Winning WAYS

THE Full suing

ADAM SCOTT

The Genesis Invitational (PGA Tour)

WHY GOOD POSTURE IS VITAL

Really it is no secret. If you can maintain good posture from your original address position, into the takeaway and then through the transition into the downswing and into impact, you will have a powerful golf swing. It’s as simple as that.

Adam Scott boasts the posture alignment every golfer should try and copy and it is the foundation of his long and accurate ball-striking.

Your ideal postural alignment at address can be seen if you imagine there is a vertical line that starts at the back of your shoulders, continues down across the front of your knees and through the middle of your shoes. Anything that varies away from this posture does not create a very athletic position to swing the golf club.

From a good posture at address, it is then vitally important to maintain that posture throughout the swing, which means as your body turns, your hips and shoulders will naturally tilt because the body is actually tilted forward.

Maintaining good posture – like Scott has done here – also means you minimise any lateral movement and, as a result, you are able to maximise the transfer of momentum, which leads to an increase in body turn speed and also clubhead speed.

MIN WOO LEE

ISPS Handa Vic Open (European & Australasian Tour)

ELBOW YOUR SLICE

It is possible to hit great golf shots with an elbow that ‘flies out’ at the top of the backswing.

The flying right elbow (for right-handers), is where the elbow points behind you at the top of the backswing instead of being more closely connected to your body with a 90° angle, like Min Woo Lee has here. Research has shown the flying right elbow position leads to a fade or slice ball-flight while a tucked right elbow promotes a draw.

There have been some great golfers play their entire career with a flying right elbow. The greatest of all, Jack Nicklaus, allowed his right elbow to lift up and away from his body during the backswing. Who can argue with an 18-time major winner?

There have been others too, like John Daly and Fred Couples, who were able to hit great shots using this method.

But for most golfers, if your right elbow is out of place at the top, it’s difficult to get it into the correct position – in front of your turning body –