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Adjustments in the Swing for Maintaining Posture for Seniors
Two major factors that affect many of us as we get older are loss of flexibility and loss of power. Golfing legend and major champion Tom Kite discusses some of the swing changes he has had to make over the past few years.
Many people think the right foot (for a right-handed golfer) needs to be square (or perpendicular to the target line) to be able to generate a good load in the backswing. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Some of the biggest hitters in the game don't have a square right foot. To have a square back foot, the trail hip needs to have great internal rotation. Unfortunately, many of us lose mobility in the hips as we age. One of the most common limitations is lack of hip internal rotation.
By fanning out the right foot, it allows most players to get a better turn into their trailside, even as they lose flexibility in the right hip. This usually allows the player to maintain a good stable posture and not stand up in the backswing. If you are worried about what happens on the downswing, don't worry! As you shift weight towards the target on the downswing, just let the right foot go along for the ride.