Proper Body Alignment & Your Golf Swing

Proper Body Alignment & Your Golf Swing

What would you say is the most important factor that contributes to a good golf swing? We’re going to go out on a limb and say that it’s not the shoes, it’s not wind velocity, it’s not even your elbows…it’s your alignment. We’re not just talking about aligning your club and the ball, we’re talking about your body’s alignment. If it’s off…that might just be the reason you can’t nail that shot.

In their video, Golf Swing Body Mechanics International explains how the alignment of your hips, pelvis, and legs can impact your gold swing. Here are some of the finer points.

An Aligned Golf Swing

Don’t Rotate Your Legs

Your golf swing is all about proper hip rotation. This means when you swing, your pelvis and body should rotate…not your legs. Because of its connection to your pelvis, your leg can rotate in and out, but in your golf swing, it should remain still.
When your leg is posted, you’ll get better balance and control. But it’s difficult for your leg to be posted if it’s rotated in or out because of misalignment.

Improper Rotation Causes Lower Back Stress

When you don’t rotate in your hips, you put a lot of stress on your lower back. If your legs starts to twist, the middle of your lower back starts to turn with it and the vertebrae there are not designed to rotate.
Rotating in your hip socket offers stability in your leg, good balance, more torque (with less pain!) and results in better aim. You’ll know you’re getting it right when you feel the pressure of your weight on the inside of your foot.

Poor Alignment and Your Golf Swing

When you’re out of alignment, your swing will be unpredictable. In our post, Why Proper Body Alignment Matters, we mentioned that misalignment can cause muscle use to be uneven leaving some muscles weaker than others. We also mentioned your ligament and cartilage could be thrown off when your body is twisted or not aligned right. This might mean that, in golf, you’ll have to overcompensate to achieve the right movement. Not only can this cause unnecessary pain, it may also be why the tutorials, videos, and training you get aren’t working.
“Best practice” swinging assume that you’re starting from a healthy base.

Alignment and Generating More Power


Cue the Tim Taylor grunt.
To hit the ball farther you need, yup, more power.
But, you can’t generate power without the proper rotation and proper rotation is easier when you’re already aligned.
When you’re ready to take a swing, don’t pop that hip. If you’re shifting the hip and pelvis away from the ball, that means something in your lower body isn’t working properly.
Proper alignment helps prevent injuries, keeps you active, and prevents pain and health problems, but it can also help you perform better when you hit the green for your next eighteen.
To stay aligned while golfing, make sure your golf shoes are giving you enough support. This means choosing the right shoes and adding an insole to support your feet when needed.
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