A matter of balance

Start from the ground, and work your way up One of the least discussed but most important elements of the full swing is balance. Not only is a balanced swing nice to look at, it's critical to good ball striking. Good balance starts from the ground up. Your weight should be evenly distributed on the balls of your feet at address, your knees slightly flexed and upper body bent from the hips. That solid, athletic posture is the key to an "in-balance'' swing. At times I've had slightly too much weight on my heels, which put me out of balance and produced errant tee shots. The correction for me was to stand a little straighter. Better posture made it appear that I was standing a little closer to the ball. Over-swinging is the opposite of balance. It can throw off your timing, compromise your posture, and make it almost certain that the ball won't end up where you planned. If your driving is erratic, chances are your balance is off, too. Try swinging at no more than 80 percent. tigerwoods.com