Good Posture is the Foundation for a Great Golf Swing

The first thing that happens in a golf fitness evaluation is that I check the players golf posture and the players ability to perform a pelvic tilt. The second thing that happens is that the client looks at me like I am crazy and says something to the effect of “Hey Rob…what in name of Van de Velde is this bull quackery about? I thought this was a golf “fitness” evaluation!” Strangely enough this is a great reaction for me as a golf fitness professional. It allows me to show the client this first important link between golf fitness and the golf swing.

Not until you understand golf posture from a biomechanics prospective will you will understand how important posture is to your swing. A “perfect” or lets just say efficient golf swing can only be obtained with good golf posture. The linch pin for this golf posture is how you position your lower back and your pelvis or belt line. Maintaining a proper “golf posture" will allow your body segments to move in an efficient pattern. This in turn allows for a productive golf swing yielding both distance and accuracy, while minimizing the risks for injury. The bonus of working to obtain a good golf posture is that it will also give you a better posture in everyday life. Resulting in less stress on your back in everything you do from playing golf, driving a car or sitting down at your computer all day at work.

The key here is allowing your body to move in a efficient pattern. To do this your back must be in a neutral position. A neutral or flat back allows you to turn your thoracic spine naturally and generate power over and over without putting stress on your body.  The problem comes in when your posture is in what we call a “C” or a “S” posture.The S-posture is when you arch your lower back and stick you rear end out like Kim Kardashian. The S-posture limits spinal range of motion and limits your power. The S-posture also predisposes an individual to serious lower back injury.The C-posture is when a golfer bends over like the hunchback from Notre Dame. The C-posture keeps the player from separating their lower body from the upper body. This demands your body to move in one piece, eliminating the coil that generates power and forces you to swing over the top resulting in a round killing slice.

Now you can see that without a proper set up and neutral back you can’t preform a efficient golf swing. This means that you can’t get the full benefit from your golf lessons because you can not get into the best positions with your body to preform the golf movements your swing coach is trying to convey to you. The answer is to have your local certified golf fitness professional evaluate your posture. This will not only get you the most out of your lessons but help you avoid back pain and/or injury. After evaluating and fixing your posture he will then be able to prescribe you a fitness program to strengthen the core muscles that supports this posture. Give it a try and find out why a good posture is the foundation for a great golf swing.

This article was written by Robert Bradshaw. Robert is a single digit handicap golfer, a nationally certified personal trainer by the Coopers Institute, a Titleist Performance Institute certified fitness professional, the golf fitness director at Body Balance for Performance, the golf fitness professional at Grey Rock Golf Academy and a freelance golf fitness writer for multiple golf and fitness websites. Feel free to contact Robert by email ( monacobob@gmail.com) or you can find him walking a golf course near you.    

Comments are closed.