Posture Is Important

Simply stated, non-negotiable, the body angles that you create at address determine what you can and cannot do in the golf swing. With a consistent posture only, is the likelihood of creating a repetitive swing magnified.

If you want to improve your current ball striking you must understand the importance of how the body moves through the golf swing.

The golf swing is two motions, the movement of the arms up and down and the rotation of the body. These two movements control the club’s overall path and the angle of attack. It’s the coordination of these motions that produces solid contact and powerful shots.

The first key to combining these movements effectively is posture, because how you stand directly affects the size and shape of the motions. Check the posture of TOUR players and you’ll see that these angles are almost universal. They include a spine angle [forward bend from the hips] of approximately 30 to 40 degrees from vertical, and a side tilt away from the target of two to 10 degrees [with the left shoulder slightly higher than the right, and the head behind the ball].

Side Tilt:
Side tilt is probably one of the most overlooked fundamentals of the setup, yet it is a vital element of great ball striking. The reason is because most amateurs think the head starts directly over the ball in a full swing. At address the spine must be slightly tilted away from the target. The hips are moved an inch or two forward toward the target and the sternum is set slightly away from the target to create tilt. Once you tilt, it is important that your body be balanced at address.

With effective side tilt we are now prepared to use our body to the fullest extent. It allows us to load on the right post in the back swing and return to impact with our head behind the ball. The one universal fundamental that is certain is that all TOUR players start behind the ball at address with their head and also return behind the ball at impact. Achieving side tilt at address allows us to hit the ball with power and accuracy.

Remember, if you’re going to implement power into the action of the swing, your head must be behind the ball at the point of contact.