There's been lots of talk about stack and tilt and whether or not it can cause you to have back problems. As it happens it's said that 80% of professional golfers on the tour experience 6 weeks per year with back problems... remember, these are the guys that for years have been using conventional style swings.
I have found in my research that some critics say that stack and tilt can cause back problems and others say that it actually causes less stress on the back. I can openly say (as it's my own experience) that my back feels better than ever using stack and tilt.
I did just stumble across a picture on another website where it was trying to say that stack and tilt is hard wearing on the back, I think it's worth taking a look at it...
The chap on the left is using a 'rotary swing' and the one on the right is stack and tilt. So let's take a look at the rotary swing position.
• His entire body weight has shifted forward including his head and shoulders.
• All of his weight goes down through his left ankle, which looks like it could roll over at any minute!
• Not only have his shoulders rotated but they've gone so far that his back is actually facing the camera.
• The club is wrapped around his head.
• His back is arched but you can't tell because it's facing towards us.
• His right shoulder has come up under his chin.
I can't see how a) how that can possibly be good for your back or ankle, or b) that it is an easily repeatable position. I don't know if i'd actually WANT to twist my spine or shoulders that much. This chap must either be made out of rubber or 17 years old!
If you look at the stack and tilt position, the hands are high not wrapped around the neck, the club isn't about to hit him on the back, the right bicep isn't tucked under the adams apple, the left ankle doesn't appear that it's about to snap, the belt buckle and chest area appear to comfortably face towards the target and not beyond it, the head is in a comfy position looking at the ball, the whole body hasn't had to move forward and balance over the edge of the left foot.
Frankly it's the kind of position I could see myself, my dad or my grandad achieving quite easily... not overly athletic and yet solid enough to have hit the ball properly. If I told my dad to get into the position on the left he'd probably tell me where to go... and it wouldn't be a good place
Worldwide millions of golfers already have back problems, I haven't found any evidence to show that stack and tilt causes any problems not already existing within the game
HOWEVER that said, I did notice that to start with that I did have some soreness... that was because I was using muscles that I had never used before in 15 years of hitting golf balls. I did 100 situps once (about 10 years ago) and couldn't walk for 3 days!
Right now I'd go as far as to say that my back feels better than it ever did... and my ball striking is improving week by week.
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