Colin is our Head Professional and has been at Carnoustie Golf Links since 1999.
As is the case with anything you do in any sport, you must get the basics right and golf is no different. First thing’s first, to hit the ball well, you must have the set-up right and a key element of that is posture.
PGA Senior Professional Colin Sinclair gives his tips on posture in your swing set-up.
You might never hit it like tour pros do, but there’s a part of their technique you can mimic: the address position. When your body is angled properly at the start, you have the foundation for a repeating swing. It allows you to coil around a constant axis and swing the club up and down on the proper track.
The key to a good setup is to tilt toward the ball from your hip joints, not your waist. The difference is subtle, but bending from the waist causes the back to get rounded It’s tough to make a good swing from this unathletic position.
For better posture, try this: stand tall in front of a mirror, tuck your fingertips into the joints at the front of your hips, and tip your upper body forward as you push your hips and backside out behind you. Keep your shoulder blades flat, and add a little flex to your knees (above, left). You should feel athletic and relaxed. Try to re-create this hip-hinged position when you play.
When swinging, the key is to maintain this posture, this will improve your ball striking and will help eliminate the mis-hit.
There you have it, a tweak in your stance could help make big improvements to your game.
Words by Colin Sinclair, PGA Head Professional