Many golf professionals refer to golf posture as “spine angle.” If you’ve taken lessons or have spent much time learning proper technique to improve your game, you have most likely heard the phrase many times. Good posture for the golf swing can greatly influence your ability to produce power. Posture plays an important role in what we call “structural integrity” of your body. When the integrity is sound and the supporting elements have proper range of motion, then you have the greatest opportunity for an efficient, repeatable golf swing.

Good functional posture improves your swing and lets you transfer more force in your ball strike. Body structure and posture are unique traits, but when the body is out of balance, it can create an endless stream of swing faults. These imbalances might not be obvious until they cause a disruptive physical problem.

The body slowly adapts to poor posture, and some body parts, like the neck, shoulders, back, and hips, may be overused to balance for loss of motion in other areas of the body. By performing a few simple exercises regularly, however, you can improve and maintain good posture and thus improve your ability to swing more efficiently.

The goal of exercise for posture is to improve, then re-enforce, good solid body positions, as well as static and dynamic balance during the swing. The postural muscles are located throughout the body. The primary role of these muscles is to hold the skeletal system and joint structures in proper alignment so the larger and stronger muscles can produce the desired body movements while keeping good balance.

Some common problems that are affected by posture are:

     o    Difficulty keeping your eye on the ball during your swing.
     o    Difficulty to transfer force from the lower body to the upper body.
     o    Compromised swing patterns.
     o    Poor club head speed and club control.

Here’s an example of a great exercise to improve your golf posture.

Reverse Pull Ups

- Lie underneath a squat rack or Smith machine. Grab bar with overhand grip just slightly beyond shoulder width. Place feet close together with heels against floor. Pull your body straight up into the bar, then return to starting position. Make sure you stack heavy weights on each side and/or check the stability of the bar prior to performing this exercise. It should not move from its position to ensure your safety.

Susan Hill is a CHEK golf biomechanic, sports nutritionist and fitness trainer. For more information on her golf specific programs, visit http://www.fitnessforgolf.com.