Tips for Her: Maintain your posture

*Editor's note: Each week, Megan Padua, a teaching professional at Maidstone Club (East Hampton, N.Y.) and Belfair Plantation (Bluffton, S.C.), and one of Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers, offers tips and advice for women golfers.

By Megan Padua

To make consistent contact, it's important to maintain a certain amount of bend from your waist during your golf swing. If you don't, it'll be difficult for you to return the golf club in a repetitive manner. Many golfers blame their inability to maintain their posture on a failure to keep their head down. The truth is, your head is not the culprit. This drill will show you that maintaining your posture will let you return the club to the same spot without having to try so hard.

The Drill: Stand face-to-face with a friend, or face a mirror. Bend from your waist and flex your knees just slightly, since too much flex will take away from your waist bend. Keeping your eyes forward and standing tall, let your arms swing back and through. Do this drill without a ball and listen to the club hit the ground.

This drill should show you that if you maintain your posture, your arms have the opportunity to swing down and extend. Trying to "keep your head down" might prevent your arms from being able to extend, making it difficult to make consistent contact. For more consistent contact, bend from your hip flexors and maintain that bend  throughout your swing.