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If you are topping the ball, don't follow your friend's advice and "keep your head down."
Keeping your head down could be contributing to the topped shot. You must keep your knees and head at the same level and your elbows together throughout the swing. To keep your head level you must keep your center (the upper front of your torso) moving in the forward swing, and to keep your center moving through the hitting area and to the finish you must let your head move with the center. Keeping your head down too long stops the center preventing the arms to continue through the shot.


Watch David Duval and Annika Sorenstam on television and you get a perfect picture of what the head should be doing through the hitting area.

As published on:
http://www.golflink.com/golf-tips/tips/stafford004.asp

Labels: Posture

Now we're on the right track. To manage your weight properly, the majority of your body mass must shift to your back foot during the backswing. It's imperative to remember that "shift" and "slide" don't mean the same thing. A proper weight shift is due to a proper weight turn, or "coil." As the body turns away, the weight should naturally shift to the back (my right) foot. Any contrived weight shift is probably a weight slide, which inhibits the body from turning properly. Turning is key for power! Here, you can see I've loaded up my back leg with torque and that my trousers are tightened. All that's left for me is to continue turning my upper body until my club is parallel and then unwind in unison on the downswing. Due to centripetal force, the upper body will unwind faster than the lower, even though both are initiated at the same time.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD BALANCE

The most important ingredient in a sound golf swing is good balance. There are many movements going on during the swinging of a golf club. Hence, there are many opportunities for you to lose your balance. Your weight goes back and forth laterally while your body, arms, and club move rotationally. The timing of the sequence of actions that your body performs is of paramount importance to a well-balanced swing.

Improper shifting of your weight will upset your balance. Your center of gravity is located near the end of your backbone when you are assuming the proper set-up position. Any lateral action that is initiated above this point will cause a loss of balance.

So you don't want to shift your weight during your backswing by leaning away from the target. Never let your shoulders drift outside of your feet. Rather, shift your weight back by using your legs and hips. Your left leg and hip move away from the target, while your right leg acts as a brace and an anchor. Your weight should stay on the inside of your back leg and foot. Do not allow your weight to rock over to the outside of your foot during the backswing.

Start your forward swing by getting your weight moving towards the target. The proper motion again is initiated with your legs. Plant you left heel, then turn your right knee towards the target. This will start a chain reaction. Your right hip will begin turning towards the target, then your torso, and finally your shoulders. Your upper body does not catch up with your lower body until after you have hit the ball and are well into your follow-through.

When executed properly, the momentum from the swing will allow you to end up in a well-balanced finish position. About 95 percent of your weight is centered over your left foot. You should easily be able to pick up your right foot and step towards your target.

As published on:
http://www.bbrd.org/golfcourse/lessonarchives.html

Labels: Posture

Maintain a Consistent Spine Angle through the full range of your stroke and you will be delighted to produce a great shot. Keep your eye on the ball as you swing and notice how your posture changes. Be sure to keep your head up and maintain your viewing position by appropriate flexion of the hip and knee joints. Keep your spine straight at all costs. Bending the spine causes the chest to collapse and the neck and shoulders to rotate forwards and inwards. This not only distorts the natural arc of your swing but it makes it difficult to turn your head through the range of motion required to keep your eye on the ball. The accuracy of your shot goes to hell in a hand basket. So keep your back straight and you'll maintain a solid base from which you can accurately aim those long drives.

Core Stability and Flexibility is the key, and a little practice on the core stability ball with some simple yoga or Pilates exercises can help you develop these much needed attributes for a great golf swing. Abdominal crunches are an excellent exercise for developing core strength and endurance. But that's a subject for another article.

The 3 Tenets-So the next time you're enjoying a gorgeous, sunny round on the fairway, be sure to practice the 3 Tenets of Great Golf Posture, keep your back straight, adjust your spine angle by hinging at the hip and most important, keep it constant through the execution of your swing. You can look forward to hitting, longer, further and with more accuracy. What's more you'll feel great at the end of the day with far fewer aches and pains from improper posture.

As published on:
http://www.bettergolfarticles.com/

Labels: Posture

There are many important facets to a good golf swing, but maintaining the bend in the right knee is one that simply can't be overlooked. When a student comes to me with a common complaint (slicing, poor ballstriking or a general lack of consistency), I always take a close look at his or her body angles, and make certain that their posture and knee position are constant throughout the swing. If the student is having problems with posture or knee position, it's not worth spending a lot of time working on other aspects of the swing. Solid results just can't be achieved without correcting these problems first.

Typically, golfers who straighten the right knee suffer from a sliding or swaying of the hips in the backswing.

Of course, these problems, along with the reverse pivot, are extremely common faults for recreational golfers, so it's no surprise that a straightening of the right knee is also very common. The only way to prevent right-knee straightening is to keep the lower body centered and acting as a base of support. This way, the upper body will have the freedom to get behind the ball without affecting the angle or bend of the right leg.

It's important to understand that trying to restrict the movement of the right leg while making your regular backswing won't remedy the problem. The ideal situation is one in which the swing works without mechanics that affect the bend of the right knee.

The key to achieving this effortless backswing is keeping the spine angle you establish at address a constant. The spine angle and right-knee bend are closely related, and it's necessary to maintain both angles for a solid golf swing.

My favorite drill for developing a solid backswing is the two-club drill. To practice the drill, you need two extra clubs and the help of a friend.

First, assume your address position, and have your friend stand behind you, placing the head of one club against your left shoulder and the head of the other club against your left hip. Then, take a backswing. If your hip moves off the club, then you've swayed, and your right leg and knee have straightened to some degree. Instead, you want the left shoulder to move off the club to the inside of the right foot, and the left hip to rotate while staying in contact with the club. This will ensure that you've maintained your original spine angle throughout the backswing, while also helping retain the original angle of the right knee.

Continue practicing this drill until the proper position feels natural. It might take some time, but if you can learn to maintain your right-knee flex and spine angle throughout the swing, you'll be well on your way to developing a more solid, consistent golf game.

Losin' It
Losing your right-knee flex during the backswing usually results from a straightening of the right leg, a move that also generates a reverse-pivot. From this position, the likelihood of producing a slice increases dramatically.

No!
When performing the two-club drill, it's important to turn correctly while maintaining your spine angle. If your left hip moves off the club on your backswing, you've swayed or tilted your spine-disaster.

Yes!
A solid backswing turn, one in which the right knee retains its flex and the spine angle doesn't change, is evidenced in the two-club drill-at the top, the left hip is still in contact with the club while the shoulder has moved off the other.

As published on:
http://www.golftipsmag.com/instruction/iron-play-quick-tips/maintain-the-bend.html

Labels: Posture

BEST TIP: Play ball far enough away to get full extension.

Aim clubface first. Then align your body.

At address, your hands should be about four inches from your thighs.

Keep your head up.

Bend forward from the hips about 33 degrees and tilt body toward right at address.

Play ball far enough away from body to get full extension.

The longer the club, the more the left foot should be flared out-from perpendicular for short irons to 45 degrees for the driver.

As published on:
http://www.tomsgolftips.com/stance.html

Labels: Posture