Perfect Posture For Your Golf Swing (Part 2)

The Perfect Posture For Your Golf Swing (Part 2)

3. The Correct Posture Using A Golf Club

This Part is almost the same as Part 1. But, now you have a golf
club in your hands. Some of you might be thinking (as do some
of my golf students), "Gosh, I was doing real good with posture.
Now, you want me to ruin it all by grabbing that ‘stick thing'!"

* Take hold of your golf club. (I will have a future article on
holding the golf club.)

* Stand at attention with your feet about shoulder width apart.

* Reach out your arms so that your hands are almost straight out
from your shoulders. Your golf club will angle upwards but keep
it straight out from your breastbone or nose.

* Firm your whole body to maintain body control for the
coming movements.

* Lower your arms until you feel the top of your arms touch your
ribs just under your armpits.

* Snug your arms lightly downwards and inwards to your ribs.
(This is that TOUCH position described in Part 1 #1.)

* Tilt your golf club downwards until you feel the stretch
in your left forearm. (Right forearm for left-handed golfers.)

* Bend forward at your hip joints --- UNTIL YOUR GOLF CLUB
LANDS LIGHTLY ON THE GROUND.

Note: Keep your back as straight as it was before you bent
forward.
- Keep your head from drooping downwards
- DO NOT reach your arms outwards away from the above touch
position.
- Your bend at your hips will differ according to the length
of the golf club in your hands. You will be bent over more
with a pitching wedge than you will be with a 3-wood.
- Keep in mind that your spine angle at your hips will be
different for each club.
- Remember that the turn of your body must move comfortably
around whatever spine angle you set in doing this step of
learning a good posture. End Note

* Bend your knees forward until the muscles just above your
kneecaps start to firm up to prevent you from falling
to your knees.

Note: You must move your hip joints backwards for balance
to keep a good forward lean.
If you feel too much weight on your heels - lean slightly
forward at your ankles. End Note

Practice the 4 main steps above facing the mirror and standing
sideways to the mirror. In fact, do so in both sideways
positions.

When you practice this posture process there is a final check
which you should do, preferably while standing sideways to a
mirror.

Your hands should be below your mouth and chin. If you look
down along the cheeks of your face your hands should appear
to be slightly back towards your body from your eyesight.

This hand position will be harder to achieve for those of you
with large rib cages or very slender rib cages. But, this hand
position is the best starting point relative to your body from
which you can then make experimental adjustments.

4. The Quick Posture Set-up During Your Round Of Golf.

When you are in the posture position I have described in Part 1
and above you should feel 3 important feelings which will help
you to be in the correct posture no matter what length of club
you use.

The 3 feelings are:

1. The touch of your upper arms to your ribs just below your
armpits.
2. The stretch in your left forearm after you tilt your golf
club downward. (Right forearm for lefties.)
3. The slight tightening of the muscles just above your kneecaps
to keep you from falling to your knees.

These 3 feelings should be felt with your club sitting lightly
on the ground.

On the golf course you do not need to do the steps listed
in Part 1 #1 and Part 2 #3. The following routine will work
very well during your round.

1. Place your club behind the ball.
2. Position your feet on the desired line at your usual distance
from the ball for the club you have chosen.
3. You will be very close to your end posture position.
4. Make sure you feel the touch of your arms to your ribs.
5. Feel the proper firmness of your thigh muscles to keep you
from falling.
6. Adjust your spine angle at your hips until you feel the
stretch in your forearm. This step usually means
- move your back upwards at your hip joints keeping your back
comfortably straight.

This routine can be done in a few seconds prior to your swing
movements. You don't need to rush through this. You need to be
certain of being in your best possible posture.

Final Thoughts

- When you actually swing your golf club - you are to try
to hold these posture angles.
- For short iron swings and half swings with a wedge you must
learn a basic turning movement in these posture angles.
- With longer swings a conscious movement or a response to a
conscious movement can take you slightly away from the desired
positions.
- The arm lift is an example of deliberately moving out of one
of the posture angles I have described. (In a future article
and my lesson modules I will teach you an unsual movement
which re-establishes the correct arm position.)

Copyright by Glen Osborne August 2004. All Rights Reserved