The perfect golf swing begins with your setup, but most golfers suffer from some kind of imbalance at address. This can lead to your shoulders and pelvis tilting too far to one side or an uneven weight distribution.
That’s where the Balance Optimization Move (BOM) comes in. It is the product of GOLF Top 100 Teacher Dr. David Wright’s life work and is extremely simple.
With a club in hand, take your usual stance. Take a deep breath and pinch your shoulders toward your sternum so they’re rolled forward (illustration, below left). Next, release the breath and relax your traps, allowing your shoulders to move back to their normal position. Doing this creates a closed kinetic chain.
A foolproof home fitness workout routine to help you hit it longer and better
Although simple, the BOM has a myriad of benefits. “It does everything from increasing shoulder rotation to set the path on plane to aiming the clubface down the target line, creating symmetry at address and minimizing physical stress on the body,” Dr. Wright explains.
First, it will level your hips and shoulders, which changes the orientation of your spine and pelvis, putting less pressure on your back as you swing. This means improved rotation and greater extension, which will help you generate more clubhead speed. Squaring up your hips and shoulders will also eliminate clubhead roll, making it easier to maintain a square clubface. You’ll also correct uneven weight distribution, setting you up for a balanced swing.
The BOM also improves your ability to line up directly to your target. At the same time, it will help you keep the club more in front of you as you swing to the top so that you can stay on plane. Add the BOM to your preshot routine the next time you’re on the course, and you’ll see and feel the difference immediately.