Golf Stance Tip - Go Up To Go Down


Your stance is the foundation for your shot. Unfortunately, many golfers compromise the shot before they've even started! Try the following procedure and see how much freer your movement will be.

The shallow squat on this page, when done correctly, sets you up in a ‘position of mechanical advantage’ or, in other words, a stance that allows for the most efficient use of your body.
It’s a stance used in many sports as a ready position, for example, a tennis player facing a serve and, of course, a golfer preparing to take a shot. Although the squat stance does take your centre of gravity closer to the ground, you should avoid using a downward, pulling motion to get into it.

A good squat is ‘springy’, never fixed, and provides an excellent base for movement in any direction. If you think of it as a downward movement you’ll tighten your hamstrings and your lower back when getting into it. This wipes out any mechanical advantage you may have had, restricts the power for your swing and reduces the sensitivity required for your putt. A poor stance also places additional stress on your body and increases the risk of injury.
This exercise is a based on a procedure used in The Alexander Technique.

We call it ‘Monkey’ simply because it’s how a monkey stands – plus life’s too short to keep referring to it as ‘the position of mechanical advantage’.

When you perform this, don’t think of it as getting into your golf stance just yet.
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'Releasing up' into your stance
  1. Stand with your feet a little wider than your usual standing position and be aware of the contact you’re making with the floor.
  2. Think of unzipping the muscles across the base of your skull and allow you head to release a fraction forward.
  3. At the same time, think of a space opening up in front of your ankles, behind your knees and in front of your hips.
  4. Now send your torso back and up slightly, your hip joints away from your knees and release the muscles at the front of your thighs.
  5. Your head should lead your lengthening torso forward and up, your legs will release and you should now be standing like a monkey with your arms resting in front of you.
  6. Stay in this position for a minute and keep the whole body relaxed and poised with your head going away from your feet and your feet going away from your head.
It’s vital to think of the whole process as an upward motion to take the weight off your legs, so they can release and stay ‘springy’. Practise this up against a wall and you’ll sense an upward movement of your pelvis as you adopt your stance.

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