There are any number of things that can break down in the golf swing, as most of us know only too well. But one of the most common breakdowns is one that many golfers don’t even know is happening because it’s so subtle. That is, maintaining your spine angle that you set at address.

Spine angle refers to two planes: front-to-back and side-to-side. If you think of a straight line running through your spine when you address your golf ball for a shot, then imagine looking at your body from the front and from the side, you can imagine the two planes I’m talking about. Ideally, you want your spine angle to tilt slightly toward your trailing side (tilted to the right for right-handers); and then also tilted forward over your ball. The amount of forward tilt will vary a lot, depending on how close you stand to the ball and how tall or short you happen to be. The amount of side-to-side tilt is more standard, and will really only vary based on ball position.

So, what does all of this mean for us as golfers during a typcal swing? Well, two things can go awry that will wreck an otherwise good swing. And, unfortunately, the things that go wrong are often so subtle that you can’t tell you’re doing them without the aid of another’s eyes (and that someone should be a trained golf instructor). First, many golfers dip forward in the downswing. This is partly due to the momentum of what is a pretty violent movement as we swing down to the ball. The results are ones we’ve probably all experienced: fat shots, popping the ball up, shanks.

In terms of the side-to-side spine angle issue, a very common mistake (even among pros) is straightening up your spine as you shift your weight to your leading foot. It’s a natural tendency, and so it’s one that we must fight all the time. Lots of practice will help, but even then our bodies tend to want to follow the path of least resistance. Straightening your spine angle coming into impact leads to topped shots, thin hits, and leaving the clubface open, creating blocked shots and slices.

Have you heard the advice to keep your head still during the swing? It’s intended to prevent both of these spine angle problems. However, you should not become obsessed with a perfectly still head during your swing. You’ll get too stiff and end up hitting weaker shots. A better tip is to allow your head to drift naturally a bit to the trailing side during the backswing, but then not to let it go beyond its starting position on the downswing, at least not until after impact. In other words, some movement side-to-side of the head is ok, but you do not want to dip your head forward at any point. After all, you’re shifting your weight from one side to the other in a good golf swing, but you should not be shifting it front to back (unless losing your balance is your goal). Try to keep your head behind the golf ball until after impact and you’ll hit crisper, longer shots. As always, practice practice practice!