How to Identify Reverse Spine Angle in Your Golf Swing

Reverse spine angle is a common swing fault that appears at the top of the backswing. It happens when your upper spine tilts toward the target instead of staying neutral or tilting slightly away from the target.

In a good top-of-backswing position, the spine generally leans slightly away from the target. When the spine leans toward the target, it can make it harder to rotate properly, sequence the downswing, and maintain balance through impact.

What Is Reverse Spine Angle?

At the top of the backswing, look at the angle of the golfer’s spine from a face-on view.

• Reverse spine angle: the spine tilts toward the target.
• Non-reverse spine angle: the spine is neutral or tilted slightly away from the target.

For a right-handed golfer, the target is usually to the left in a face-on video. If the upper body leans left at the top of the backswing, that may indicate reverse spine angle.

How to Analyze Reverse Spine Angle in the HandyGolf App

Use a face-on swing video so you can clearly see whether the spine is leaning toward or away from the target.

Step 1: Open the Swing Video

Load the golfer’s swing in the HandyGolf app.

Step 2: Scroll to the Top of the Backswing

Move the video frame by frame until the golfer reaches the top of the backswing. This is the key position for checking reverse spine angle.

Step 3: Draw a Line Along the Spine

Use the drawing tool to place a line along the golfer’s spine. A helpful reference is to draw from the lower back area up through the upper back or neck line.

Step 4: Check the Direction of the Tilt

Look at the line you drew:

• If the spine line tilts toward the target, the golfer is showing reverse spine angle.
• If the spine line tilts away from the target, the golfer is not showing reverse spine angle in that frame.

What to Look For

When reviewing the swing, focus on the top of the backswing. If the golfer’s upper body has shifted or leaned toward the target, the spine line will clearly angle in that direction. That is the visual cue for reverse spine angle.

If the line angles away from the target, the golfer is in a more desirable top-of-backswing position and would not be considered to have reverse spine angle based on that view.

Key Takeaway

Reverse spine angle is identified when the spine tilts toward the target at the top of the backswing. With HandyGolf, you can analyze it by pausing at the top, drawing a line along the spine, and checking whether that line leans toward or away from the target.