Why Do I Sway During My Golf Swing?

http://www.mytpi.com/improve-my-game/swing-characteristics/sway_v2http://www.mytpi.com/improve-my-game/swing-characteristics/sway_v2/

What exactly is Swaying during my golf swing?

This is excessive lower body lateral movement (to the side) away from your target during the back swing.  This movement forces your body weight to move towards the outside of the back foot.

This swing fault will make it very difficult for you to develop proper weight shift during the transition and the down swing.  Let’s look at a baseball batter for an example.  When the batter sets up at the plate you see them dig their back foot into the dirt to gain leverage.  This action will allow them to load the back leg which helps the transfer power from the back leg to the front leg as they swing at the ball.  If the batter didn’t do this they would not be able to generate much power.  This action applies the same to the golfer.  If there is not a stable platform to drive your weight off from during the transition from the back swing to the downswing you will lose power/speed.  This will also severely effect swing efficiency.

Lets look at the physical causes involved in Swaying.  There are three main physical characteristics that cause this motion.

1. Lack of internal hip motion.  This is when the body is unable to rotate around the right hip in a right handed golfer due to joint and muscular restrictions.
2. Lack of ability to separate the upper body from the lower body.  Being able to perform this action properly allows the lower body to laterally stabilize while rotating during a large shoulder turn.  If a golfer has limited trunk to pelvis separation it is usually caused by reduced spinal mobility and tight Lats.
3. Not having the ability to stabilize the right leg during the back swing.  The inability to stabilize is directly related to the lack of strength of the gluteal musculature (BUTT).  The Glute Maximus is the main stabilizer of the lower body and is assisted by the Glute Medius.

FSD recommends working with a TPI level 2 Performance Specialist.  He will put together a great movement/corrective exercise plan.  This plan will focus on improving spinal rotation, hip mobility, trunk and pelvis separation and increase the strength of the Gluteal musculature.