Golf Tips » April 2000 – Back To Basics, Part 1: Posture

This month we have our top female instructor Jenny Buchanan give us her tips on Posture and Alignment.

We all know the importance of the grip as a basic fundamental in the golf swing, but what about posture and alignment ?

Many novice golfers and also experienced players underestimate the importance of an “athletic posture” and a “square alignment” at address. Many bad habits developed in a swing can be traced back to a faulty set-up as the root cause. What does an athletic posture look like and how do you position yourself to do this?

1. Hips out
2. Flat Back
3. Knees flexed over arches of feet
4. Shoulders positioned over balls of feet
5. Arms hang down form shoulders without any tension

Sometimes woman feel uncomfortable positioning themselves this way because we’ve been taught to tuck the derriere under and not out.

Drills to help produce good posture

1. Stand erect and lay a club along your spine and then bend from hips while maintaining a flat back.

2. Hold the shaft of a club with both hands at hip height and then push the shaft back so that your hips are protruding outward and your back is flat.

It would be a great advantage to practice these drills in front of a mirror so you can see for yourself whether you are in the correct positions or not.

Next month – Part 2 – Alignment