The Importance of Good Posture for Golf

In the picture above you can see three golfers of different age and ability with what would appear to be different golf posture(s). The golfer on the left hand side has his back in an arched position which can be termed as 'C-Posture'. The golfer on the right hand side has a curvature in his lower back which can be termed as 'S-Posture' or 'Sway Back'. The golfer in the centre as well as being younger is also likely to be the best golfer of the three as he has what would be termed as 'Neutral Posture' which technically is the best pictured here. Your 'golf posture' will help to determine the way in which you swing the golf club causing either good or bad angles depending on how good or bad your golf posture is , a bad golfer can be the cause of injury as well as an inefficient golf swing.

C-Posture: The golfer on the left hand side of the picture has his shoulders slumped forwards with a general roundness to his back area from the tailbone to the back of the neck. To rotate the shoulders correctly during the back swing it is essential to have good thoracic extension ( backward bending of the shoulders, not forward ). Golfers with a C-Posture as a rule tend to have poor spinal rotation / back swing rotation due to poor thoracic extension and find that it is difficult to maintain posture throughout their golf swing. S-Posture: The golfer on the right hand side of the picture has too much curvature in his lower back which can be caused by a misconception by the golfer of sticking out thetailbone / backside area. It is possible to stick out the tailbone / backside out at address position without causing this curvature in the lower back if you can hinge properly from the hips with the pelvis tilted correctly and extending the shoulders backwards to keep the spine in a neutral position. Golfers with S-Posture tend to have weak core muscles i.e. weak glutes and abdominals in combination with a tight lower back which in many cases leads to back pain or injury. Golfers with S-Posture tend to also suffer from a loss of posture or a reverse spine angle during the back swing which in turn will affect the sequence of the golf swing due to the lower body being out of position during the downswing. Neutral Posture: The golfer in the centre of the picture has what would be termed as good golf posture. From his tailbone to the thoracic spine you can see no curvature what so ever. To achieve and also maintain this golf posture during a golf swing requires good thoracic extension with a good balance of core strength with sufficient flexibility from the hip flexors and hamstrings. If you can achieve this golf posture you are well on your way to making a good efficient golf swing before the club is on the way in the back swing. It is possible dependant on the person to improve any physical weakness or limitation through exercise either at home or in a gym if that is necessary to improve the golfers game, as well as their physical state in general. For those golfers with a short term or long term injury who cannot improve their swing in a good technical way it is possible to work around any weakness or limitation to improve their golf games through tuition from a certified PGA TPI Golf Professional.