Golf Tip Swing

Archive for December, 2009

My friend David sent me this one.

To Ensure Consistency and Success – Play with a Straight Back

I believe that to mature as a golfer, you need to have an
understanding of why certain individual fundamentals on the course
are working for you, and why others aren’t. In short, you have to
understand the working components of your swing. Secondly, you
need to understand what corrections or adjustments could be made in
order to attain success.

The set-up that we teach is very specific and important. Playing
with a straight spine and back angle is an important fundamental
that we teach, and something that is literally the glue of our
swing theory. Whether you are 5 yards form the green or teeing
off, playing with a straight spine and back will ensure that you
swing on a consistent plane every time you set over the golf ball.
The following are reasons why a straight back is essential for you
to see success out on the course:

1. Gives you a fixed position to start from – every time
2. Allows for the club to travel on a consistent plane
3. Avoids the common problems below…

- If you are hunched over (and golfers are usually unaware of this)
your swing plane is constantly changing due to the changing level
of your body over the ball. This leads to many inconsistent shots
(especially around the green).
- Minimizes hitting behind the ball or hitting the ball thin
This is a big problem for most golfers. If you haven’t played for
weeks and you find yourself not making solid contact, the first
fundamental that should go through your mind is: “Is my back
straight at setup and throughout the shot?”

This is one of the most important truths that we teach
about the golf swing. If you look at the tour pros they always
have a straight spine angle and back at set-up and throughout the
swing. Whether you are on the tee, fairway, around the green, or
even on the green – having a straight spine and back angle is
extremely important especially around the green when you are pitching and
chipping!

For some golfers, straightening your spine angle is going to feel
very strange, because you’ve never played that way. But trust me,
maintaining a straight spine throughout the swing will do wonders
for your consistency. It also leads to better impact with the
ball. Next time you watch the tour players on TV, make sure to
check out how straight their back is at setup.

The main point that I want to communicate is that there are many
factors in golf that you can’t control. For example: course
conditions, weather, and course difficulty. However, one aspect of
your golf swing that can be constant and unchanging is your spine
angle at set-up. So play golf this way and you will begin to
develop consistency and confidence.