Don't Slouch! Learn The Proper Golf Swing Posture

A simple and effective tip often overlooked is your golf swing posture. The angles formed by your spine, shoulders and neck at setup define, by and large, the quality of swing you make.

A golfer with a sloppy, slouched posture will more often than not have a sloppy, erratic golf swing.

You'll typically see a rigid, choppy swing from a golfer with a rigid, upright posture

Why Does Your Golf Swing Posture Matter?

The spinal column is the central axis around which your entire golf swing rotates. The angles that your spine forms, therefore, define the angles and motion of your overall swing.

The Lazy Slouch

A slouched golf swing posture is one that's defined by a curved spine and droopy shoulders. The spine is essentially a wet noodle with very little structure or form.

The picture to the right shows a classic slouched posture. Notice the exaggerated spine curvature and dropped shoulders. By virtue of the shoulders being low, the hands are also very low - almost down to the knees! A slouched golf posture makes it virtually impossible to make a good swing. Without having any kind of defined spine angle, the swing has nothing solid around which to turn. Some slouches aren't lazy - they're just too tall for their clubs. They have to bend down just to reach the golf grip. Don't let this happen to you - if you're serious about golf, get fitted so your clubs are the proper length.

The Uptight Upright

While not as serious as the slouch, an overly upright golf swing posture is common and leads to swing issues. The body is too rigid and can't make a fluid turn.

The picture to the right isn't a butler - it's golfer with an overly upright posture. A rigid posture leads to a rigid swing. Without adequate bend in the knees and waist, there's very little chance of making a proper turn during the backswing. Most upright golfers I know are simply too analytical in their setup. Sure, angles are important. But equally important is having a posture that is relaxed and athletic. Bending a little from the waist will make a world of difference.

Proper Golf Swing Posture

The ideal golf posture is neither too relaxed nor too rigid. Bend from your waist and keep your spine as straight as possible. Really feel your weight in the balls of your feet. This makes for a powerful, athletic setup and posture.

To master the proper golf posture, it's easiest to start without a golf club. First, stand normally with your arms to your sides. Bend from the waist until your arms dangle freely, without touching your legs. Simply bend your knees a bit, clasp your hands together and presto! You have the right posture. Get comfortable with this posture and then do the same exercise with a golf club in hand. After a while it'll become second nature.

Need a quick reality check during your round? The end of the grip should be parallel with the bottom of your pants zipper. There should also be about the distance of one hand between the end of your club and your pants.

As is the case with most of our golf swing tips, perfecting the golf swing posture is quite easy to do and will make a ton of difference in your swing. Unfortunately, most beginning golfers neglect this part of the setup and are doomed to struggle.

Take a few minutes to get your posture right You'll be glad you did.

See more swing tips that can help your game like the proper golf swing posture.