Nina Caldwell
Balance is a fundamental part of a good golf swing. If your balance is off, you may need to adjust your stance, check your weight distribution, and stretch your muscles. During the backswing, your weight should move towards your back foot, and during the downswing, it should shift to your front foot. To achieve a balanced finish, you should feel stacked, with your head over your shoulders, your shoulders over your hips, and your hips over your legs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Weight distribution | Weight should be distributed on the "balls" of the feet or close to the middle. The weight should be evenly distributed between the left and right leg. |
| Stance | The stance should be adjusted based on the club being used. Generally, the longer the club, the wider the stance. |
| Posture | Slightly bent at the knee with the butt sticking out. |
| Movement | The weight should move towards the back (right) foot during the backswing. This should be done through the rotation of the hips. |
| Left arm | The left arm should remain straight during the backswing. |
| Left heel | The left heel should not be lifted from the ground during the backswing. However, some golfers may benefit from lifting the left heel to allow for a complete turn and swing if they have flexibility issues. |
| Right knee | Some level of flex should be maintained in the right knee during the backswing. |
| Head movement | The head should not move much during the backswing, either horizontally or vertically. |
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What You'll Learn
Keep your weight distributed on the balls of your feet
Keeping your weight distributed on the balls of your feet is key to achieving a balanced golf swing. This is because, if your weight is on your toes or heels, you may fall forward or backward during your swing.
To achieve this, set up with your weight equally distributed across both feet, with your feet about shoulder-width apart. You should feel as though your feet are supporting your weight equally. You can then slightly bend your knees and stick your butt out, letting your arms dangle. From here, you can slowly shift your weight from front to back, mimicking the motion of a golf swing, even without holding a club.
During the backswing, you should shift your weight to your back foot, with around 60% of your weight on that foot. Then, during the downswing, shift your weight to your lead foot, pressing down with 70% of your weight on that side.
It is important to note that there are exceptions to this rule. For instance, if you are positioned inside a fairway bunker near the lip, you may want to shift your weight backward to achieve a higher ball flight. Similarly, if there is a mound in front of you that could catch the ball, you may also want to shift your weight backward.
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Avoid swaying by rotating your body, not shifting laterally
Swaying is a common swing error in golf, characterised by the lateral movement of the hips and lower body during the swing. This can cause a loss of balance and stability, making it difficult to consistently bring your club to the right position at impact.
To avoid swaying, it is important to focus on rotating your body, rather than shifting laterally. This involves keeping your hips mostly in place and using them as a central axis for the rotation of your upper body. During the backswing, your body weight should shift towards your back foot, but this should be done in a rotated manner, without sliding your hips and weight back.
To achieve this, it is crucial to maintain proper posture and balance throughout the swing. This can be improved by incorporating balance training exercises and stability exercises into your routine, such as using a weighted club or a training aid like the DownUnder Board. Additionally, you should ensure that your weight is distributed evenly on the balls of your feet or close to the middle, rather than on your toes or heels, to maintain stability.
By focusing on rotation instead of lateral movement, you can improve your consistency and natural power in your swing, leading to better balance and overall performance on the course.
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Maintain a straight left arm and avoid bending your left elbow
Maintaining a straight left arm is crucial to a successful golf swing. The left arm is especially important as it determines the width of your swing, which in turn creates power and distance.
To keep your left arm straight, you must focus on rotating your body. If your body stops rotating, your left arm will likely bend as you try to generate more reach and power with your arms. This will make it harder to make a well-timed and connected swing. Therefore, if you feel your swing is too short, try rotating your lower body more. This will give your upper body more room to turn while keeping your left arm straight.
It is also important to note that while your left arm should be straight, it should not be rigid. Rigidity restricts the flow of your swing and hampers your rhythm. So, while your left elbow should be kept as straight as possible, there should not be too much tension running through it.
To practice keeping your left arm straight, you can try the split grip drill. First, take your regular set-up holding a mid-sized ball in your hands. Then, split your hands on the club and keep a gap between them. Rotate your body and feel the stretch. You could then try hitting a few balls doing this, as if you collapse your left arm, you will miss the ball.
Another drill is to practice hitting balls on the range, working the club back to create an L-shape out of your lead arm and the club shaft, then rotate through to another L. Build up to a full follow-through with this drill, and you will be surprised by how far the balls go.
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Keep your head still and avoid sliding your hips
Keeping your head still and avoiding sliding your hips during your backswing is a crucial aspect of maintaining balance and achieving solid contact in your golf swing. Here are some detailed instructions and tips to help you master this technique:
Keeping Your Head Still:
- Understand the Function: Keeping your head still is about maintaining proper alignment and controlling the low point of your swing. It's not just a physical act but also a matter of understanding the geometry of your body's movements.
- Neck Tilt: The key to keeping your head "in the circle" lies in tilting your neck. As the most mobile part of your spine, it is essential to use your neck tilt to stay centred during your backswing.
- Visualise and Practice: Visualise your body as a coil and your head as the pin that tightens around it. Practice in front of a mirror without a club, placing your arms across your chest and rotating your upper body while keeping your head still.
- Focus on the Ball: During your swing, focus on a specific dimple on the golf ball. This concentration can help minimise head movement.
- Start with Basics: If you're a beginner, start with smaller swings and gradually increase the distance and power. This helps you develop body control and understand the goals of the swing before attempting more complex movements.
- Use a Club or Alignment Stick: Place a club or alignment stick inside your trail foot, pointing towards the target line. Ensure your head doesn't go past this line during your backswing.
Avoiding Sliding Your Hips:
- Understand Hip Movements: The downswing phase involves specific hip pivoting movements, including pivoting off the right femoral head and sliding the pelvis to the left. Avoid common mistakes like spinning the right hemi-pelvis forward, which can cause imbalance.
- Proper Weight Distribution: Distribute your weight correctly during your swing. At address, the weight should be on the "balls" of your feet or close to the middle. During the backswing, most weight is on your back leg, and as you follow through, it moves to the left side.
- Generate Power with Rotation: Instead of swaying or sliding, focus on rotating your body to generate power. Think of your body as a rotisserie chicken rotating around the spit.
- Stretch and Relax: Tight muscles can hinder your ability to swing correctly. Ensure your shoulders, hips, and legs are relaxed by doing golf stretches before, during, and after your game.
By following these instructions and tips, you can improve your balance, stability, and overall performance in golf.
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Practise slow-motion swings to perfect your balance
Practising slow-motion swings is a highly recommended way to perfect your balance and improve your golf swing.
The golf swing is a complex movement involving weight shifting, wrist cocking, body rotation, and postural changes, all of which occur in about one and a half seconds. By practising in slow motion, you can better understand and feel these different elements of the swing, allowing you to make adjustments and improvements. This slow-motion approach has been used by some of the greatest players, including Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan, who is known for his perfect positions and sequenced movements.
When you slow down your swing, you give your nervous system more time to adapt and learn the new movements. You can focus on the intricate details of the swing, such as the role of the right elbow, which should maintain a 90-degree angle during the swing, and the importance of keeping your arms close to your body to generate power and accuracy.
Additionally, slow-motion swings allow you to focus on your balance and weight distribution. You can ensure that your weight is distributed on the balls of your feet, or close to the middle, and that you're not swaying too much to your back leg, which can lead to balance issues.
As you become more comfortable with the slow-motion swings and the changes you're making, you can gradually increase the speed of your swing. This incremental approach will help you perfect your balance and overall swing technique, leading to more consistent and powerful shots on the course.
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Frequently asked questions
It is important to set up with a slight bend at the knee and your butt sticking out. This will help you to relax and not be too heavy with your upper body, head and shoulders.
Your weight should be distributed on the balls of your feet or close to the middle. Your weight should be evenly distributed between the left and right leg. Too much weight on the back leg can cause issues.
The Orange Peel is a training aid that helps golfers stay balanced, rotate (not sway) and build a strong foundation. It restricts lateral movement and encourages leg and core strengthening.
One drill is to address the golf ball and then proceed to the finish position. Another is to ask someone to gently push on different parts of your body while you are in your address position. If you lose your footing, you will know that your weight distribution is off.
One common mistake is swaying instead of rotating. Another is having tight muscles, which limits the ability to swing the golf club correctly.
