Perfect Posture For Your Golf Swing (Part 2)
Glen Osborne
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
About the author: Glen teaches his golf program for Ladysmith, BC Parks & Rec. Beginners, struggling golfers, and juniors are his specialty http://basicbodymovementforanygolfswing.com mailto: golflesson@basicbodymovementforanygolfswing.com 10935 Trans Canada Hwy Ladysmith, BC Canada V9G 1X7
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