Develop A Great Golf Swing With This Simple Set Up Sequence by Nuala Coombs

It was Albert Einstein who famously said “doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results” was the sign of insanity.

However, when it comes to playing golf it seems perfectly OK to hit 50 balls at the driving range with poor body mechanics with the hope that things will improve just by doing exactly that.

The basis of a great golf swing is good posture. Without a well balanced body, a strong core, sufficient mobility and flexibility through the spine the golf swing will be mediocre at best and cause pain at worst.

If your pre or post game ritual is taking pain killers you need to consider why. If you do not have a medically diagnosed condition your posture could well be the root of your problems.

The spine has three natural curves which need to be maintained for stability as well as mobility. Repetitive behavior will cause changes to occur over time. We spend many hours sitting at desks, driving or in front of the TV. The sports we play, clothes or shoes we wear or our job can affect our posture resulting in altered body mechanics and possibly pain or discomfort.

The repetitive nature of golf will exacerbate any postural issues you bring to the game, it may also create new problems.

Before taking up any sport it is a great idea to have a postural assessment that will highlight any postural issues and changes to the curves of your spine together with movement evaluations tests that check range of movement, strength, flexibility and mobility.

Unfortunately, this rarely happens, instead we decide to take up a sport and want to get right to it. If you have been playing golf for some time and suffer post game pain you need to start considering any physical limitations you may have.

Rounded shoulders that promote a forward head position will effect the grip you take on your golf club. This position will also make the muscles at the base of your neck and top of your shoulders tense. Over time this can cause headaches and severe tension; it will also limit your rotation on the backswing, consequently reduce power and the length of your drive

The solution. When you address the ball and take your club in your hands, do your best to stabilise your shoulder girdle by imagining your are holding newspapers underneath your armpits. As you visualise this you will notice your chest opens and neck lengthens allowing muscles to relax.

If your pelvis is pulled forward or back by overactive or under active muscles around the hips and low back, mobility around the hips joints will effect your range of movement, this will reduce the coiling action of your back swing and you will notice a loss of power.

A weak core will also result if loss of power and control of the swing. The core is the set of deep abdominal muscles that act as a natural corset for the body to stabilise the low back and protect the spine.

Simply put before the major muscles of the abdominals are activated to perform a movement, it is important to engage these deep abdominals referred to as the core so that the spine is stable before movement. When this becomes a natural pattern you will be on your way to maintaining a healthy spine as well as improving your body mechanics.

Locating and engaging your natural corset can take time and practice, but once you are familiar with the sensation you can start to add it to your golf practice and begin to notice improvements in reduced back pain if it is a factor in your play, better control of the swing and more power and consistency.

Here is a simple way to make yourself aware of these important muscles.

Lay on your back with our knees bent. Make sure your heels are in line with the centre of your buttocks and your feet are relaxed. Take a couple of breaths and allow your spine to settle.

Breathe out and allow your pelvis to roll back towards the floor, try not to use too much force, just allow it to fall back. Next roll it in the opposite direction, this might create a space between your low back and the floor, but don’t worry if it doesn’t, it will depend on the natural position of your pelvis.

Notice the range of movement and repeat this rocking movement several times. Now bring the pelvis to a position that you feel is half way between the two extremes of movement back and forward.

This half way mark is your neutral spine alignment and is the optimum position to get the best results from your core connection (Hides et al. 1999). Too keep it in place you will need to engage those core muscles. Exhale and draw your navel towards your spine but take care not to change the position of your pelvis. The degree of contraction should be gentle, if 10 was the toughest contraction the contraction required is only 3. The core muscles are most effective when they are engaged gently to initiate movement then as the movement you perform becomes bigger, as in the golf swing you will need to use more superficial muscles to complete the movement. The key is to use this set up and sequence at the address to the ball to create a stable base from which to begin your swing.

The golf swing begins in the feet and works up the body through the legs, hips, chest, back and arms, it requires, strength, flexibility and mobility. The foundation of this full body movement is the core and without initiating the core first, the repetitive nature of the swing and the large range of movement required can result in discomfort, pain or injury.

Using this simple set up sequence will add power to your game and reduce your risk of injury when your take to the greens.

By Nuala Coombs