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Control Flight with Axis Tilt

From Mark Blackburn On August 24, 2021

Axis tilt, the angle of your spine (as seen from face-on, relative to 90° vertical) is a crucial, but frequently misunderstood fundamental in golf. How you set your spine angle as you address the ball can... have a huge impact on how your body moves and how the club ultimately travels through impact.

As Titleist staff member Mark Blackburn explains in this video, understanding spine tilt can put you in control of both trajectory and shot shape. The next time you play or practice, experiment with the following keys from Mark and experience a whole new level of control over you golf ball.

• To launch the ball higher, you want more axis tilt (your lead side orientated higher, trail side lower, spine tilting away from the target). To do it, bump your hips slightly towards the target while you tilt the upper part of your body away from the target.

• To launch the ball lower, you want your spine angle more vertical. If you were looking in a mirror as you address the ball, the line from your sternum to your belt buckle should be nearly straight up and down.

• To draw the ball (a flight that curves right-to-left for a right-handed golfer), increase your spine tilt away from the target. This encourages an inside-to-out swing path, a key component of a draw.

• To fade the ball (a flight that curves left-to-right for a right-handed golfer), get more vertical with your spine angle. This encourages an outside-to-in swing path, a key component of a fade.

Axis tilt, the angle of your spine (as seen from face-on, relative to 90° vertical) ... is a crucial, but frequently misunderstood fundamental in golf. How you set your spine angle as you address the ball can have a huge impact on how your body moves and how the club ultimately travels through impact.

As Titleist staff member Mark Blackburn explains in this video, understanding spine tilt can put you in control of both trajectory and shot shape. The next time you play or practice, experiment with the following keys from Mark and experience a whole new level of control over you golf ball.

• To launch the ball higher, you want more axis tilt (your lead side orientated higher, trail side lower, spine tilting away from the target). To do it, bump your hips slightly towards the target while you tilt the upper part of your body away from the target.

• To launch the ball lower, you want your spine angle more vertical. If you were looking in a mirror as you address the ball, the line from your sternum to your belt buckle should be nearly straight up and down.

• To draw the ball (a flight that curves right-to-left for a right-handed golfer), increase your spine tilt away from the target. This encourages an inside-to-out swing path, a key component of a draw.

• To fade the ball (a flight that curves left-to-right for a right-handed golfer), get more vertical with your spine angle. This encourages an outside-to-in swing path, a key component of a fade.