Keep your head down, and bend your knees! Hear it before? This is by far the worst advice anyone can offer a beginner golfer. In this post we are going to focus on the ‘bend your knees’ part of the annoying myth. First off, don’t do it! Bending your knees will promote an address position that is much more commonly seen in a restroom. Golf specific, it promotes an address position where the body is very upright, and the body weight is near your heels – more of a squat. Does this sound like a very athletic movement? I didn’t think so.

The main problem with having too much knee flexion is that the vertical movement of your arms and trunk during your swing will naturally tug on your body. This means that your entire body will move up and down with your entire swing motion. The result? Many thin and fat shots. In an ideal swing, your legs stabilize your body height by maintaining their flexion throughout the swing.

So how should you position your knees? The ideal setup position is one where your knees are unlocked, not bent. Your upper body should be tilted towards the ball so your arms can hang freely from your shoulders. Your arms should ideally hang straight down in a relaxed position. Your body weight should be centered on your feet, meaning not on your heel or toes. This is now an athletic, stable position.

By the way, be sure to smack the next guy who tells you to bend your knees.