Good Golf Posture (How to Address the Golf Ball)

[saevel25]

The problem is, you don't swing the club up your club lie, the swing path really runs closer through the elbow. So technically he should be looking own more if he wanted to match his swing plane.

[twittek]

after i take my stance, I like to lock my knees, push my butt back a touch as a bend forward until i can put my hands flat against the center of my thighs (with soft elbows), and then unlock my knees.

[MiniBlueDragon]

I've kind of ignored this thread a while now thinking it doesn't apply to me as I'm abnormal, however curiosity has the better of me...

What's the 'official' deal with us folks who have an excessive anterior pelvic tilt or lordosis of the lumbar region naturally?

For me I find the 'but sticking out' position to be a normal part of me bending over at address:

This is me actively not sticking the butt out. The belt, shirt and trousers do a fair job in hiding the shape so I've highlighted it.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

I've kind of ignored this thread a while now thinking it doesn't apply to me as I'm abnormal, however curiosity has the better of me...

What's the 'official' deal with us folks who have an excessive anterior pelvic tilt or lordosis of the lumbar region naturally?

For me I find the 'but sticking out' position to be a normal part of me bending over at address:

This is me actively not sticking the butt out. The belt, shirt and trousers do a fair job in hiding the shape so I've highlighted it.

I'm not what the "deal" is, just how you bend over.  To get this position we're talking about, you would feel like you are bending over from your mid back, thoracic, instead of at the waist and like your tailbone is "under" you.  That would be the main forcus for you, you already do a good job with the eyes and neck.

For everyone else to get the feel.  If you were standing straight up, trying to make your neck level while still looking up, that is how the neck tilts should be, then look down.  Basically make it look like a caveman.  So the chin is down but not tucked into the chest.

This is a pic of the instructor I just mentioned, Brendan, at set-up, notice how flat the lower back is (just the shirt is sticking out), and how rounded the upper back is.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Originally Posted by mvmac

This is a pic of the instructor I just mentioned, Brendan, at set-up, notice how flat the lower back is (just the shirt is sticking out), and how rounded the upper back is.

That's what I mean; my lower back physically can't get flat; it always has a curve in it, even if I'm laying flat on the floor with my feet flat and knees up in the air.

Not a big deal; I think my posture is as similar as it can be to the picture so it'll do.

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

That's what I mean; my lower back physically can't get flat; it always has a curve in it, even if I'm laying flat on the floor with my feet flat and knees up in the air.

Not a big deal; I think my posture is as similar as it can be to the picture so it'll do.

MBD,

Draw the angle of the belt-line irrespective of what the butt is doing.  You can have a big butt that sticks out, but a flat beltline, just sayin' Your belt line looks pretty good.  Tour players are somewhere around 12 degrees or so, depending on uprightness of posture.  Lots of amateurs are around 25 degrees.  Anything 18 degrees or less is acceptable, I would say.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

Draw the angle of the belt-line irrespective of what the butt is doing.  You can have a big butt that sticks out, but a flat beltline, just sayin'   Your belt line looks pretty good.  Tour players are somewhere around 12 degrees or so, depending on uprightness of posture.  Lots of amateurs are around 25 degrees.  Anything 18 degrees or less is acceptable, I would say.

Which angles are you measuring re: the belt line?

Mine is around 28-30°.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

MBD,

Draw the angle of the belt-line irrespective of what the butt is doing.  You can have a big butt that sticks out, but a flat beltline, just sayin'   Your belt line looks pretty good.  Tour players are somewhere around 12 degrees or so, depending on uprightness of posture.  Lots of amateurs are around 25 degrees.  Anything 18 degrees or less is acceptable, I would say.

Nah the 'big butt' is (partly) a cause of the anterior pelvic tilt/lordosis. When I stand completely upright I still have a fair amount of tilt:

From there to address position adds a few degrees but not a significant amount; the difference between standing upright and address for me is a slight forward lean (more of a curving of the upper back) and settling on the balls of the feet more than tilting the pelvis.

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by iacas

Which angles are you measuring re: the belt line?

Mine is around 28-30°.

By belt line, I just mean take a look at the level of the hips irrespective of how far it appears the butt is sticking out.  I was remembering some numbers from a few years ago, but I'm probably mis-remembering them.  I thought Kenny Perry was around 14 degrees, but maybe it was 24.  Some inaccuracies on my part there.

I would say, to MBD, and others who get a visual sense of what the lower back is doing by how far the butt is sticking out, make sure you are getting an accurate impression of the curvature in the lower back.  Tiger tends to look like he has more curve than he does because his glutes are bigger.  Obviously the best way is to take a still picture and draw lines, so thanks.

[Michael]

I guess I have a different take on this.  Some of it comes from a slight back pain I use to have (not from golf), and some of it comes from yoga.

1.  Both anterior and posterior tilt are not good, assuming this goes against the natural curves of the spine.   Trying to force an exaggeration of one position or the other causes stress.

2.  Most of the pictures show set-up or top of the back swing.  The key picture should be impact.  This is the position where you apply the most force, and it is the position that applies the most stress on the spine.  I think a good movie of the typical down swing would show a golfer's spine starting to approach the ground because he is using force to hit the ball.  But the golfer immediately resists that downward move by "bending" the spine in a C position.  If they don't resist, they would hit a fat shot.   Thus, the spine at impact does not resemble the spine at address for most golfers.  This impact position is stressful, I would maintain.

3.  Since pros are good golfers, I guess the assumption is that their spine positions must be good too.  There is credence to this, but I am not totally convinced.  We really need a study that analyzes their spine agility and strength after 20 or so years of swinging.  We all know great golfers with bad backs.  Would set up pictures of Couples or Zoeller look that much different?

4.  If your spine is strong, then a bad spine position might cause something else to go bad, like the hips or shoulders.

5.  I recommend yoga, mainly because it makes you aware of what position your spine is in.  A lot of bad back posture is due to ignorance (lack of awareness) of what your spine is doing.

[PivotPro]

There are few things that are common among all these pro is - there right shoulder is lower than the left, which puts you spine at an angle slightly away from the target and they all have a flex in their knees.

[The Tin Man]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

Myabe that's why Hogan and others smoked while they golfed, it game them a swing path line to keep their arms parallel to.

There's a video clip of Hogan chipping - club shaft in line with cigarette throughout the swing.

[Th3R00st3r]

Originally Posted by The Tin Man

There's a video clip of Hogan chipping - club shaft in line with cigarette throughout the swing.

This one?

His smoke doesn't move the entire swing until after impact. WOW!

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Th3R00st3r

This one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v;=no1JgdM6q4Y#t=103s

His smoke doesn't move the entire swing until after impact. WOW!

Or this one?

[outlaw1984]

so the posture that the S&T; guys promote is the correct way....with the shoulders curved, and chin down, feet angled out 20 degrees????......i guess this might be why my lower back hurts cause i didnt listen to them....

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by outlaw1984

so the posture that the S&T; guys promote is the correct way....with the shoulders curved, and chin down, feet angled out 20 degrees????......i guess this might be why my lower back hurts cause i didnt listen to them....

Yes that is correct.

[carrx]

I may have misunderstood some of the above comments, but it seems to me the argument between "straight" and "rounded" is incorrect.  Rounding the shoulders and upper back toward the ball actually helps to "straighten" the lower back, as opposed to arching the back to keep the spine "straight".

I've flirted with S&T;, and still incorporate a good deal of the principles in my own swing, and have noticed an immediate improvement to my ball striking (especially long irons) using the feeling of rounding my shoulders toward the ball.  I'm taller than average (6'3") and previously have had trouble "reaching" the ball with my shorter irons when standing in the classic straight backed fashion.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by carrx

I may have misunderstood some of the above comments, but it seems to me the argument between "straight" and "rounded" is incorrect.  Rounding the shoulders and upper back toward the ball actually helps to "straighten" the lower back, as opposed to arching the back to keep the spine "straight".

I've flirted with S&T;, and still incorporate a good deal of the principles in my own swing, and have noticed an immediate improvement to my ball striking (especially long irons) using the feeling of rounding my shoulders toward the ball.  I'm taller than average (6'3") and previously have had trouble "reaching" the ball with my shorter irons when standing in the classic straight backed fashion.

Correct, rounded upper spine and straightish from the mid to lower back.  I see you're in Long Beach, have you spent some time with Dana Dahlquist?