Is Your Address Posture Important?

By Gary Brooks, PGA Director of Instruction at Hawk's View Golf Club

If you're trying to hit the ball longer and more consistently, don't look at your swing first—start with your posture at address. I believe it's one of the most overlooked fundamentals in the game, and one of the easiest to clean up with just a little attention.

Think about posture in any sport. When you shoot a basketball, are you hunched over or standing tall? (Tall is correct.) If you're playing third base and getting ready for a line drive, are you standing up straight or in an athletic squat? (That one's a squat.)

The point is: your posture matches the task. In golf, you want a blend—tall enough to rotate, but athletic enough to stay balanced. That's what we call great spine angle at address.

How to Check Your Posture

Here's a quick way to test your setup:

• Take a club and place the butt end on your lower back, with the shaft running up your spine.
• If you're standing correctly, the shaft will touch the back of your head naturally.
• Most golfers tell me, "That feels tall." And that's exactly the point—it should.

Too many players bend too far forward from the waist, which leads to a swing that's either over-the-top or off balance. A tall posture with the right amount of forward tilt helps you rotate your core, clear your hips, and keep your swing in sync.

Another quick tip: look down at your hands at address.

• If your eyes are directly over your hands, you're in a good spot.
• If your eyes are over the shaft or the ball, you're probably leaning too far forward.

Good Posture = Better Rotation and Speed

Ever watch a figure skater spin? When they stand tall and rotate, they spin fast. When they crouch or lean, it slows everything down.

Golf works the same way. When your posture is solid—spine straight, hips hinged, balance centered—you'll turn better, swing faster, and hit the ball more cleanly.

Posture Mistakes I See All the Time

❌ Too much bend at the waist – makes your swing flat and tight
❌ Rounded shoulders – limits your rotation
❌ Weight on heels or toes – throws off your balance
❌ Overthinking it – stiffens you up and kills natural motion

I rarely see a student who stands too tall. In fact, 9 times out of 10, we're trying to get players to stand up straighter and feel more balanced over the ball.

How to Practice Good Posture

✔️ Use the spine angle club drill I mentioned above
✔️ Do your setup in a mirror once a week—check your tilt, hand position, and knee flex
✔️ Hit a few shots where you freeze your setup before every swing—build the feel

The key is to practice with a purpose. Don't just hit balls—work on your setup, your routine, and your feel. Posture is one of those fundamentals that takes no athleticism to fix, just attention and a few good reps.

Next Steps: Build It Into Your Routine

Every time you hit the range, take 5 swings and focus only on your setup. Don't worry about the result. Then go back to your normal swing and see how much more natural it feels. Over time, this becomes your new normal—and you'll start to feel the difference in your contact, power, and balance.

Want help? That's what we're here for.

📞 Call us at Hawk's View, book a lesson online, or email me at straightarm@wi.rr.com and let's get to work on building a swing that starts strong—right from the setup.