Table of Contents
Stop Tilting, Start Turning for Better Golf Shots and Less Back Pain
Many golfers know they suffer from a tilt or reverse pivot, but it is another thing to learn how to turn correctly.
Following is a list that contains the most noticeable effects a reverse pivot has on the swing. The second section has a cure for each movement.
The Noticeable Characteristics of a Reverse Pivot in the Swing.
- The head moves towards the target on the back swing and loses height
- The right hip slides to the right instead of turning out of the way
- The left leg bends too much, and the right leg straightens
- At the top of the back swing, the left knee points to the left of the ball instead of pointing to the right of it.
- On the follow through, the golfer’s weight ends up on the right leg with the sole of the foot planted on the ground.
- At the end of the swing, pain is often felt in the right-hand side of the lower back, a result of the spine rocking back and forward rather than the body turning around it.
Cures for a Tilt or Reverse Pivot
All of the characteristics listed above are intrinsically linked to each other, and curing anyone of these will help cure the others.
It is a time for experimentation to find which feel works for you.
- Set the head to the right at the address and maintain the angle on the back swing. Try holding a tennis ball between your right chin and shoulder during a few practice swings to feel the new head position.
- Put an umbrella on the ground, so it touches your right hip, then learn to make a back swing without your hip banging into it. This will encourage your hips to turn rather than slide.
- Maintain the flex in your right leg on the back swing – don’t let it straighten and lockout
- Make sure the left knee points to the right of the ball at the top of the back swing. To do this, your hips will have to turn.
- At the end of the swing, make sure your right foot has come up into the classic position where the sole of your foot is vertical and points away from the target.
Stop Tilting, Start Turning for Better Golf Shots and Less Back Pain
If a golfer can start to turn rather than tilt, it can revolutionize their game. Shots become more powerful, more backspin is found for wedge shots, and drives penetrate the wind.
Try each cure to find out which one works for you, and persevere for a while with each. Your reverse pivot is probably well ingrained and might take some time to be eliminated – but the effort will be worth it.
