golfers need two essential things. First, they need to understand how to initiate the proper sequence of body motions to achieve ideal setup posture. Second, they must have the necessary combination of flexibility, strength, and control to coordinate their body into the ideal setup position and maintain it swing after swing.
Club Behind The Spine Drill
Here is a simple drill to get a perfect address position every time. Please consult with your professional instructor, however, before practicing this drill to determine whether this postural technique is consistent with what he believes is right for you.
Stand tall and place a golf club behind your back with the clubface pressed against your tailbone and your head against the grip of the club. Next, bend forward in such a way that the club shaft stays pressed against your belt line. Bend forward enough for the shoulders to get in line with your toes. (PGA Tour players have a forward bend of 35-45 degrees) This will allow for your arms to hang freely straight down from your shoulders and ensure that you are bending from your hips.
If you use this club behind the spine method to practice arriving at an ideal address posture, it could not only help your game but it could also help with sound body mechanics in everyday life.
This helpful posture-building exercise can help improve your ability to achieve a better posture at address. Remember, however, please consult with your physician before attempting any exercise program.
If you have any questions about golf injuries, posture, or other physical performance factors related to golf, please feel free to contact Body Balance for Performance at 317.816.91355 or visit www.indianapolis.fitgolf.com.
