Copyright, Wright Balance® 2025

Revised, June, 2025

BALANCE: "In every athletic activity, success seems to be unquestionably proportional to the player's sense of balance and force whether innate or acquired. Off-balance force is notoriously erratic. The mechanical device has no balance problem but the human machine does..." Homer Kelly, 1969

Arms Position & The Carrying Angle

The arms position on the chest wall is equal to the Carrying Angle. The arms position has been researched and taught for the past 15 years. The following video was shot in 2011 showing the early observations of the relationship between the Carrying Angle and arms position citing Ben Hogan's book.

Goal

As you progress in this and other EBooks, please remember that the goal is for your student to have a complete and balance routine from the beginning to the end of their routine. Each link in the setup chain needs to be practiced independent of hitting balls. There are numerous links in that chain. Posture is one link in that setup chain.

Please view this video before proceeding. It demonstrates the GOAL of practicing each link in the chain while doing the Wright Balance® Downswing Club Path Test (DCPT)at each link. Keep in mind that the practice of each link in the total chain is done indoors, independent of hitting balls.

Arms Position

The arms (elbows) position on your chest wall impacts your ability to rotate in the backswing and through swing. Your arms position also contribute to the strength and weakness of your grip, your sequencing of motion, your posture and keeping the club in front of you through the swing.

The following video demonstrates how the arms position on the chest wall must be placed for the lead and trail arms and how these arms positions are used to set posture.

Remember, as already noted, posture is one link in the total setup chain. Each link must be practiced independent of the others. I would encourage you to use a mirror when practicing posture. You will note in these videos with Jeff Shaw that I continue to adjust his shaft parallel to the ground and to be certain he is standing tall before setting his posture. A mirror will insure that you are standing tall and the shaft is parallel to the ground.

Posture Shoulder Rotation and DISTANCE

The following video was shot in our Wright Balance® Seattle Research & Training center demonstrating how posture, in addition to the links in the chain described above impacts clubhead speed and distance.

How to Set Posture in Each Core Zone

There are 3 Core Zones, Upper, Middle and Lower.

Posture & Arms Position for a Lower Core Player

Lower Core players make up about 10 to 20 percent of the male population in this country. Lower Core Women make up 20 to 25 percent of of the female population.

The following video describes how to set posture for the Lower Core Player.

Posture & Arms Position for a Middle Core Player

Middle Core players make up about 25 to 30 percent of the male population in this country. Middle Core Women make up the greatest percentage of (60 to 65 percent) of the female population.

The following video describes how to set posture for the Middle Core Player.

Note:The Lower Core video, also showing Posture & Arms Position, describes more in the way of angles and origin of this content. I would encourage you to make yourself aware of how posture is set for each Core Zone

Posture & Arms Position for a Upper Core Player

Upper Core players make up 40 to 55 percent of the male population. Upper Core Women make up about 20 to 25 percent of the female population. The following video describes how to set posture for the Upper Core Player.

These video shorts demonstrate how each Core Region sets posture during Wright Balance® Certification. LPGA Tour players Laurie Rinker and Anne Marie Palli demonstrate setting their posture in these videos.

Note: As demonstrated in this video, posture does not change regardless of club from wedge to driver.