“Troy Mullins — A brilliant expression of strength, precision, and the battle against unseen forces. A true symbol of passion and excellence in the game of golf
THE TROPOSPHERE SEQUENCE: HOW THE BODY PREPARES FOR WAR
The golf swing begins long before the club moves.
It starts at the ground—the feet bite into the earth, anchoring your base against the invisible wall of air.
From there, the legs and thighs lock into position, stacking bones vertically like a stone tower, grounding the body like roots before a storm.
Next, the hips stabilize, holding firm to form the table that the upper body rotates upon.
Then comes the center—the core, the true bridge between defense and motion. Here, balance is calibrated, and energy coils inward, ready to strike outward.
The spine aligns. The shoulders compress. The arms hang ready—not tense, but armed.
This structure resists the troposphere’s pressure. It allows the body to hold ground, so the arms can launch the offense—a fluid, explosive strike through air density and drag.
This isn’t just a swing.
It’s a structured counterattack against pressure.
It’s a body prepared, stabilized, and then released through precision.
The swing begins with defense—and ends in domination.
LEE TREVINO, ONE OF THE GREATEST CHAMPIONS OF THE PGA, ONCE SAID: “THINK OF THE BODY AS A TREE—THE TRUNK IS SOLID, THE ARMS ARE THE BRANCHES.” THIS IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE GOLF SWING. THE HEAD, NECK, TRUNK, HIPS, THIGHS, KNEES, AND FEET MAKE UP THE SOLID STRUCTURE—THE ROOTED CORE THAT RESISTS THE PRESSURE OF THE TROPOSPHERE. THIS FRAME DOES NOT INITIATE MOTION—IT HOLDS POSITION, PROVIDING THE STABILITY FOR THE ARMS TO SWING THROUGH SPACE. LIKE A TREE STANDING FIRM AGAINST THE WIND, THE TRUNK OF THE SWING MUST ABSORB, BALANCE, AND REDIRECT FORCE. THIS IS THE DEFENSIVE SYSTEM, BUILT NOT FOR MOTION, BUT FOR CONTROL—A LIVING BRIDGE BETWEEN EARTH AND ENERGY.
THE STERNUM AND CLAVICLES FORM THE BRIDGE—THE TRUE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE STABLE TRUNK AND THE MOBILE ARMS. THE CLAVICLES TABLE INTO THE STERNUM, EXTENDING OUT TO THE SHOULDER JOINTS, WHERE THE SCAPULA AND HUMERUS FORM THE SWINGING LIMBS. MANY BELIEVE THE ARMS HANG FROM THE SIDES—BUT THEY DON’T. THEY SIT IN FRONT OF THE BODY, MEANING THE ARMS INITIATE THE SWING, NOT THE TORSO. THIS BRIDGE ALLOWS THE ARMS TO LEAD, AND THE TRUNK TO FOLLOW—A CONTROLLED CHAIN THAT POWERS A FLUID, BALANCED SWING.
The Mobile System starts at the clavicles, which connect to the sternum—your central base. From there, the shoulders (scapula and humerus) extend outward, forming the arm system. The forearms rotate (pronate/supinate), wrist cock and ulnar deviate, sending energy into the grip, then to the shaft, club head, and finally the ball. As Gary Player shared from Ben Hogan, “Move your lead hand across your chest.” This starts the swing the right way—arms lead, body follows. The arms don’t hang from the sides—they sit in front. When they move first, the whole system activates safely, powerfully, and in sequence.
The body moves through three key planes: the Sagittal Plane (divides left and right), the Transverse Plane (divides top and bottom), and the Coronal Plane (divides front and back). The Sagittal Plane shows us that when the left side crosses right—or vice versa—weight shift happens naturally, without forcing motion. Below the Transverse Plane, no twisting or lateral motion should be initiated, as joints and ligaments are designed to bend, not rotate. Only above the Transverse Plane—around the thoracic spine—is safe rotation allowed. The Coronal Plane helps us stay balanced, warning against excessive knee flex or bending the spine. Tendons and ligaments do not regenerate, so knowing where motion belongs is the key to a long, injury-free golf life.
Below the Plane
The feet table the calves, which table the knees, leading to the thighs and femur, and finally the hips. These structures are built to bend, not twist. Lateral or rotational force here risks injury—these joints are stabilizers, not movers.
Above the Plane
The lumbar spine tables the thoracic spine, the only zone with safe rotation—3 to 4 degrees per vertebra across 12 thoracic vertebrae, totaling ~45°. This is the swing’s rotational engine.
Capped at the Top
Above that, the cervical spine, shoulders, and head form a stability cap—no twisting should occur. Understanding this structure is the key to longevity and injury prevention in golf.
Crossing the Sagittal Plane—when the lead arm moves across the chest in the takeaway—automatically shifts weight. There is no need for conscious weight transfer. When instructors say “shift your weight,” golfers begin to move laterally below the Transverse Plane, causing strain and injury. Instead, proper lead arm motion activates the latissimus dorsi, pulling the torso into a stable trail leg. From here, the downswing happens down and through, not around like baseball or tennis.
THERE IS NO INTENTIONAL WEIGHT SHIFT IN GOLF.
IT HAPPENS AUTOMATICALLY.
No, no, no, no, never booty out, booty in, booty Straight, booty flat is booty ready!!!!
The Coronal Plane divides the body front to back and governs balance. Many golfers, especially women, unknowingly over-tilt the pelvis—pushing the glutes back for aesthetics or power. But this puts stress on the lumbar spine and delays sacrum thrust during the swing. In golf, time is precious—the swing lasts less than 2 seconds. A slight knee bend and minimal hip tilt allow the sacrum to thrust forward into Target 1, aligning the body like a skater entering a spin. This creates balance, power, and prevents leaving the clubface open.
Balance is not bent—it’s athletic.
Athletic golf posture means standing upright but ready—with a slight knee flex, minimal hip tilt, and spine aligned over the feet. This setup balances the body between the balls of the feet and heels, allowing for natural ground force use. Proper flex in the knees prevents stress on the lumbar spine and hip joints, reducing injury risk. It also loads the legs and core to engage speed through ground reaction forces, not muscle tension.
Balanced posture = safe power.
In proper athletic posture, the hamstrings and sacrum act like springs, ready to fire. As the club is pulled down, ground reaction forces rise through the legs, activating the hamstrings, which then drive the sacrum forward into Target 1. This motion is not manual—it’s a chain reaction. If the butt is over-bent or the sacrum is too far back, that force gets left behind, turning the swing into an arm or hand-driven move. Shoulder compression keeps the upper body sealed, allowing energy to pass cleanly through the ball and into Target 2 with no leaks.
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