Copyright, Wright Balance® 2021

Revised May, 2024 and December, 2025

In this EBook you will "view" PGA and LPGA Tour players and their matching positions at the top of the swing by CORE ZONE: Upper Core Zone; Middle Core Zone & Lower Core Zone.

Many players have told me they want to use their body because they want to hit it further. If you are reading this and your belief is that you want to use your body to hit the ball further, please note Mike Austin, the last image in the Anterior Zone (Upper Core) Players that follow. Mike Austin is an Anterior Zone / Upper Core Player. Mike played in the US Senior Open in 1974 at the age of 64. At 6 feet 2 inches, Mike Austin is credited with the longest drive on record (515 yards) during that PGA Tour event. At that event, Mike used a 43.5" steel shafted persimmon wood driver. During his career, Mike won 40 some long long drive contests.

Please know that a body swinger is not necessarily the longest driver of the ball. The best indicator of a player who drives the ball the furthest is the most efficient use of the ground. Anatomical factors such as wing span to height and leg length to torso ratio, grip, stance width, posture and most importantly, BALANCE & SEQUENCING OF MOTION each play a role in the ground reaction forces, the source of power.

The Upper Core Player has a predictable stance width range and heel to toe balance within that range. The Upper Core Player's stance width range is between 8 and 16 inches plus or minus 1 inch. Any stance width outside or inside this range will result in an open or closed hip line without exception.

SEQUENCING OF MOTION

The positions (lead knee & center of mass) at the top of the golf swing illustrated in these images are easily produced by anyone. Keep in mind that the predictable performance stance range is 8 to 16 inches. I fit Colin Montgomerie, an Upper Core Player in 2019. His irons and putter were 16 inches. PGA Tour verteran Kevin Stadler, also an Upper Core Player, was one of my students for 15 years. His stance width with his irons was 15 to 16 inches and his putter stance width was 8 inches.

To understand and experience the sequencing of motion by the Upper Core player, set up as follows.

Set up in a stance width of 14 inches. Place your arms across your shoulders. The Upper Core Player starts their swing with a move of their lead knee toward the trail side followed by their upper body, arms and hands. Their lead knee points behind the ball and their center of mass (COM) is target side. In the 1990s, golf professionals referred to this position as a reverse pivot. As you will see in the images that follow, quite a few great players played from this position.

As already noted, years of research has demonstrated that the Upper Core Player has a predictable 8 inch stance width range that places their balance over the balls of their feet where their hips will be square. That predictable range is 8 to 16 inches plus or minus 1 inch. When they setup outside that range their hips open or close.

Upper Core Balance

The Upper Core player's Balance is 8 to 16 inches over the balls of their feet. As long as they are in that stance width range, their balance produces a straight line of force as shown in this image.

The above image was taken real time on the balance mat.

Upper Core (Anterior Zone)Tour Players

Sixty (60) percent of the male population in the US measures as an Anterior Zone / Upper Core player. That percentage was determined from measurements of over 3000 players of all levels in 16 countries. Some country regions have more or less by a few percentage points.

The Upper Core player's hip turn is the greatest of the three Core Regions. A signature of the Upper Core Swing at the top is the position of the lead knee and Center of Mass (COM). When motion is paused at the top, the lead knee of the Anterior Zone / Upper Core player points at the back edge of or behind the ball. The COM is target side. Note how narrow the stance width is in the Upper Core Player compared to the Middle (Interior Zone) and Lower Core (Posterior Zone) Player that follow.

A characteristic of the Anterior Zone / Upper Core player is a very shallow Carrying or Power angle. The Anterior Zone / Upper Core player's Carrying / Power angle is somewhere in the range of 160 to 164 degrees. The Carrying or Power Angle of 160 to 164 sets the trail elbow to seat behind the trail hip in the downswing producing the "on top" delivery. EA Tischler coined the term "on top".

Here is an Anterior Zone / Upper Core Swing Sequence of Patrick Reed from address to club release. These are characteristics of all Anterior Zone / Upper Core players. Note the club release in the bottom right photo of Patrick Reed before his hips clear. This release position pulls the player through impact as his hips clear well past impact. EA Tischler refers to this position as a "covering release".

Below are several more Interior Zone / Upper Core Players shown at the top of their swing. Note the position of their lead knee and their Center of Mass (COM) on their target side at the top of their swing.

Boo Weekly

Phil Mickelson

Arnold Palmer

Colin Montgomerie

Shane Lowry

Branden Grace

Brandt Snedeker

Jack Nicklaus

Payne Stewart

Mike Austin

Below, Mike Austin, the PGA Player refered to in the introduction who hit a 515 yard drive in a Senior PGA Tour event, put on a skeleton costume to describe his swing during a television program in 1964. Note COM and lead knee position at the top of his swing.

This is the instruction video used to capture the top of Mike Austin's swing. Note: Mike Austin describes his stance width, how he sets his posture and starts his backswing, all Anterior Zone / Upper Core set up and swing characteristics.

Below is an image of the Carrying Angle being measured in Dr. Frank Jobe's biomechanics lab at Centinela Hospital in the early 2000s. This is an image of former University of California Berkley player JR Ruda, one of the subjects in our biomechanics lab study

The following is an image of former PGA Tour and PGA Champions Tour Anterior Zone player Bob E Smith demonstrating his Carrying Aangle.

The desired Carrying Angle for the Anterior Zone / Upper Core player is 162 or greater, a very shallow angle when observed.

Interior Zone / Middle Core Characteristics

Approximately thirty (30) percent of the male Population in the US measures as an Interior Zone / Middle Core player. That percentage was determined from measurements of over 2000 US players of all levels.

The Interior Zone / Middle Core player's hip turn is moderate. A signature of the Interior Zone Swing at the top is in the position of the lead knee and Center of Mass (COM). When motion is paused at the top, the lead knee of the Interior Zone player points at the front edge or middle of the ball. The Center of Mass is centered over the pelvis. There is little to no body movement to the trail side.

Years of research has shown that the Middle Core Player's predictable stance range is 16 to 24 inches plus or minus 1 inch. If you or your student is a Middle Core player, your hips will be square within that 8 inch range. If you are a middle core player and you stand within that 8 inch stance range, your balance will be just behind the balls of your feet and forward of the center of your arches, just between the Upper and Lower Core balance positions.

If you look carefully at the top of the above image you will note that it says that this image was shot in real time on our balance mat. If you draw a straight line between the two circles on each foot, you will note that you are just behind the balls of the feet and forward of the center of the arches, the balance line of a Middle Core Player.

Note the stance width of the Interior Zone / Middle Core Player compared to the Anterior Zone / Upper Core and Posterior Zone / Lower Core Player. The Interior Zone Player has a wider Stance Width than the Anterior Zone Player. The Posterior Zone Player has the widest Stance Width.

The Interior Zone swing is the swing most students wish to emulate without understanding which Core Zone swing naturally fits their body or if the trail arm delivery matches that of the Interior Zone player (154 - 158 degree Carrying / Power Angle)

A characteristic of the Interior Zone / Middle Core player is a carrying or power angle of 153 to 156. That equals a Carrying / Power angle which allows the trail elbow to seat on the trail hip in the downswing producing the "side on" (also coined by EA Tischler) delivery of the Interior Zone / Middle Core player.

One of the most famous Interior Zone / Middle Core Players is Sam Snead. Sam has won more PGA events that any other player, even, as of this writing, Tiger Woods. The only major he didn't win was the US Open.

If you go to minute 6:50 of this video, Sam describes how he starts his swing with a forward press of the body and then "everything goes together".

Sam's description in this video of "everything goes together" is the sequencing of motion taught to all Interior Zone / Middle Core players.These images of Sam at the top of his swing show his lead knee pointed at the ball. His center of mass (COM) is over his pelvis. This sequencing of motion is what creates the lead knee and center of mass position.

If you look carefully in this brief video of Sam Snead you will notice the bump of his trail knee toward the target as he starts his swing.

What does that bump of the trail knee do? It sets Sam's body in a position to start the club back with his upper and lower core or, as he describes it, "everything goes together". Also, if you set up with an open hip line, bump that trail knee and stop, stand tall and check your hip line you will notice that your hips just squared. The subtleties of how great players squared their hips outside their predictable 8 inch range are numerous. That information is covered in other Chapters from our monthly Zoom sessions.

Bobby Jones' teacher, Stewart Maiden, taught all of his students to "turn everything back together" as well. As long as your hips are square between 16 and 24 inches, this motion sequencing will work for you, but only if your hips square in those parameters.

To experience the center of mass over your pelvis and your lead knee as would be the case with the Middle Core Player, set up with your feet 20 inches apart. Place your arms across your shoulders. Start your backswing with both your hips and shoulders rotating back at the same time or, as Stewart Maiden would say, "everything goes back together". Stop at the top of your backswing and notice that your center of mass is over your pelvis and your lead knee is pointing at the ball. All th****at tells us is how the sequence of motion was started. The ground reaction force is maximized in this position only if the player's balance is just behind the balls of the feet and forward of the center of the arches as a Middle Core Player.

Middle Core Tour Players

Ernie Els

Note Ernie Els' Center of Mass is over his pelvis and his lead knee points at the ball at the top of his swing. Again, that lead knee is a representation of the depth of the hip turn and how the golf swing begins (sequencing of motion)

Note Ernie El's trail hand (right) at impact. The palm of his trail hand is parallel to and points down the target line. This is a classic "side on" delivery of every Interior Zone / Middle Core Player.

Note the similarities of hip turn, lead knee pointed at the ball and Center of Mass over the pelvis in the following photos of Middle Core Players at the top of their swing.

Xander Schauffele

Byron Nelson

Russell Henley

Collin Morikawa

Harris English

Trevor Immelman

Patrick Cantlay

Nancy Lopez

Rose Zhang

Webb Simpson

Tom Kim

Scottie Scheffler

Cameron Champ

Viktor Hovland

Adam Scott

Cameron Smith

Jessica Korda

Nelly Korda

Charl Schwartzel

Jason Day

Scottie Sheffler

Rory Mcilroy

Tiger Woods

Justin Thomas

Will Zalatoris

Justin Rose

Cameron Young

Si Woo Kim

Matt Fitzpatrick

Rose Zhang

The following images are ideal characteristics of the Interior Zone / Middle Core (Interior Zone) Player

The ideal range for the Interior Zone / Middle Core Player is 154 to 156.

The images below are Interior Zone / Middle Core LPGA and Legends Tours players Anne Marie Palli...

...and Laurie Rinker.

Anne Marie and Laurie have the same Carrying Angle(157 degrees)

Posterior Zone / Lower Core Characteristics

The Posterior Zone / Lower Core player's hip turn appears minimal due to their wide stance width, always wider than the Interior or Anterior Zone players. A signature of the Posterior Zone / Lower Core Swing at the top is the position of the lead knee and Center of Mass. When motion is paused at the top, the lead knee of the Posterior Zone / Lower Core player points straight ahead in front of the ball. The Center of Mass is over the player's trail side. These positions are easily created by how the player starts their golf swing sequencing of motion.

The Lower Core Player has a predictable 8 inch stance range of 20 to 28 inches plus or minus 1 inch. If they setup outside or inside this stance range, their hips will be open or closed. The Lower Core Player's balance is over the center of their arches as shown in an illustration below.

The Lower Core Player starts their swing with a shoulder turn from a wide stance width and the lower body follows their shoulder rotation. Their lead knee points in front of the ball. To experience this, set up in a wide stance (24 plus inches). Place your arms across your chest. Start your backswing with a rotation of your shoulders. Your hips will be delayed and follow your shoulder rotation. Pause at the top of this motion sequencing and you will note that your lead knee is in front of the ball and your center of mass is on your trail side. That is the sequencing of a Lower Core Player and what you see in the Lower Core Players in the following images.

Again, Posterior Zone / Lower Core Players have the widest Stance Widths of all of the Core Regions.

Posterior Zone / Lower Core Players are mostly found in women. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of men show their strength in the Lower Core. This statement is supported by the research done by Wright Balance® Professional, Dr. Robert Giombetti. Dr. Giombetti's reseach on ground reaction force by Core Zone showed that 60 plus percent of over 200 players were Upper Core, 12 percent were lower core and the remaining 20 to 25 percent were Middle Core.

However, it should be emphasized that this sampling was mostly males in the United States. I have trained Wright Balance® professionals in countries in Asia and Europe where the sampling of Core Zone dominance was much different. Please keep that in mind and don't conclude that most males are Upper Core or females Middle and Lower Core.

A characteristic of the Posterior Zone / Lower Core player is a very wide Carrying or Power Angle. The Posterior Zone / Lower Core player's Carrying / Power Angle is the greatest of the three Core Zones. A desirable Carrying Angle for the Lower Core Player is 146 to 149 degrees. That Carrying / Power Angle allows the trail elbow to seat inside the trail hip in the downswing producing the under delivery (also a term coined by EA Tischler) of the Posterior Zone / Lower Core player.

The balance of the Lower Core Player is over the center of their arches. I am a Lower Core Player. I am standing on a balance mat with 1000 sensors under each shoe, much like I used in the original research where we had 1000 sensors in each insole. The yellow line with arrows is shows my balance configuration in a 21 inch stance width. Notice how far back my center of balance has moved compared to the Upper Core and Middle Core balance illustrations.

This balanced line of force is a prerequisite for clearing the hips through impact. The balance of the Lower Core Player over the center of the arches makes clearing the hips easy. Purposely place your weight over the center of your arches and rotate through to the target side. Notice the ease with which you clear your hips.

Lower Core Players

This illustration of Dustin Johnson is followed by his swing sequence showing the various swing positions from address to the top of his swing and his under delivery and release down the line.

Dustin Johnson

Dustin Johnson Posterior Zone / Lower Core Swing Sequence

The following are other Posterior Zone / Lower Core Players at the top of their swing illustrating the depth of their hip turn, their Center of Mass and the position of their lead knee.

Brooke Henderson

Jon Rahm

Nicolai Højgaard

Paula Creamer

Hideki Matsumoto

Wyndham Clark

Tony Finau

Billy Horschel

Tommy Fleetwood

Jordan Spieth

The Carrying Angle range for the Posterior Zone / Lower Core player is 148 degrees or wider.

This illustration is of LPGA Legend, US Womens Open Winner, Hall of Fame inductee and Posterior Zone / Lower Core player, Sandra Palmer.

My Dominant Core Zone is Poster / Lower Core. I worked hard for years clearing my hips. My Carrying Angle clearly shows I needed at least 4 more degrees to be able to have the under delivery and hip clearance for a Posterior Zone / Lower Core player.

This image shows the precise way to measure the Carrying Angle.

Wright Balance® is now able to "move" the Carrying Angle so that players have the best delivery to the ball and desirable hip clearance for their Dominant Core Zone by doing Wright Balance® Express, a 2 minute isometric exercise. In the event of injury, we can also move the Core Zone through the same exercise in one of the 33 Core Zone Stance Widths (11 stance widths in each Core Zone). This change functionally changes the Core Zone 8 inch stance width range, heel to toe balance at ground level, posture, grip and sequence of motion. As a Wright Balance professional your annual recertification exam will ask you to do that in practicum setting.