Posture and stance in golf: the impact of small mistakes

In golf, posture and stance are the only phase of the shot you have full control over. It is the static preparation for a dynamic movement. Precisely because this phase is stationary, small errors creep in unnoticed and trigger a chain reaction of biomechanical problems during the swing. In this article, we analyse how subtle deviations in your basic position lead directly to big mistakes in ball flight and an increased risk of injury.

1. The spine: S-posture versus C-posture

The ideal posture is a neutral spine, with the bend coming from the hips, not from the waist. Two common errors disturb this balance:

• S-posture: The lower back is pulled too hollow (hyperlordosis). This stretches the abdominal muscles and blocks the rotation of the pelvis. During the swing, the lower back has to compensate for this blockage, which often leads to acute back pain and an inconsistent swing path.
• C-posture: The shoulders and upper back are too rounded (kyphosis). This significantly limits the mobility of the thoracic spine. A golfer with a C-posture cannot fully turn the shoulders, so the swing becomes short and powerless, often compensated by an unstable arm motion.

The result of both mistakes is a loss of the central axis, so striking the sweet spot of the club becomes a matter of chance rather than technique.

2. Stance width: the balance between power and rotation

The width of your stance determines the stability of your foundation. An incorrect width directly affects weight transfer.

• A stance that is too wide: This gives a feeling of stability, but it hampers hip rotation. The golfer becomes "stuck" in the ground, which often results in lateral movement (sway) instead of rotation. This leads to shots where the ground is hit too early (fat shots).
• A stance that is too narrow: This promotes rotation, but at the cost of balance. During the powerful downswing, the golfer loses balance, leading to an unstable contact point and a loss of ball speed.

The general guideline is that the inside of the heels matches shoulder width with irons, and is slightly wider with the driver.

3. Alignment: the silent killer of direction

Even with a perfect swing, the ball will miss its target if the alignment is wrong. The biggest mistake among beginners is aiming the feet directly at the target.

In golf geometry, your feet, knees, hips and shoulders run parallel to the target line, like a railway track. Your feet form the left rail and the target line the right rail. If you aim your feet directly at the target, your whole body is in fact "closed" (pointed to the right for right-handed players). The brain registers this during the swing and tries to correct it by pulling the club across the target line, which is the primary cause of the slice.

4. Distance to the ball and weight distribution

Where you place your weight on your feet determines your stability during rotation.

• Weight on the toes: This pushes the golfer forward during the swing, often resulting in hitting the ball with the heel of the club (shanks).
• Weight on the heels: This causes a sitting posture, removing the room for the arms and making the swing too flat.

The ideal centre of gravity sits on the ball of the foot, just behind the toes. This lets you respond athletically to the forces released during the swing.

Conclusion

Posture and stance are the foundations on which the rest of your golf game is built. A small deviation of two centimetres in your stance width or a slight rounding in the back can result in a thirty-metre miss at the end of the swing arc. By consistently paying attention to a neutral back, a correct stance width and parallel alignment, you eliminate the variables that make your swing unpredictable. Success in golf does not start with the first movement, but with the stillness before it.