Backwards K spine tilt

[alfredson10]

I use quite a bit of reverse K on my driver to help me hit up on the ball and helps me transfer my weight easier. What is the rule with the reverse K set up on iron shots? Use some or non at all?

[Reasonability]

Al,

I personally see it this way (and great and interesting post by the way!)... I "think" a big part of my answer centers both around how this works for me personally, but also WHY the reverse K actually has a role with irons as well as driver. This one can get as deep and complicated as you like, I suppose but the simplest way my puny brain can deal with it is as follows:

IF you were in your address posture for driver.... depending on shaft length and your build.... it would safe to generalize that a straight line down through your sternum would point just about to a point just above your lead ankle. AND your lead hip/knee would be setup a little more over the lead foot, whereas the trail knee would setup a touch more over or barely inside the trail foot. You can hold a long shafted club or dowel stick against the sternum and see how this part works.

With the shortest wedges however, you stand closer to the ball and narrow the stance. That and the shorter shaft means you have to bend more forward from the waist. As a result of all those variables, that straight line from the sternum will normally point more down toward or just inside the instep. BUT, there is still a hint of the reverse K since one thing (I personally) do NOT change regardless of the club -- is keeping that lead hip and knee geometry up and running -- for all normal full shots. So the "hint" of reverse K is there with irons, but for me that "hint" is in how the hips and knees look even though the stance gets more narrow and the bend at the waist increases. (So its there, its just less noticeable if that makes sense).

So.. with longer irons, fairway metals, etc... I personally have to practice with a mirror to make sure I'm not getting sloppy with the reverse K, and with the shorter irons I do manage the hint of it by not letting the lead hip and knee wander too far away from the target side. And those middle irons??? I have to personally make sure that "look" and feel to my posture.... perhaps not as dramatic as seen with the wider stance and longer clubs, but still, its there.

To me, the WHY component to making sure its there for irons AND the driver, is that its not JUST about hitting tee shots a little on the upswing. That part comes partly from the reverse K and partly from ball position. The REAL reason I want it there even for irons is to control a consistent pivot around my address spine posture which in turn controls where my swing "bottoms out".

One of THE hardest things I had to get through my head was how I can actually set up with this secondary spine tilt AND hit the ball before taking the divot. That issue alone was more of a concept than anything real to me for too many years in my game.

The swing can bottom out consistently in the same place time after time for me PROVIDED I just setup well, transition well and just trust that by swinging around my posture (shoulders AND hips) would add that mythical consistency we all strive for. That secondary tilt (and hint of reverse K look with shorter clubs) is a big part of HOW - for me - the bottom of the swing lands where it lands. Then its becomes a matter of ball position and its "go-time" once I take a few waggles.

I do hope this helps offer you at least some semblance of a response to what I think is a deeply good golf swing question. Looking forward to what others may have to add...., Lots of bright people on this board who are always fun to hear from. Take Care!