by JC Campbell

Created on: April 11, 2011

Good posture is one of the key fundamentals in producing a golf swing that is powerful, accurate and repetitive. Along with grip, alignment and stance, posture is a crucial element that will make the difference between a sound golf swing and one that is unreliable. Why is good posture so important in the golf swing?

No matter how good your grip and alignment, if your posture is poor, you will never achieve the accuracy and distance you are capable of. The simple reason for this is that your posture has a direct effect on both your backswing and downswing. How you set up to the ball will determine whether or not you take the club back on the correct plane and of course how your clubhead returns to the ball.

The most common fault among recreational golfers when it comes to posture is the tendency to reach for the ball with the club causing the player to become straight-legged and bent from the waist. This usually results in a swing that leaves the club laid off at the top of the backswing and coming back to the ball from the outside causing a power leak in the overall swing. This faulty setup tends to produce a swing that is too flat and leads to approaching the ball from the outside, possibly causing a slice or pull.

If you have the tendency to reach for the ball, try adjusting your posture without a ball at first. This will help you to focus on posture rather than ball position. Once you have taken your stance, bend from the knees and sit down slightly. Then simply bend from the waist and lay the clubhead on the ground where it naturally falls. On the practice range it will help to place your feet in the same position for each shot you play using the posture you have practiced. This will help you find the correct ball position for the change you have made in your posture regardless of the club you choose.

The effect of this adjustment in posture may at first give you the feeling of leaning back somewhat when compared to your previous setup where you had been reaching for the ball. Persevering with the change should produce positive results and will show in better ball striking and increased distance. A more upright posture position will enable you to take the club back on the correct plane and create a path to the ball that will come more from the inside. Attacking the ball from the inside will always produce a better strike and your posture is one of the key elements that will help you achieve this.

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