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Posted
3 hours ago, Mark Robertson said:

Would my set up result in an over the top swing?

It could, depends on what your tendency is. With a more upright posture, the pivot can get locked up, shoulder turn too level, only way to create some "down" is to go over-the-top. Better posture/setup can help golfers make better pivots which can then improve the downswing.

 

3 hours ago, Mark Robertson said:

Anyway I've recently signed up at evolvr where I have Stephan helping me so looking at great things for next season.

Great!

Mike McLoughlin

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • Moderator
Posted

I get asked this all the time and I'm honestly not sure. Couple good reasons as any below as to why posture went so far the opposite direction in the last 20 years.

Screen Shot 2017-11-26 at 11.02.44 AM.png

  • Like 1

Mike McLoughlin

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Posted

I will say the adage, take an athletic stance. I think instructors went looking at other sports, and you'll see that set up on the left in many other sports. It probably went too far in the whole flat back, head up a bit, and butt out. 

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Posted
11 hours ago, saevel25 said:

I will say the adage, take an athletic stance. I think instructors went looking at other sports, and you'll see that set up on the left in many other sports. It probably went too far in the whole flat back, head up a bit, and butt out. 

I don't know. I feel like the definition of "athletic" got perverted a bit. Nobody "athletically" sticks their butt out, straightens their back, etc.

But I feel like the 90s are about the right time to blame.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
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Posted

Interesting topic. I will share my journey relative to this topic. I was inspired to share while watching the video in post #267. In the video the golfer is being encouraged to have a set-up similar to players of the golden age as opposed to the set-up of most current pro golfers. The instructor stated this "none of you are strong enough to stay in the shot from there" - 'there' being the current athletic posture setup being taught.

Four years ago that was me. After 40 years of desk work resulting in anterior pelvic tilt; forward head posture and other postural issues - I was "not strong enough to stay in the shot".

I started to have severe pain in my left hip where I could no longer walk 9 holes or even sit for more than 15 minutes at my desk. Recurring back pain etc. So I go the traditional route - Primary care physician; who takes an x-ray (which shows nothing); referral to Orthopedic doctor leading to an MRI and diagnosis of moderate arthritis.  I was told if the pain gets worse then a hip replacement may be needed. Not what I wanted to hear.

I consulted with an outfit that specializes in golf fitness; they were TPI certified etc. After 2 years of working directly with a fitness trainer as well as sessions with k-vest and boditrak; I was able to significantly increase my overall strength and mobility and I am now strong enough to stay in the shot and I am playing the best golf of my life.

A key factor in my progression was learning how to do a proper hip hinge so that I could utilize squats, deadlifts, single leg deadlifts etc. in my workouts without injury.

I am playing 4 days a week; working on my strength and mobility every day; and when not playing hitting balls into a net in my garage. I no longer have hip pain or back pain. My postural issues have been resolved.

Shot my age today 71 (Par 72; 6200yd). My playing partners range in age from late fifties to middle eighties; handicaps from single digit to high 20's. The majority of them are at the same place I was at 4 years ago - not strong enough to stay in the shot - no matter what set-up position they adopt.

Now I am going to focus on the threads dealing with putting, which is holding me back.


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Posted
8 hours ago, MiuraMan said:

The instructor stated this "none of you are strong enough to stay in the shot from there" - 'there' being the current athletic posture setup being taught.

I think it's a balance thing. Setting up with the glutes back will put weight back in the heels at address and most people will shift their weight towards their toes in the downswing to compensate. You'd need strength to fight that movement.

8 hours ago, MiuraMan said:

Shot my age today 71 (Par 72; 6200yd).

Congrats! Very nice round.

You can claim your achievements here:

 

Bill

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Posted
11 minutes ago, MuniGrit said:

Should the knees be bowed or pigeon toed in from face on view?

It's generally a good thing to flare your feet so the knees should be bowed a little.

 

  • Like 2

Bill

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” - Confucius

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Posted
11 hours ago, mvmac said:

Obviously not what Jason Day looks like when he's playing but funny posts.

Screen Shot 2018-01-10 at 9.45.18 PM.png

 

It's a funny post. I've actually seen people set up like Day on the left. Also, weirdest picture of Tiger I've ever seen ;-)

Bill

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  • 3 months later...
Posted

I hope this hasn't already been touched upon, as I didn't read all 16 pages of this thread. But I believe the posture of the spine is more dictated by the respective positions of the pelvis and scapulae at address. If the pelvis is in a neutral position at address (and NOT in anterior or posterior pelvic tilt) and my scapulae are also in a neutral position (and NOT in a retracted or protracted position), the position/posture of the spine will be fine and in the best possible position to move as the golf swing dictates. 

Anyone else use the positions of their pelvis and scapulae to dictate their spine posture/position?


  • Administrator
Posted
8 hours ago, MiuraDude said:

I hope this hasn't already been touched upon, as I didn't read all 16 pages of this thread. But I believe the posture of the spine is more dictated by the respective positions of the pelvis and scapulae at address. If the pelvis is in a neutral position at address (and NOT in anterior or posterior pelvic tilt) and my scapulae are also in a neutral position (and NOT in a retracted or protracted position), the position/posture of the spine will be fine and in the best possible position to move as the golf swing dictates. 

Anyone else use the positions of their pelvis and scapulae to dictate their spine posture/position?

Your spine can move independently of the pelvis and the scapulae.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
On 3/2/2012 at 2:14 PM, gwlee7 said:

Working on seeing the ball from the center of my eyes is something mvmac has had me work on.  In doing so, I hit the ball on better trajectory (especially with the driver) than when I lapse into the old way of "looking under my glasses".

My high school golf coach used to call it "looking  down your nose" at the ball. I guess it's dependent upon how willing you are to turn your head counter-clockwise to accommodate your left shoulder turning into it's space

If you are not, you will saw your backswing off short.

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Posted
25 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

My high school golf coach used to call it "looking  down your nose" at the ball.

That's not what's advocated here.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
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  • Moderator
Posted

While I don't think most need to do exercises to achieve a better golf posture, it is good to see this information reaching fitness people. Also if you think about how much the golf fitness world promotes a "strong core", setting up with a straight spine would be the opposite of that. Let's say someone was going to throw you a quick jab to the gut, you wouldn't put yourself in Donald Duck posture.

 

23 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

My high school golf coach used to call it "looking  down your nose" at the ball. I guess it's dependent upon how willing you are to turn your head counter-clockwise to accommodate your left shoulder turning into it's space

These guys are looking at the ball with their central vision. The upper back is rounder to achieve that.

To achieve a "down the nose" feel I would have to get the eyes and chin up.

P1.jpg

P1.2.jpg

  • Like 1

Mike McLoughlin

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  • 2 months later...
Posted

When I got back into golfing last year, my pro told me I was sticking my butt out way to much and he basically softened my stance and stressed eye position a LOT. Within a few weeks, it seems so natural.  As well, the back aches I was having all seemed to vanish. I still have a few posture and foot issues, but swing seems much more at ease in general.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Sorry I'm late to the party, but if I can help anyone in this great game - it's my passion. 

My thoughts on posture are to start in what I call a universal sports stance. We have to be prepared to go up, down, left and right during a swing and thus being in a ready start stance is important. I think if you're too rigid and stiff looking/feeling you deprive yourself of some flow and the necessary loading in transition and downswing. Relaxed and 'facing' the ball, as Harvey Penick said, is just about as good a mind visual as you get. 

On 7/17/2018 at 4:40 PM, DrMJG said:

When I got back into golfing last year, my pro told me I was sticking my butt out way to much and he basically softened my stance and stressed eye position a LOT. Within a few weeks, it seems so natural.  As well, the back aches I was having all seemed to vanish. I still have a few posture and foot issues, but swing seems much more at ease in general.

 

DrMJG I'm glad you're back is better - where do you play out there in Goodyear?


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  • Posts

    • They weren't necessarily short - I don't remember the exact specifics of all of it, but some of them were missing a little left or right or both. Day 1 they were landing on the edge and kicking on, where day 2 they were just missing and kicking down into the bunkers and did it a lot. I think all told I actually went into bunkers on 8 holes. Some of them were not good shots. Like a few examples, on 8, the pin was in the back. I hit it solidly, but pulled it and it went long, over the bunker into long grass. I had the ball in sandy earth with long grass around it and about a foot below my feet. That next shot I tried to do what I could but it went into the bunker in front of me. Into a footprint. That one I dug out of the footprint, but still in the bunker. Got that one out of the bunker, but into the fringe grass in front of me. Chipped that one on a bit hard and two putts later made a 7. Another was on 14. The flag was on the little finger of green front left. I tried to play a little past it and a little right. Shoved it maybe 10 yards right of where I wanted to and the carry over the bunker gets longer the further right you go and that one hit the grass between the green and the bunker and came back down into the sand, left it in there and didn't get up and down on the next one. I think carrywise it carried about as far as I was planning on it doing so. Another was on 6, leaked my drive a little right into the fairway bunker. Hit a nearly good shot from there that went a little left and a little short and kicked into the bunker front left. That was a strike thing and just a hard shot. Did similar on 18. Drive in the right bunker, slightly heavy second that hit the bank between green and bunker again and kicked back into the sand. I think the tiredness manifested more as not squaring the face up so well and less as slowing down.
    • Depends on how short you were coming up on these shots. A bit more wind? Also, maybe you were swinging at 2-3 mph slower the next day.  I think the biggest thing is not adjusting. Like making assuming your stock shot is not enough and taking 1 club up. Not sure what type of adjustments you were making in your decision making. 
    • No one should measure a joint mobility away from that joint. If you go to physical therapy, they are not measuring your knee mobility based on your midline. It is based at the joint. Shoulder mobility should be measured in reference to the shoulder joint. 
    • He's using a driver swing, while I used the iron swing. Bryson goes from about 65° B to 15° B, hence the 50°. If you bend your right elbow, you're going to pull your hands across your chest some. Conversely, if you abduct your right arm and hold onto a grip with your left arm, you can see how extending the right elbow as we do in the golf swing during the downswing will "pull" the right shoulder/humerus forward (adducting it, as going from 65° to 15° of abduction is). Even people who pull their right shoulder WAY too far around them eventually get it "back in front" when their right arm/elbow extends. So, such a motion shows up as shoulder adduction even though the movement that causes it is just widening the trail elbow. The left hand on the grip almost "pulls" the hands forward as the left arm can't stretch much (there's some shoulder protraction, but that's almost maxed out at P4). Oh, I downloaded it and watched it (and commented there) before he blocked me. It's what led to him posting the comment in the "update" above. 😄  Single shoulder range of 75°, and that's going out well into the follow-through. 50° Max range up to impact. Manavian's video is bad. He keeps saying "midline" which is just a horrible way to look at it. He also kept saying that the club was moving that amount — also wrong. Adding left and right together is really freaking dumb. Another golf instructor said "That's like saying the player has 100 degrees of knee bend (adding left knee bend to right knee bend) 🤦‍♂️" (similar to what the biomechanist said about squatting). Also, see my post above about elbow bend. That's why Plummer’s alignment stick demo is so intellectually dishonest. A golfer can't get anywhere near that position on the left with his left hand on the alignment stick (quoted below).  
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