Q: Having good posture is one of the four basic fundamentals of the set-up in preparing to hit a golf shot. What do we mean when we refer to good posture?
A: When I was young, my mother was constantly telling me to hold my shoulders back and quit slouching. That was and still is good advice, whether you play golf or not. When it comes to golf, you need to establish an athletic position when preparing to hit a shot. Slouching is not athletic.
One of my USGTF manuals describes good posture as follows: “Only from good posture are you able to coil and uncoil effectively. The knees should be only slightly flexed. There should be a slight tilt in the waist: butt out; head up; fairly straight back. The arms should be hanging naturally so that the hands are at least a hands’ width from the legs.” The fairly straight back means don’t slouch. It also is important to remember that the golf swing starts from the ground up. Therefore, your feet should be far enough apart to maximize your ability to coil and uncoil while transferring your weight and finishing your swing while maintaining your balance.
Tip of the day: Next time you watch golf on TV, pay attention to each golfer’s posture. Although some may stand a little taller and some may have a little more knee and hip bend, they don’t slouch. Look in the mirror and check your posture.
As always, have fun playing and practicing the game of golf and email me at grahamgolf@darientel.net. Join us on Monday and Wednesday evenings for our continuous learning sessions. We will help you determine what good posture bests suits you.