I found a great drill that has helped me to make sure I have the correct posture when I am addressing the golf ball.  This drill will help you like it has helped me.

The drill is called the Hip Hinge Drill. 

Hip Hinge Drill

There is an excellent video that demonstrates how to correctly do this drill over at Better Golf with Fitness.

Check out the Hip Hinge Drill and get in to the correct address position to hammer the golf ball.

Balance is an important part of a great golf swing.  When you address the golf ball you must be in a balanced position before you start your golf swing.  During your golf swing your shift your weight while at the same time keeping your balance.  Finally, you need to finish your golf swing in a balanced position.

You can see that you need to stability and control during the entire golf swing if you are going to have a successful golf swing.  By successful I mean a golf swing that generates much distance.

An unbalanced golf swing will always result in a mishit.  The reason for the need for balance and control is the golf swing position is an unnatural position for the body to be in.

I was reading an interesting article over at Great Golf Swing Tips that was speaking about the very importance of balance and golf balance exercises for the golf swing.

Great Golf Balance Exercise

One great golf balance exercise you can easily start with is the floor touch.

This is great exercise to warm up with before a round of golf. It will help stabilize the ankles, upper legs, and core – plus improve balance, as it engages the quads and glutes, in addition to lengthening the hamstring muscles. Make sure the abdominal muscles are engaged while doing this exercise.

If you would like to find out more information about Golf Exercises then I highly recommend Golf Training DVDs. No matter your fitness level there are exercise videos for you.

You better get hip flexibility that is. I was reading a great article by Chris Ownbey over at http://www.bettergolfwithfitness.com.

You could say that every golf swing has a different tempo, path, plane and angle. Chris talks about the biggest problem that keeps most golfers from achieving the power and distance they want is because of a lack of internal and external hip rotation. The key to distance in golf is generated by early hip rotation.

So now the question is, how do your hips work in the golf swing?
Chris says “For a right handed golfer the right hip needs to be able to rotate properly from take away to the top of the back swing in order to make a proper weight shift to the right side and to get behind the ball. Often times a golfer will compensate by lifting up during the backswing (loss of posture) and then chop down on the downswing.
At impact, and to the follow through position of the golf swing the right handed golfer needs a proper amount of hip rotation in the left hip in order to post or finish properly, if rotation is limited we will often times see a “slide” toward the ball. Both of these swing faults are the effect of the physical limitations which cause the inconsistent shots, and loss of distance.”

Chris provides us with some examples of golf-specific exercises to improve hip flexibility, and add distance to your game.

Seated 90/90

Great stretch which for the hips, lower back, hamstrings, thighs–you’ll find in doing this stretch that it will help wherever you are tightest.

Sit as pictured above with 90 degree angles to hips, knees, and feet, so back calf is parallel to front foot, and front calf is parallel to back thigh and foot (hence the name “90-90″, right angles everywhere.) Two directions of stretch will be out over the front knee (hold for 10 seconds) and then to the side . Then switch to the other leg and repeat. Make sure, however, that instead of rounding over the knee or foot, you press your chest forward and buttocks away, to maximize the stretch for hips and legs rather than lower back.

I can tell you now that I am not as quite as flexible as Chris but I have begun to do these stretches and I do expect to have better hip rotation for the upcoming golf season in a few months. I can’t wait.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think about these golf exercises.

You know that a golf stretching program will improve your golf game but I want you to be aware that there are a few guidelines you need to follow.

Stretching Guidelines

There a 2 basic techniques for stretching. There is dynamic stretching and static stretching.

Dynamic stretching is movement oriented and static stretching is holding the movement.

The main difference between the 2 techniques is really the hold time. Static stretching, like yoga, involves long hold times to stretch the muscles. Dynamic stretching is moving from one stretch to another with minimal hold time. Dynamic stretching is similar to the golf swing in that the golf swing is never held in one place for long moments.

Stretches Specific To Golf Swing

The only way you could even call it a stretching program for golf is to make it as specific to your golf swing and flexibility weaknesses as you can. When you take this approach, your golf swing will benefit the most.

Take a look at all the phases of a single golf swing and there is a dynamic stretch you can do to improve it. For example, halfway back; top of the backswing; halfway down: halfway through; and to a FULL finish. Look at all those stretches right there!

Stretching Not Straining

An important thing to remember is stretching within your limits. If you feel a hint of pain…stop! Stretching should never hurt! It may be uncomfortable, but should never cause pain.

To improve your current range of motion, you need to go slightly beyond your current range, but that’s it! No further, or you will get injured. When stretching for golf, you need to really pay attention to how your muscles are feeling.

7 Minutes Golf Stretching DVD

There is no denying the extreme importance of a golf stretching program, and I can assure you the golf stretching dvdby Mike Pederson will quickly and effectively get you smashing the ball down the middle of the fairway and farther than you expected!

I have a buddy of mine named Larry. Larry likes to brag around the office about his great golf game. I bragged to some other friends about Larry and they said they wanted to play around against me and Larry and told me to put my money were my mouth is. How could I turn down the chance to make a little side money.

I told my friend Larry about the match and he said he was game.

I quickly learned that Larry is probably like most weekend golfers. Larry is just a normal eat at McDonald’s kinda guy that would rather lay on the sofa, like the guy to the right, that practice to improve his golf game.

I asked Larry if he knew of the benefits of golf exercises? Larry said he had no idea there where any benefits to golf exercises. I thought to myself…”What did I get myself into.” I then explained to Larry that there are many benefits to golf exercises.

I then asked Larry what he did to get ready for a golf match. Larry said, “I like to go to the driving range to hit golf balls the night before. I snag the largest bucket of balls I can find and start to hit the hell out of the balls one after the other. I do this about and hour or so until my back and my shoulders get tired and give out.” Again I thought to myself…”What did I get myself into. My wife is going to kill me if I lose this money.”

I tried to tell Larry all he really needs to do in order to improve his game, develop a consistent swing, increase the length of his drives and shoot lower scores is to quickly and easily improve his flexibility. He never believed me…that “famous” weekend.

The morning of our match, Larry met me at the course early to work on our putting and he’s walking like a drunk…barely able to carry his bag. I notice he barely can stand up straight without a grimace look on his face and making a low moaning noise.

I quickly moved into the “I gotta do something quick to win the bet” mode and begin running through the quick-easy and simple 7 minute golf exercise stretching program by Mike Pederson with Larry. 7 minutes later, Larry was standing straight, without pain and walking to the tee box on the first hole, a monster of a par 5.

Before teeing it up, Larry turned to me asked me point blank…”Think I can drive the ball without hurting my back?”

“Larry” I said…”you just did everything you’ll ever need to do in order to drive the ball farther than you ever have…grip-it and rip-it dude…show them what you can do.”

That day…with the help of the 7 minute stretching program for better golf, Larry hit the ball longer than he ever had before, hit more greens in regulation and shot his lowest score in two years.

Larry told me that stretching program we did before the match “was amazing. I always thought it was a bunch of BS but you’ve made me a believer.”

I just smiled back with a “I know…I know” look and held my hand out to receive my share of the winnings.

They say you can’t fix stupid … but you can fix your golf game with the 7 Minutes Golf Stretching DVD.

I hope you will be like Larry and give the stretching program a try.