If you’re a new/inexperienced golfer, then you may have some queries relating to golf swing posture, such as; what is the correct golf swing posture? How do I know if I have the correct golf swing posture? Is my golf swing posture incorrect? You may even have been playing for some time but have trouble in this area, which is far from uncommon among casual/amateur players.
You may even land on a question such as; is there such a thing as a correct golf swing posture? There are of course many golf swings, and you only need to watch the pros on television for ten minutes or so to work out that there really is no shortage of differing approaches when it comes to golf swing, though when it comes to posture, there are some general rules, rules that if followed will lead to better shots and greater consistency for the amatuer player.
What are the benefits of having good golf swing posture?
Before we go over what your golf swing posture should look like, as well as look at how to fix a poor golf swing posture, what are the benefits of having the correct golf swing posture?
Here they are:
- Injury prevention
- Helps the body turn correctly
- Promotes proper balance
- Consistency
Injury prevention
Even if you’re not playing golf regularly, swinging with bad posture, even if you’re just playing once a month, over a sustained period of time can easily lead to injuries. Maintaining a healthy golf swing posture can increase longevity and keep your back in good condition, meaning that you should be able to play golf right through into old age.
Helps the body turn correctly
Think of having a correct golf swing posture as laying the foundations of a house. If the foundations aren’t properly laid, the house cannot be built, or it will be built poorly. Good golf swing posture sets the tone for what comes next and essentially allows the body to turn correctly during the golf swing.
Promotes proper balance
Following on from above, a good golf swing posture not only leads to the body turning correctly, but it promotes proper balance, which is essential for hitting good golf shots. If a player is unbalanced or loses balance due to an incorrect golf posture, then they are likely to make mistakes, which will ultimately lead to bad shots being hit.
Consistency
By maintaining a healthy golf swing posture, players start out on the road to consistency. Because good posture helps the body to move in the correct way throughout the golf swing, players are likely to make less mistakes, and will be able to deliver the clubface square at impact, which should lead to proper shots being hit on a regular basis. Poor golf swing posture will promote inconsistency.
What causes poor golf swing posture?
We know the benefits of having good golf swing posture, but in order to apply the fix and obtain the correct posture, we need to know what causes poor golf swing posture.
These are the common causes of poor golf swing posture:
- Lack of flexibility
- Muscle stiffness
- Poor core stability
Lack of flexibility
In golf, flexibility is key. Although no running or fast-paced action takes place during a round of golf, the golf swing itself is still a very athletic movement, a movement which demands flexibility. When players have a lack of flexibility they tend to have poor golf swing posture.
Muscle stiffness
Players suffering with stiff muscles or tightness will find it hard to obtain the correct golf swing posture, which will change their spinal position during the golf swing, creating extra tension and putting extra stress on their body, particularly in the back area. This is why a proper warm up is needed before addressing a golf ball. There are plenty of golf-specific warm-up drills out there that are designed to tackle muscle stiffness, so check them out and be sure to properly warm up the muscles before getting down to business with the golf club.
Poor core stability
To develop a good, consistent golf swing, golfers need to be working from a solid base and to do that, they must have a strong core. To keep the angle of the spine stable throughout the golf swing, a strong and stable core is required. There are many core exercises that are perfect for golfers, which when performed correctly can help players to achieve the core stability required to maintain the correct golf swing posture.
How to fix golf swing posture
Now we can tackle poor golf swing posture. The first thing to note is that naturally, different people have different postures, whether it be when sitting down, standing or walking along, and for many people, posture is an issue, but even if your posture isn’t great, by doing just a few things correctly, you can create good golf swing posture, which helps to create an effective golf stance overall.
Here are some simple steps to help create the correct golf swing posture:
- Stand up straight with your feet roughly shoulder width apart. Hold the club out in front of your belly button, keeping your arms straight. Make sure to stand up tall, shoulders back, with your chest out.
- From this position then tilt forwards as if to address the ball, but tilt at your hips only. Do not round your back, instead keep it flat.
- With your club lowered towards the ground, behind the ball, bend slightly at the knees, but do not over bend.
There are of course other things that you can work on to help you achieve a good golf swing posture, such as preventing the things that cause poor golf swing posture from happening. Doing flexibility exercises regularly will give you the level of flexibility required to perform a proper golf swing with good posture, as will doing a proper golf-specific warm up before you hit any balls. Lastly, players should work on their core strength. Doing these three things, coupled with implementing the three simple steps above will help to fix your golf swing posture, creating a posture that will allow you to produce consistent ball striking, resulting in better golf shots.