Better Golf Through Managing Spinal Tilt

I'm convinced that improperly managing spinal tilt versus the hips is one of the biggest problems that amateur golfers have. It's made a huge improvement in my own game. I first got turned onto this concept in Nick Bradley's book; 'The Seven Laws of Golf'. (I urge you to check it out at your local bookstore.)

As you address the ball you line the ball up in your stance, flex your knees and then bend forward at the hips. So far so good. I think most golfers have this idea down. Next comes the critical piece. Gripping the golf club puts your right hand lower than your left (reverse for lefties) and your spine has to tilt towards your back foot to accommodate this. And this is where most of us get into trouble.

It's important to keep your hips level when you do this. Only your shoulders tilt down towards your back foot, your hips must remain level. Your left side will feel stretched and your right side contracted (or shortened). Now start your backswing and make your turn while maintaining both the forward and backward tilt of your spine. Both of these tilts must be kept throughout the entire swing. At the completion of the swing the forward lean may disappear but a good golfer will still be holding the backward tilt of the spine that was established at address.

Try this without a club at home. Really focus on keeping the hips level and not allowing the spine to lose either tilt. If you haven't been doing this you are going to feel a real turn for the first time. If you can maintain this habit at the driving range, you're going to find it much easier to attack the ball from the inside, eliminating one of the main causes of a slice. Let me know how it works out!