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As I mentioned in a prior post, there are many issues unique to recreational women golfers. How we think we are viewed while on the course is one. It often gets in the way of how we swing and frankly, leads to less than optimal play. Let me explain…
If you live in a warm climate and have been playing and are topping the ball from time to time, hitting pop-ups (do you have scratches on the top of your driver and hybrids?) or are hitting the ball off the toe of the club, this post is likely to help you. If you are in a northern state where things are just beginning to warm up, this post is a good starting point for your season. And, no matter where you live if it’s still a bit too cold outside, you can “practice” what I am writing here in front of a mirror. This post also answers how to deal with being female.
My source here is my good friend Elena King, one of the country’s top female instructors, founder of Experience Golf in Denver. “Posture for all golfers is critical, you have to have it right, but for women it is more of a challenge,” Elena said.
Elena offered three observations and checkpoints about posture for women.
- Women tend to stand too tall over the ball. “I hear all the time (from women) the worry that people will think they are sticking their bum out,” she said. “So they stand up instead.” The first thing to check and get correct is your knee flex. Lock your legs, then unlock your knees and slightly bend them (adding a slight squat). That will get you where you need to be.
Next, bend forward from your waist and hips. Don’t slouch! Keep your back almost straight. “What you want is a neutral, not rounded spine,” Elena said. “Your hands are then going to be naturally hanging down directly from your shoulders pretty much over your toes.”
Next, bend forward from your waist and hips. Don’t slouch! Keep your back almost straight. “What you want is a neutral, not rounded spine,” Elena said. “Your hands are then going to be naturally hanging down directly from your shoulders pretty much over your toes.”
- After gripping your club, place your left arm (right arm if your play left handed) over your left boob and squeeze your other arm against your other boob. (“Over one and squeeze the other” is what I say to myself.) At this point, don’t bend your arms because you won’t be able to extend them fully at impact and make solid contact. The result if you bend your arms at address is that you will have to “chicken wing” your swing at the bottom which is the cause of those tops, pop-ups and toed shots.
After gripping your club, place your left arm (right arm if your play left handed) over your left boob and squeeze your other arm against your other boob. (“Over one and squeeze the other” is what I say to myself.) At this point, don’t bend your arms because you won’t be able to extend them fully at impact and make solid contact. The result if you bend your arms at address is that you will have to “chicken wing” your swing at the bottom which is the cause of those tops, pop-ups and toed shots.
As I said, all of this can be checked in front of a full length mirror at home. Not everyone has access to a mirror like the one pictured here on their practice tee (you can however order from Amazon or any other golf distributor online). Proper posture is the foundation of a solid swing. Everything is built on this foundation and if there’s an issue here, it’ll show up later in your swing.
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As always, I would love to hear from you — feel free to shoot me an email to blake@thewomangolfer.com with any questions, comments or suggestions for future posts.
