Balance

The Importance of Balance.

By: Bruce Munch

If you are a student of history you are surely aware that one of the milestones of human development was the point where man began to walk on two feet. Prior to that, movement was done on all fours, a stance that would have made golfing very difficult.

Why was this change considered such a momentous event? Well if we analyze what is involved in walking, it is an extremely athletic move. The process of walking can best be described as a controlled fall. We lean forward and begin to fall then we put out a leg and catch ourselves. As we continue to fall we put out the other leg and again catch ourselves and so on as we continue to walk. The amount of balance and coordination that it takes to learn to walk is incredible but we take this for granted. Running is even more difficult. We throw our body forward and have to catch our balance with each stride.

With such athletic prowess at our command, how difficult can it be to stand and swing a club? Well, it is tougher than you might think. Poor balance is one of the leading contributors to bad shot making.

The act of hitting a golf ball involves the implementation of many forces the greatest of which is the downward move of the club to the ball at impact. If not properly prepared, this force can cause the player to lose balance, which will usually result in hitting a bad shot.

Fortunately, simply changing our setup position can cure many balance problems. Most golf instruction regarding setup, talks about assuming an athletic position at address. In lots of sports this involves having the weight on the balls of the feet. The same is not true in golf. Many players set up too far from the ball causing them to reach for the ball, which puts too much weight on the balls of the feet. As we progress through the downswing, the force of the swing causes us to start to lose our balance toward the toes of the feet. Although we may not even be consciously aware of it, the inner ear, which is the center of balance, picks up on it and sends a signal to the brain to stand up, so we don’t fall over.

In order to prevent this, it is important to set up with more weight toward the heels. When watching tour players setup for a shot, many will perform a little walking in place move by lifting first one toe, then the other. They are making sure they have their weight far enough back to effectively oppose the downward swing force they are about to produce. The idea is that if you can set up with enough weight toward your heels, so that if you were to stand up quickly, you would lose your balance toward the heels, your natural reaction would be to not stand up.

Tiger Woods is able to produce club head speed that is greater than most players on the tour. This is due to the fact that his balance is so good that he can turn his body at a faster rate than most other players. Since the speed of the body turn relates directly to the speed of the club head, Tiger produces greater club head speed.

So, work on your balance in the swing and you will improve your club head speed and thereby, the distance you hit the ball.

Remember, the golf swing is more like a dance, than a march. Improve you balance and you can dance your way to better scores.