The Golf Backswing, Checkpoint by Checkpoint

What the backswing must do

The backswing does not hit the ball, but it decides how easy the downswing will be. A good backswing does three jobs: it turns the body so there is room to swing the club back down, it sets the club on a path that can return to the ball from inside the target line, and it keeps your balance so the low point of the swing stays in the right place. It is part of the full golf swing sequence, and it starts from a sound setup and grip. The diagrams below show a right-handed golfer from face-on.

Checkpoint 2: wrist hinge

As the hands pass hip height, the wrists begin to hinge so the club points up. By the time the lead arm is parallel to the ground, the shaft and the lead arm make roughly an L shape. Hinging gives you speed later, for free. Hinging too early, by picking the club up with the hands, or not at all, by keeping the wrists stiff, both make good contact harder.

Drill: make half swings to the L position and hold it for two seconds. Check that the butt of the club points roughly at the ball-to-target line.

Checkpoint 4: weight into the trail side

As you turn, pressure moves into the trail foot, mostly into the heel and the inside of the foot. That is a turn, not a slide. If your hips slide away from the target past your trail foot, that is a sway, and you will have to slide back to reach the ball. Keep the trail knee flexed; if it straightens fully, you lose the base you need to turn.

Drill: place a ball or a headcover just outside your trail foot. Make backswings without your trail knee or hip moving outside it.

Common mistakes

• Sway: the hips slide away from the target instead of turning. Fix with the trail-foot drill above. It causes fat and thin shots.
• Over-swing: the club goes past parallel and the lead arm collapses. Make a three-quarter swing; it is usually straighter.
• Laid off at the top: the club points well left of the target (for a right-hander). It often leads to steep, over-the-top downswings and slices.
• Across the line: the club points well right of the target at the top. It often leads to pushes and hooks.
• Arms only: the arms swing up but the chest does not turn. Feel the back turn to the target.
• Rushing: a quick backswing leaves no time to set the club. Use the count on golf swing tempo.

Seniors and limited flexibility

If your back or hips are stiff, a smaller turn is fine. Let the lead heel lift slightly off the ground in the backswing to allow more turn, flare the trail foot out a little at address, and keep the swing shorter and smooth. A full shoulder turn is not required to hit good shots; good contact from a shorter swing beats poor contact from a long one. Warming up first helps, see golf warm up routine.

How the backswing changes with different clubs

The checkpoints are the same for every club, but the backswing looks a little different. With a wedge or short iron, you stand closer to the ball, so the swing is more upright and often a little shorter. With the driver, you stand farther from the ball with a wider stance, so the swing is flatter and the turn feels bigger. Do not try to make every backswing the same length; let the club and your setup decide. Ball position and stance width for each club are on golf ball position.

Practise one checkpoint per session

Trying to think about all five checkpoints on one swing is a recipe for a stiff, slow swing. Pick one checkpoint per range session, use its drill for your first 20 balls, then hit the rest of the bucket thinking only about your target. Over five sessions you will have covered all five.