Is there anything better than hitting a pure shot with perfect balance? Balance is key to achieving consistent ball strike and achieving your golf goals.
When it comes to balance in the golf swing it’s hard not to think of Rory McIlroy. Despite being a smaller players in professional golf, he’s one of the longest hitters. He can beat almost any golfer, and it looks easy.
But how can you achieve perfect balance? Is it a problem with the setup? Perhaps something to do in the gym? Other factors?
Today, we’ll help you understand how to swing with perfect balance using a variety of different methods and help you nail one of golf’s most important swing fundamentals.
Golf Swing Balance 101
If you’re like most golfers I’m sure you’ve asked, “How do you improve balance and stability in golf?”
The truth is that it’s not just one thing – it’s a mix of your setup, tempo, flexibility, and other factors. As Tiger Woods stated in Golf Digest, “Good balance starts from the ground up. Your weight should be evenly distributed on your feet, with your knees slightly bent and your upper body bent from your hips. That solid, athletic posture is the key to an “in-balance” swing.”
So let’s start with the ground up to build a solid base and get you one step closer to perfect balance in your swing.
These are the Key Takeaways
- Adjust your golf stance width based on what club you’re hitting.
- Throughout the swing, keep your weight in the middle.
- For a consistent golf swing, balance is crucial.
- Golf is all about balance. This means that you have a good address position, flexibility, and posture.
If you can maintain your balance like professional golfers, you will make solid contact and have the correct downswing sequence. You will also improve your golf scores. Continue reading to find out the steps involved in achieving perfect balance with your golf swing.
Golf Stance
One of the biggest reasons why most golfers don’t have consistent balance is because of a poor golf stance. Your ability to hit high quality golf shots will depend on how you position yourself.
A majority of golfers have a stance that is too narrow. If you’re constantly ending your swing without proper balance, it might be time to widen your stance.
But it’s key to adjust your stance based on the club you’re hitting. As a rule of thumb, the longer the club is, the wider your stance should be.
- Short irons and wedges: Less than shoulder width.
- Some hybrids and mid-to-long ironsShoulder width
- Fairway woods/hybrids: Shoulder width, or slightly more
- Driver: To build a strong base for full rotation, go wider than your shoulder width
Before changing your clubs or hiring a coach, make sure you evaluate your address position. Golf swings are a large part of life. Before you take the club away.
Check Your Weight Distribution
Once your stance is dialed in for the club you’re hitting, make sure to check your weight distribution. You want your weight to be in the middle, not on your heels and toes. This will help you make a complete backswing while keeping your balance through the swing.
You should also check the weight distribution on each foot. You want to hit the ball from a downward angle of attack when hitting clubs off deck. To do this, you need more weight on the lead foot (55-60%) To hit the ball higher and increase launch angle, a driver will need to have 55-60% more weight on his back foot.
Flare Your Feet
Flaring your feet can help you improve your club stance. While your back foot should be parallel to the target line, flaring your front foot can create a more open stance that will improve balance and distance.
As Greg Norman said, “At address, my right foot points perpendicular to the target line, but my left foot flares out almost thirty degrees to the left. That’s a lot. The reason I do this is that it helps me get my left side out of the way and turn fully through impact.”
This can help with hip rotation, and a better full-swing.
Adjust Your Posture to Maintain Control
Your stance is now set up for success. Next, you need to improve your posture. A good posture will help you avoid injuries and improve your swing to increase consistency. Youll likely also hit it harder.
But what is a “good” posture in the golf swing? Here are some tips:
- Straighten your back
- Your shoulders should be pushed back
- You should stand at the right distance from the ball
- Lift your chin, so that your shoulders can turn under while you backswing.
You must also maintain your spine angle throughout the swing. This will allow you to play with more speed and consistency, which is a key ingredient in a good golf swing.
These are the fundamentals of proper golf posture. However, we go in-depth in an article. Click here for more information about creating the perfect posture to improve your swing.
Stop swaying so hard
Over swinging is another reason many golfers struggle with poor balance. Tiger Woods elaborates on this in the same Golf Digest article that he introduced.
“Over-swinging is the opposite of balance. It can throw off your timing, compromise your posture, and make it almost certain that the ball won’t end up where you planned. If your driving is unpredictable, it is likely that your balance is also off. Try swinging at no more than 80 percent.”
If you watch Tiger and other elite PGA Tour professionals you’ll notice they rarely swing out of their shoes. They are 100% in charge, except when they are driving long distances or cutting through thick rough. They do this by putting in less effort to ensure they finish in a balanced place.
For most amateur golfers, the opposite is true. Many amateur golfers try to hit every shot with 100% effort, which can lead to over swinging. When you take more clubs and swing smoothly, you’ll have much more balance in your swing.
Plus, you’ll likely miss long of the green if you hit it too well (which usually has less trouble than short of the green).
Rotate Don’t Sway on Your Backswing
A lateral swaying motion on your backswing can also cause balance problems. If you’re swaying instead of rotating, it’s nearly impossible to end up with a balanced follow through.
Think about it. If you move laterally on your backswing (instead rotating around your body), you will need to laterally shift in your downswing. This will not take you back to where you started. To begin the downswing you will need to slide more left, open the left hip and unwind your lower body.
This requires a lot of timing, which is nearly impossible to do every time. Rotation is the only thing that all great players share in common.
Click here to learn how you can stop swaying right now.
Start stretching
If your balance is off, it may not be a swing issue or setup problem but a body issue. Many times, golfers have tight muscles that make it difficult to swing the golf clubs correctly. If your shoulders, hips, and legs are tight, it’s nearly impossible to stay balanced.
This is why we suggest doing some golf stretches before, during, and after the round. Your body will be more stable when you add massages or chiropractic work to it.
Golf Workouts are also available
Apart from stretching, adding muscle and stability to the gym is another great way to keep balance. By doing compound movements like deadlifts, bench press, and squats you’ll strengthen the most important muscles in the body.
You can see amazing balance in guys like Tiger, Ry, and others. you’ll also see they’re avid gym goers. While you can improve your posture and swing, sometimes improving your golf game requires that you move away from the course.
You can also do weight training, stability ball exercises, core exercises, and many other things. Click here to discover the best golf workouts.
Use training aids
Finally, don’t forget to use some training aids. You can achieve better balance with all the strategies, but there are also great training aids.
Orange Peel
The Orange Whip training aid has become so successful it launched an entire brand behind it. Now, the Orange PeelThis is a great name for a golf training aid that can help with many aspects of your golf swing.
The Orange PeelIt teaches you how to balance, rotate (not swing), and build a solid foundation. This unique design will make it easier for your core to remain active and help you build an athletic stance during practice. It helps to reduce lateral movement (or swaying), which is something many golfers need help with.
They said it on their website. Website, “When you practice on the Orange Peel you will strengthen your legs and core. This will allow you to move more freely. You will be able to pivot and rotate correctly on a level plane, adding consistency and power to your golf swing motion.”
This full body training aid can help you ingrain great posture and stability so you’re automatic on the golf course.
Why the Golf Pressure Plate
Similar device to the Orange PeelThe Pressure Plate is available from Why Golf. This training aid not only helps you balance, but it also helps you to properly shift your weight.
The biggest mistake most golfers make when shifting their weight is not doing so correctly. A lot of problems can be caused by too much weight on the back leg.
Whether it’s from swaying or bad technique, this leads to a ton of thin and fat shots. This device makes it easy for you to feel the right weight shift, so you can achieve greater balance.
You should stand on the board, sort of like an adult teeter-totter. Your weight should be 50/50. On the backswing you must bring 60% of your weight onto your back foot. Press down on the board to bring 70% of your weight to the lead foot.
It allows you to feel the weight shift and keep your balance throughout your golf swing.
FAQs About Balanced Golf Swings
Do you have any questions about the best balance for your golf swings and how to get there? Continue reading to find the most frequently asked questions.
How can you maintain balance in your golf swing
Good balance starts at the base. Checking your setup position, specifically your posture and golf stance, is a great way to improve your balance.
These two aspects are crucial in ensuring that you use your weight efficiently in your golf swing. You will find a more consistent rhythm and balance when you combine these elements with weight training, stretching, and the other training aids listed above.
How can I stop losing my balance in my golf swing
Stop swinging!
Swinging too hard is one of the main reasons golfers lose their balance. Instead, swing with 80-90% effort to improve control and consistency.
How does balance affect my game of golf?
In order to play golf efficiently, balance is vital. There are many ways to improve your balance, both on and off the course. If you can’t hold your finish on the follow through, you need to do balance work on the driving range and/or in the gym asap.
Final Thoughts on Off Balance Golf Swing
Balance is key to hitting the golf ball consistently. If you can’t hold your finish at the end of your swing, it’s time to put in the work and make some changes.
Remember that a balanced swing begins from the ground up. Take care of:
- Examine your posture and stance.
- Instead of swaying, rotate your body around.
- Core work, flexibility, and golf workouts can help you strengthen your body.
- Avoid over-swinging by not trying to hit every shot at 100%.
To build a more balanced swing, you can still get help by purchasing one of these training aids. While it won’t likely happen overnight, it’s well worth the effort and time so you can play better every time you tee it up.
You might not be as smooth and balanced in your swing as Rory (yet), but you can persevere and it will happen!
