How to Setup Balanced & Centered for the Golf Swing

I recently replied to a student’s comment about how he checks his balance by wiggling his toes just before he hits. I really like the idea of checking your balance and making sure you’re centered, but I prefer my method, which also addresses other concerns at the same time.

My answer:

I see the concept behind lifting your toes as a way to check your balance. I use “sit down,” with the clubhead behind the ball, to focus on the entire body being centered and settling into an athletic position.

This gets the thighs ready to support the shoulder turn and automatically distributes the weight through natural instinct. As the knees bend to allow the backside to sit, the chest moves slightly forward as a proportional counterbalance, keeping the body centered.

This is good because clubs have shafts of different lengths, and we want to maintain this athletic position ratio: the more we sit, the more the chest counterbalances equally. We also need this “sit down” for different lies and slopes—uphill, ball below the feet, etc.

This is a critical part of the routine and only takes a second to check. It also provides great feedback that we are centered, balanced, and ready to hit.

One small addition to this moment in the pre-shot routine: the shoulders must be level as we “sit down.” Many, many golfers drop their back shoulder at this point, causing another problem.

So, shoulders level and sit down! :-)