Did you know that your posture influences power production and efficiency in the golf swing? Well before we get to that, it is important to know that there are 2 variations of incorrect posture. These are known as the “C-Posture” and the “S-Posture”. Both forms create excess stress on the back and result in inefficient and overuse of the body through the swing.
To get your body into a correct “athletic posture” at set up there are 3 angles we need to create in the body:
1. Knee Flex
2. Pelvic Bend
3. Spinal Tilt

So what exactly are these 3 angles and how do you set your body into them correctly?

Knee Flex:

We’ve all heard the phrase “Bend your Knees”. I prefer to describe the knee flex as “unlocking the knees”. Bending the knees requires forcing weight down on your body to create the knee flex causing the quad muscles and calf muscles in the legs to tense up. Unlocking the knees creates the required flex and keeps your quad and calf muscles to stay relaxed allowing them to react faster to the weight shift through the golf swing.

Tip: Stand up with your legs straight. Unlock your knees allowing your legs to flex. If done correctly, you should be able to “bounce” on your knees. This only happens when your muscles are relaxed.

Pelvic Bend:

The pelvic bend is the most important of the 3 angles. This angle creates a separation between the lower body (Hips & Legs) and the upper body (Torso & Shoulders) required to create an efficient swing. Not creating enough pelvic bend causes the body to set into a “C-Posture” which causes your upper and lower body to move together in the swing reducing the amount of power you can generate. It also leads to upper back injury. Creating too much pelvic bend leads to the development of an “S-Posture”. This posture leads to early extension of the spine and a reverse pivot on the back swing where the weight starts shifting to the front foot at the top of the backswing. This
prevents your body from transferring the weight correctly from the back foot to the front foot through the downswing and follow through resulting in reduced power, a higher ball flight and excess strain on the lower back.

Tip: With a full-length mirror, stand up straight. Turn so that the mirror is on your left (for right handed golfers) or on the right (for left handed golfers). Hold a golf club across your belt. Push your hips back with the club & watch your back angle. Tilt your hips until your back is straight from hips to head.

Spinal Tilt:

This angle sets the spine tilting back from the ball. If you watch the Pros on TV at set up you will notice the lead shoulder higher than the trailing shoulder. This position is most evident on the long shots. Tilting the spine away from the ball sets your body behind the ball allowing you to take full advantage of the weight shift through impact increasing power without having to swing harder or faster.

Tip: Stand up straight with your arms straight out like wings on an airplane. With your arms straight, tilt your spine back from the ball (imagine the plane banking to the side). Grip a club in this position and see how easy it is for you to swing through the ball.

For most golfers, incorrect posture prevents them from generating optimum power, swinging the club efficiently, and over use of one or more body parts. It takes time and repeated practice to set your body into the correct posture.

Creating the 3 angles above will help prevent injury and also lead to more efficiency and power transfer in the golf swing helping you achieve greater distance without increased swing effort.

If you are having back problems or neck problems that are being caused by your golf, or you feel are due to your golf swing and posture, come in and see us for a pre-injury screening, this will help us to work with you to identify any physical limitations that you may have that could be contributing factors. It will also allow us to identify swing faults that may be leading to aches, pains & swing inefficiency.

Phera Jai, AT.C
Total Golf Solutionz
+254 739 605245