This is a bit of a chicken-and-the-egg conundrum, but it’s often difficult to tell if bad swing mechanics are the result of playing with pain/injuries or pain/injuries are the result of having bad swing mechanics.Furthermore, is a dysfunctional golf swing the result of poor mechanics or physical limitations? Or both?If you’re suffering from low-back pain or feel like you’re heading in that direction (the area often feels stiff and sore), failing one of four simple physical tests can reveal why. These screens are provided by Andrew Dulak, one of Golf Digest’s Best Fitness Trainers in America. Even better, Dulak teamed up with Mike LaBella, one of Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers in America, to identify the swing flaw or flaws that are often correlated to the failed test. He’ll show you what the swing flaw looks like and how to correct that flaw before your poor ball-striking puts you on the injured list for a bulk of the golf season.Let’s start with Dulak’s physical tests to see if you’re on the high-risk list for low-back issues. He is a Golf Digest Certified Fitness Trainer and works with golfers at Dulak Physical Therapy and Golf outside of Pittsburgh.”Swing faults often trace back to identifiable physical limitations rather than pure technique issues,” Dulak says. “The four screens I demonstrate below are used to test balance, hip/glute strength, rotational sequencing, and hip mobility, each of which maps directly onto one or more of the swing patterns Mike LaBella will demonstrate.”If you fail one or more of these tests, scroll down to see LaBella demonstrate the likely characteristics of your swing and how to correct them on the range. LaBella teaches golfers at MLaB at Butler (Pa.) Country Cub.TEST ONE: Lead-leg balancingStand on your lead leg, arms across your chest or on your hips, eyes open. Hold this position for at least 10 seconds without exessive wobbling, your arms flailing or your trail foot touching down.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
This tests measures static balance, proprioception and ankle/hip stability on the leg the body must load into during the through-swing. If you fail and your lead leg isn’t a trustworthy balance point, there is a strong likelihood your setup is poor and/or you struggle to get your weight to shift into the target side of your body during the downswing. You’re likely to have a restricted, off-balance swing, and you’ll hit a lot of fat and thin shots because you tend to stay on your back foot longer.
If you failed, there is a corrective exercise at the bottom of this article from Dulak along with a swing fix from LaBella.
TEST TWO: Single-leg glute bridges
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Lie on your back, one leg bent with its foot on the floor and the opposite leg extended straight. Lift your hips up and hold this position for at least 10 seconds per side without yours hips sagging or rotating or the low back arching excessively.
This test examines glute strength and single-leg hip stability—the ability to control and stabilize the pelvis under a load. If you can’t hold the position cleanly for at least 10 seconds, you also likely set up to the ball poorly, not being able to properly hinge from the hip joints. During the swing, instead of rotating around a stable base, your body likely compensates by standing up and thrusting the pelvis toward the ball to generate force (early extension). This is the only way to shallow your swing path before the club crashes into the turf. All of this leads to a host of ball-striking issues including toe hits, slices and pulls and weak contact.
If you failed, there is a corrective exercise at the bottom of this article from Dulak along with a swing fix from LaBella.
TEST THREE: Pelvis dissociations
From an athletic golf posture, rotate your pelvis independently while keeping the upper body/thorax still and stable—then reverse direction without the shoulders or torso rotating along with the hips.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
The ability to separate lower-body rotation from upper-body rotation is the sequencing engine of the golf swing. If your upper body rotates along with the pelvis, your torso loses stability or rotation is restricted/asymmetrical side to side, you likely have backswing issues with your body struggling to shift into the trail leg while your arms are lifting the club upward. You also could suffer from poor sequencing in the downswing with the lower body failing to lead the action. It becomes mostly just an arm-driven, restricted swing that lacks any real power.If you failed, there is a corrective exercise at the bottom of this article from Dulak along with a swing fix from LaBella.
TEST FOUR: Lead-hip internal rotations
Stand normally on your lead leg but put your trail leg in a “kickstand” position (slightly behind the lead leg on its toes). Place a club across your hips. Rotate your hips toward the lead-side leg. Your goal is to rotate more than 60 degrees.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
It’s important to have good internal rotation of the lead hip as you transition from backswing to downswing. This sets up an unhindered swing path from inside the target line and helps proper sequencing and more swing speed. If you can’t rotate the lead hip adequately, you likely will hit a lot of pulls and slices from a too-steep angle of attack across the target line on an out-to-in path. You also might hang back and deliver the club to the ball mainly with your arms. You’ll either be late to get to your lead slide or thrust your pelvis toward the ball as you hang back. Neither produces quality shots.If you failed, there is a corrective exercise at the bottom of this article from Dulak along with a swing fix from LaBella.Now that you’ve run through the tests, here’s a demonstration from LaBella of the various swing flaws that can lead to low-back pain and poor ball-striking. Underneath the flaw, he’ll offer a simple fix you can practice. Finally, Dulak will give you four corrective exercises for each test. Just copy what you see in the videos and you’ll be on your way to a better swing and healthier back.
SWING FLAWS
POOR SETUP: Note how LaBella is sitting back into his heels.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Correction for poor setup: LaBella is using an alignment rod as a reminder to stand taller to the ball and also get his weight into the balls of his feet.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
STANDING UP/PELVIC THRUST (early extension): LaBella’s downswing is so steep, he has to straighten up and let his hips move toward the ball to create room for contact.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Correction for standing up/pelvic thrust: LaBella has put an alignment rod behind him and another on his target line. The one behind him serves as a reminder to keep his butt back as he swings down. The one on his target line gives him something to mimic in terms of a good downswing path (not too steep).
Your browser does not support the video tag.
LATE LEAD-SIDE WEIGHT SHIFT: LaBella starts the downswing with his arms and upper body instead of the lower body and his weight largely stays in his back foot.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Correction for late lead-side shift: LaBella is standing on two towels, and they give him feedback in terms of creating force into the lead leg as he starts the downswing. It’s like he’s squishing the towel under his lead foot.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
LATE TRAIL-SIDE WEIGHT SHIFT: Note how LaBella drifts toward the target as he takes the club back, still somewhat favoring his front foot. This is known as a reverse pivot.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Correction for late trail-side shift: LaBella has an alignment rod near his trail hip. The goal is to shift toward it but then let the trail hip rotate away from the ball. It’s a bump and rotate that gets his weight into his trail foot.
Your browser does not support the video tag. CORRECTIVE EXERCISES FROM DULAK
Correction for failing the lead-leg-balancing test: Hold a golf club upside down in front of your lead leg. Step sideways to the trail side, then back to your lead side and lift the trail leg straight up. Balance on the lead leg while holding a club for support. Hold for 10 seconds and routinely do five reps.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Correction for failing the single-leg-glute-bridges test: Place a looped band around your knees and lie on your back (knees bent and feet shoulder width apart). Stretch the band with your knees and extend one leg straight out, then lift your hips off the ground while keeping the band as stretched as you can. Hold for up to 10 seconds and routinely do five reps. Do five more with the opposite leg for muscular symmetry.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Correction for failing pelvic-dissociation test: Hold a golf club upside down braced between your feet and simulate your golf posture. With your arms fully extended on the club, twist your hips right and left while keeping your upper body still. Routinely do two or three sets of 10 rotations in each direction.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Correction for failing the lead-hip-internal-rotations test: Hold a club upside down in front of your lead leg. Step sideways to your trail side, lift your trail leg up and then rotate its knee across your lead leg—if you can—while holding the club for support. Routinely do two or three sets of 10 reps. You can switch leg positions and do it in the opposite direction for symmetry (optional).
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Click on this link if you’re interested in becoming a Golf Digest Certified Fitness Trainer.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
