Golf Tips The Golf Swing Spine Angle At Address (Video) - by Pete Styles
Golf Tips The Golf Swing Spine Angle At Address (Video) - by Pete Styles

Now creating the correct spine angle, its address, is actually one of the things that often can make the whole setup tie together and therefore can create the whole backswing working correctly. So poor spine angle is often resulting in problems of inconsistency of strike, not hitting the ball the right distance, and actually just poor back swings as well. So when we setup to the golf ball correctly, it's not just a case of leaning forwards and looking at the golf ball. We've got to make sure that the spine angle is working correctly.

And there's different positions and different ways we can do that. So basically let’s look at the three different types. We’re going to call it an S posture and a C posture and then the correct posture. So the C posture is quite a common one really. We see this quite a lot for golfers who don't necessarily have the most flexibility, maybe people who feel like they have a weak back. People then setup to the golf ball and then they actually took their hips under. So they feel like their belt buckle starts to point upwards too high, then they have to look down at the golf ball because that's where the ball is and their whole posture is a little bit of a C shape. We often see that with all the golfers like the stressed people that feel less flexible. So we get this kind of thing. And the limitations there is as you swing back, you'll feel very stuck. You feel like you won’t be able to turn back very far because none of your spine is really working to help you, and all of the muscles in the core are effectively switched off; they are not really doing a great job. The flip side of that is the S posture, sort of an overextension of the lower half of the back where the hips are pushed back too much. So if we go through that phase, what I am going to think about here is taking my belt buckle and tilting it down to the floor a bit too much. So my hips are really sticking out and then lifting my chest up, and looking back at the ball. And I've got my bums sticking out a bit too much. This part of my back is really quite tight as it gets into that S shape. So I'm in this position here as I swing back. Again it can be quite limiting. It's quite difficult to get into that position. So ultimately we want to try and just flatten the whole back out as much as possible. That sets all of the vertebra in the right position, so they can all rotate on each other without too much stress, not too many problems. So as they set up to the golf ball, this time I am just going to feel like I've got a flat back. So my chin is up, my head is tall, yes my hips are pushed back out, but they're not too flat and too tilted here, so it's just a nice flat back position there. My core muscles are all engaged ready to allow the swing to turn. And done correctly you'll feel like that's actually the most comfortable position, and the position allows you to make the biggest freedom and range of motion. Now one little drill and exercise to help you get into that position and I think is really good is to take the club, place it against your nose, your chin and your belly button. So we place it here. It looks a bit awkward doing this in the first tee. But if you practice it enough times at home, you'll be able to get into the position without needing to do it on the golf course. So the nose, chin, belly button and then tilt. And because the club keeps the front of my body flat, it keeps the back of my body flat at the same time. And then I can set it to the golf ball with that flat back position. Having the club there and then trying to lean forwards with the head just wouldn't work. You wouldn’t be able to do it. So tilting forwards, keep everything flat, back is in a straight line. And then we're ready to go ahead and make that smooth swing. So if you can utilize those exercises to check that your spine angle is in the perfect flat form, not too much of a C shape, not too much of the S shape, then hopefully that will help improve your golf. 2015-07-16

Now creating the correct spine angle, its address, is actually one of the things that often can make the whole setup tie together and therefore can create the whole backswing working correctly. So poor spine angle is often resulting in problems of inconsistency of strike, not hitting the ball the right distance, and actually just poor back swings as well. So when we setup to the golf ball correctly, it's not just a case of leaning forwards and looking at the golf ball. We've got to make sure that the spine angle is working correctly.

And there's different positions and different ways we can do that. So basically let’s look at the three different types. We’re going to call it an S posture and a C posture and then the correct posture. So the C posture is quite a common one really. We see this quite a lot for golfers who don't necessarily have the most flexibility, maybe people who feel like they have a weak back. People then setup to the golf ball and then they actually took their hips under. So they feel like their belt buckle starts to point upwards too high, then they have to look down at the golf ball because that's where the ball is and their whole posture is a little bit of a C shape.

We often see that with all the golfers like the stressed people that feel less flexible. So we get this kind of thing. And the limitations there is as you swing back, you'll feel very stuck. You feel like you won’t be able to turn back very far because none of your spine is really working to help you, and all of the muscles in the core are effectively switched off; they are not really doing a great job. The flip side of that is the S posture, sort of an overextension of the lower half of the back where the hips are pushed back too much. So if we go through that phase, what I am going to think about here is taking my belt buckle and tilting it down to the floor a bit too much.

So my hips are really sticking out and then lifting my chest up, and looking back at the ball. And I've got my bums sticking out a bit too much. This part of my back is really quite tight as it gets into that S shape. So I'm in this position here as I swing back. Again it can be quite limiting. It's quite difficult to get into that position. So ultimately we want to try and just flatten the whole back out as much as possible. That sets all of the vertebra in the right position, so they can all rotate on each other without too much stress, not too many problems. So as they set up to the golf ball, this time I am just going to feel like I've got a flat back.

So my chin is up, my head is tall, yes my hips are pushed back out, but they're not too flat and too tilted here, so it's just a nice flat back position there. My core muscles are all engaged ready to allow the swing to turn. And done correctly you'll feel like that's actually the most comfortable position, and the position allows you to make the biggest freedom and range of motion. Now one little drill and exercise to help you get into that position and I think is really good is to take the club, place it against your nose, your chin and your belly button.

So we place it here. It looks a bit awkward doing this in the first tee. But if you practice it enough times at home, you'll be able to get into the position without needing to do it on the golf course. So the nose, chin, belly button and then tilt. And because the club keeps the front of my body flat, it keeps the back of my body flat at the same time. And then I can set it to the golf ball with that flat back position. Having the club there and then trying to lean forwards with the head just wouldn't work. You wouldn’t be able to do it. So tilting forwards, keep everything flat, back is in a straight line.

And then we're ready to go ahead and make that smooth swing. So if you can utilize those exercises to check that your spine angle is in the perfect flat form, not too much of a C shape, not too much of the S shape, then hopefully that will help improve your golf.