Even a proper golf swing contorts your body into unnatural positions. The "reverse C," a common backswing fault, happens when your head and base of the spine is closer to the target than your midback. It's a swing fault because it's difficult to unwrap your body to return to the ball with the club face square to the target, and it keeps you from efficiently transferring the power of your body's coil to the ball. The move also puts extra stress on your back as you try to recover from a spinal curve pointing opposite the target.
Step 1
Keep the angles consistent. Maintain your knee flex, particularly in the leg trailing the target, and your spine angle until just past impact. At address, keep your back relaxed and straight, and bend at the waist.
Step 2
Rotate around the axis of your spine. Don't sway back and through. Think of your torso as the hub of a carousel, and your arms are the horses attached and going along for the ride.
Step 3
At the top of your backswing when hitting an iron, feel your weight balanced on the arches and balls of both feet, not the middle or--worse--the outside of the foot closest to the target.
Step 4
With the driver, tilt behind the ball. The driver swing is more of an upswing to get the ball in the air off the tee, so tilt your spine about 10 degrees from the target at address while also keeping your forward bend at the waist. Feel your weight on the backswing more on the inside of the trailing foot.
Step 5
Don't "amp up" the power trying to produce more yardage. Avoid overswinging, which often puts your body into inefficient positions, such as the reverse C.
Tips and Warnings
- It takes strength and flexibility to maintain the proper angles for the spine and knees in a good golf swing. Include exercises and stretches that target your back, abdominal muscles, hamstrings and back side in your workouts.
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