Posture at address is something that Tiger Woods consistently executes correctly, and it is something that can be done right every time by all golfers. However, once you set up to the golf ball with correct posture, you must ensure that your equipment works with you rather than against you.
I regularly observe that most students have clubs that are too long for them once they achieve correct posture, and they are then forced to manipulate the club during the takeaway rather than simply gliding their shoulder blade as demonstrated in the Takeaway Video.
Our average student gets fit with irons that are 1 to 1.5 inches shorter than standard at our golf academy in Orlando. Once you watch this video along with the Takeaway Video, you will clearly see why — but only if you are set up to the ball correctly as we advocated in the Biomechanically Correct Setup Video.
Once you set up correctly and have clubs that are properly fit for your body, the takeaway becomes a tiny, simple movement initiated from the back and core that will dramatically simplify your golf swing and keep your arms quiet during the start of the backswing.
Video Transcription: Posture - Takeaway and Club Length
On the website we have discussed the length of clubs extensively and how it affects your posture, your swing, your swing plane, and many other aspects of the game. I am going to go into more depth on this topic, because many golfers have asked about my club specifications.
I am about 5' 9.5", and my clubs are an inch and a half shorter than standard. This is my 6 iron — it is approximately the length of a standard 9 iron — but I have not lost any distance. In fact, I have increased my accuracy considerably because it is much easier to control the shorter club.
Let us discuss what happens for most golfers when they have clubs that are too long: how they tend to set up to the ball, and how that affects their posture, their swing plane, their movements, and their overall consistency.
I am going to set up. Most golfers allow the club length to dictate their distance to the ball and their posture. Of course, that is the worst approach possible. We need our posture and our setup to dictate the length of the club.
If the club is too long for the golfer — I see this constantly — they end up standing too upright. Because the length of the club forces them into this position, they really have no other option. When you stand too upright, you do not get the proper bend from the hips.
Golfers tend to round from the shoulders, and now — to take the club back using the shoulder blade glide I demonstrated in the Takeaway Video — if I just move my shoulder blade, look where the club ends up.
I am standing too upright (simulating a club that is too long for me), making the correct body movements, but the club never gets up on plane because the club would be too long for me in this position.
Now, if I get into the correct posture — proper bend from the hip socket, spine straight, arms hanging naturally — when I move my shoulder blade, the club comes up on plane perfectly.
It is extremely common for the vast majority of golfers to have clubs that are too long for them. Because of that, the only way to get the club up on plane when you are standing too upright is to either set your wrists early, lift your arms, or make some other manipulation.
If you do not want to make those compensations and you want to simply move from your shoulder blade, then you need clubs that are properly fit for your body. I would estimate that about 80-85 percent of golfers have irons that are much too long for them. To see how your own posture and swing plane are performing, try a free AI swing analysis.
Get into the correct posture, let your arms hang naturally. Do this with your eyes closed so you can use the setup drills to discover what your ideal posture is.
Once you know what your ideal posture is without a club — let your arms hang, eyes closed, and feel where you are balanced, anchored to the ground, not reaching for anything — now take a club, set up to it, and see if the length looks right to your eye.
What you will find is that most golfers will be reaching out, and the toe of the club will be sitting half an inch off the ground because it is too long. For you to play that length of club, you would have to bend it extremely flat. Why alter the lie angle that severely? Why not just get clubs that are fit to your build?
Many golfers are going to ask, "What is the proper length of club for my height?" The answer will be entirely different for every individual.
For instance, I have average-length legs and a long torso, with long arms. Those two factors dictate that I am going to need shorter clubs than somebody with really long legs, a short torso, and short arms — because when that person bends over, their hips are not going to drop back as far behind them. They will be balanced without having as much mass reaching forward. With me, my hips drop back considerably because I have a long torso and long arms — when my arms hang naturally, they extend almost to my knees.
Your club length is going to be dictated by your build, which is going to be unique to you, and your posture. Your posture should be fairly consistent in terms of hinging from the hips, letting your arms hang, and getting everything into neutral joint alignment.
The key is that you need to get properly fit by someone who genuinely knows what they are doing — and only after you are in your proper setup position.
Keep in mind, the critical takeaway here is: if you feel that you have to do a lot of extra work to get the club up on plane — with an early wrist set or some other compensation — your clubs are probably too long for you. For real-time coaching on your posture and takeaway mechanics, try a free AI golf lesson.
Watch part 2 now to see how you're moving your body in the opposite direction of the pros!
Standing very upright because the club is too long
If the club is too long it can't get up on plane
This club is too long for this golfer
Your ideal club length depends on individual proportions
