GOLF POSTURE
Bob Forman
Certified Golf Fitness Instructor

The computer age has done wonders for bringing the world closer together, but it’s ruining our golf swings. Sitting all day, hunched over your computer, does not bode well for posture in general, and can wreck havoc on your performance on the golf course.

C-posture or that rounding of the shoulders and bending of the spine at address is more prevalent today due to a condition known as upper cross syndrome. The syndrome is characterized by a tightening of the chest muscles and a concomitant weakening of the upper back muscles, often the result of being over that computer. This combination pulls the shoulders forward creating the rounded shoulder posture that inevitably shows up in your golf stance.

It’s estimated that more than a third of all golfers have this condition and it will rob you of power, distance, and accuracy. C-posture reduces your ability to take the club back in your backswing by up to 30%, as you cannot rotate around a bent spine as easily as you can a straight one. This reduction in backswing may decrease your ability to generate clubhead speed and power, resulting in lost yardage.

The only way to increase your backswing, with a C-posture, is to stand taller as you bring the club back, allowing for greater range of motion. This “loss of posture” swing fault, however, can affect all aspects of the golf swing including your rhythm and balance.

To correct upper cross syndrome and that C-posture, you need to focus on specific exercises to stretch the tightness and strengthen the weakness. Two such exercises are the doorframe stretch and the upper back squeeze.

The doorframe stretch is a good exercise to stretch out the chest and front shoulder. Raise your arms about shoulder height and place your forearms against a doorframe with the elbows bent 90 degrees. Without moving your feet, gradually lean into the door until a gentle stretch is felt across the chest and/or shoulders. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat 2 to 3 times. Remember to breathe normally.

The upper back squeeze will focus on the strengthening of the upper back. Take an exercise tube or band, wrap it around a solid fixture about chest height, and grab onto each end. Step back till a sufficient stretch is felt in the tube/band and arms are outstretched in front of you with palms down. From this starting position, slowly pull the arms back, keeping the elbows up and away from your body, as far as comfort permits and then return to the starting position. You should feel your shoulder blades squeezing together. Repeat 15 to 20 times. Exhale on the effort.

Correcting the upper cross syndrome will help your golf game and your posture in general. Eliminating the C-posture will get you more yards down the fairway and enhance your playing satisfaction.