Spine angle drills?

[garch]

Can anyone recommend a good drill for retaining a good spine angle. The only thing stopping me having a solid contact is that I tend to dip a bit in the backswing, then compensate coming back, resulting in weak shots or even worse the occasional thin.

When I nail it though it's all about the lovely thunk of a perfect contact.

Thanks very much in advance!

[DavidFehertysBike]

Go to the gym and work on core and back strength. There is no mechanical drill for spine angle , you just have to do it. DO IT! But something you can look at mechanicaly is the backswing. Perhaps youre overswinging?

[garch]

Please don't make me to go the gym.. I think overswinging is a good tip though, I know I can be guilty of that. Especially when you watch a pro and see quite how short their swing is, with their irons at least. So you're saying it could be over extending the swing that brings me forward a bit.. I will check it out at next range session - thanks!

[DavidFehertysBike]

Could be, i dunno. But i do know trying to reach back as far as you can on the backswing usually results in a hot mess...

[iacas]

Can anyone recommend a good drill for retaining a good spine angle.

You should not retain your spine angle at all in your golf swing.

In the backswing, your spine EXTENDS (it is flexed at setup, which is why you're bent over towards the golf ball) and TILTS TO THE LEFT. I'd talk more but here's a video that will show you all you need to know. EVERY GOOD PLAYER does these things whether they know them or not.

The only thing stopping me having a solid contact is that I tend to dip a bit in the backswing, then compensate coming back, resulting in weak shots or even worse the occasional thin.

Stand up more on the backswing. It could be a combination of a few other things, but that's the most likely. Your head probably translates to the right a bit as well.

Go to the gym and work on core and back strength.

Completely unnecessary. Not to say it won't be beneficial, but it's unnecessary for "retaining your inclination to the ground."

[david_wedzik]

Go to the gym and work on core and back strength. There is no mechanical drill for spine angle , you just have to do it. DO IT!

Please...no...please don't play the "gym" card. As Erik said they gym would certainly be great for overall fitness and will help with many things in the end but it will NOT be important to a golfer who wants to maintain their inclination to the ground. In no way do I mean to be rude but this is simply about educating people to understand that the spine does change flex and how it does so. In tilting left, turning, and extending at the same time it is not a problem to maintain the same inclination to the ground as at address.

Dave

[saevel25]

Well most think retaining spine angle means that your spine must be identical as it was at address, thats not right. The reason is that at impact your hips will be more open, this changes the relationship of how your spine looks to begin with. What really controlls your spine angle is your head movement and your tush movement. You do not want your tush to come towards the ball at all. This will fix that end point of the spine. Now the only other thing that affects your spine angle is your head. If you lean your head back during the downswing you will have a reverse C and likely hit it fat or thin. Take a look at pro's there head drops a bit in the downswing, but thats because they sit into the golf swing. But mostly the head might move back slightly in the golf swing, move down a bit due to he sit down move that creates power, then move forward slightly. But really those are slight movements, nothing drastic.

[kilbyman]

Dipping in the backswing means that you must have some extra lower body action in there. Get it on video to make sure your right leg is straightening on the backswing.

[Ryan York]

The spine does not flex or extend in the backswing.  The motion you are referring to, the change in the primary spine angle, occurs because flexion and extension is occurring at the hip joint.   Nobody has that much true spine flexion.  Spinal motion can only take place at the L5-S1, unless you are changing the curves of your spine.

[Lihu]

I am currently trying a stick drill, where I place an alignment rod into an old shaft then stick it into the ground. The idea is that the alignment rod is resting against my spine at address, and maintains contact with the spine throughout the swing. I do about half speed swings this way. I suppose it helps me keep my body inclination relative to the ground?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Ryan York

The spine does not flex or extend in the backswing.

Sure it does… just that it's only 5-10° or so.

[deleebar]

can someone explain what's going on with the flex in the right knee as you take your swing back?

[saevel25]

Right knee looses flexion, because the right hip has to go back and up. The left hip goes forward and down, so the left knee gains a bit of flexion.

[deleebar]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Right knee looses flexion, because the right hip has to go back and up. The left hip goes forward and down, so the left knee gains a bit of flexion.

Sorry one more question, is it ok to lock your right knee or should i still keep it bent to some extent?  Thanks

[saevel25]

Do not lock, sorry, should have put a descriptor like, "Looses some flexion"

[bendport]

Try this drill, in my opinion, it gets the best results with my clients