Maintain Spine Angle For Balance And Power

By Vickie Goetze-Ackerman, Top 25 Instructor

One of the most difficult things for golfers to do is making a proper golf swing turn.

Players tend to move either laterally (side to side) or vertically (away or toward the golf ball) as they swing the club. This additional movement in the swing creates imbalance, inconsistency, and slows down your club head speed.

I like using a spine board by Ted Sheftic (you can also use a chair, golf bag, or wall) to help feel what your lower body should be doing in the golf swing.

Get into your good set up, with your rear touching the spine board, as I’m doing in Photo 1.

As you start your turn back, your right hip should turn back as your weight transfers to your right foot, pushing into the ground (Photo 2). This coil created by your turn generates a rubber band effect, helping you to mirror the move through the ball (Photo 3).

Your left hip turns through as your weight transfers to your left leg for a full follow-through (Photo 4).

Keeping your rear on the spine board while you turn helps to maintain your spine angle throughout your swing, as well as lateral movement off the ball.

Vickie Goetze-Ackerman is a two-time Women’s U.S. Amateur champion and Director of Instruction at Buckhorn Springs Golf & Country Club in Valrico, Florida.