Golf Balance

Golf Balance - proper weight distribution

15 January 2007

Thanks to Mr Tom Watson I now know how to grip my shaft. But my golf still sux. What next? I paged on through the December 2006 issue of Golf Digest magazine - the thoughtful Mrs bought me a subscription for my birthday - clearly she has a taste for the finer things in life (it of course being completely fortuitous that on occasion the subject of such good taste has been myself).

Now according to a Mr Jim McLean "proper weight distribution is crucial to maintaining good balance and posture throughout the swing". Since Jim was voted No 3 by his peers, I tend to put some weight on his opinion - I'd prefer to listen to number 1 - unfortuanately I have zero idea who he (she's are rare in this industry) is. Jim says that when players are struggling to make solid contact (that's me!) one of the first things he checks is where their weight is at adress.

Where your weight should be

Apparently your weight is meant to be:

50-50 on your left and right legs
50-50 between the balls of your feet (the cushioned pads just below your toes - not the higher up balls) and your heels

When your golf balance is wrong

Jim says that starting with your weight too far forward is one of the worst mistakes you can make - it results in a weak swing and fat shots. Leaning onto your heels isn't as bad a mistake as leaning too far forward - it causes thin contact.

If you push me I wont fall

The thing to do at address is to shuffle one's feet around to find a balanced position and not to swing until the feet are set in a position where you cant easily be pushed off balance.

Sounds like something worthwhile building into one's set-up.

Thanks Patrick for this stunning photo of Paula Creamer