Golf Back Swing Tips

 The start of any successful golf shot is the golf back swing.  How you take away the golf club will largely determine how you swing the club.  The backswing sets the club in a groove and charts the initial swing plane.

A proper golf swing is one that is smooth, slow and has very few moving parts.  In fact, for the first couple of feet during the takeaway, the only body parts that should be moving are the shoulders.

The key to a consistent golf swing is to minimize the use of the smaller muscles (for example, the hands), and use the larger muscles (i.e. the shoulders and back) to guide the swing.  Smaller muscles are quick and therefore can cause a jerky swing.  Smaller muscles are also apt to tire more quickly than larger ones.

Back to the takeaway …When taking the club away, the shoulders should be used to guide the takeaway.  You’ve probably heard of the one piece takeaway.  This “one piece” is a triangle formed by the shoulders, arms and hands. A one piece takeaway means that the shoulders, arms and hands are working together, interdependently, to take the club back.  For the first couple of feet, nothing should move except the shoulders, arms and hands – as a single, triangle unit.

Use the shoulders in the golf back swing. Notice the "V" that is formed in a proper takeaway.

The key to a consistent golf swing is to eliminate muscle movement variation wherever possible.  Where does this variation often occur?  Variability is most often found in the wrists and elbows.  A proper backswing keeps the elbow locked and limits the wrist cocking motion to only what is absolutely necessary.

The other consideration for a proper golf back swing is the path on which you take the club back.  If you take the club inside (close to your body) too quickly, you will have a flat swing.  Flat swings are usually quick swings.  A flat swing plane also makes it difficult to achieve much trajectory in your shots.

If you take the club outside (away from your body), your swing will be too upright. To compensate for this, many golfers incorporate a “loop” at the top of their swings.  This loop drops the club into a more proper position but also tends to cause numerous shot making inconsistencies.

To make sure you take the club back along the proper path, simply place a tee two feet behind the ball.  The tee should be along the exact line of the ball and your target.  When you take the club back, the club should cross the tee.

Before starting their golf back swing, many golfers have a slight “twitch”. This “twitch” could be a slight shift in the hips.  Another common “twitch” is a forward press of the hands – the hands push the club shaft forward a tiny bit.

If you watch many golfers – low handicappers and professionals alike, you’ll typically notice various forms of this twitch.  It’s almost like a tell sign in poker.  You’ll know when the golfer is about to take the club away when you see the twitch.

This twitch is simply used as a final golf setup step that helps align or properly position the body.  It’s not actually part of the golf back swing.  If you find that you always have a slight motion (in your wrists or hips, for example) immediately before your takeaway, not to worry.

Just make sure you’re not moving your body around during the golf back swing.

Learn more about your golf swing like these golf back swing tips here.