Are You Losing Control with a Long Backswing?
One thing I hear time and again from golfers is that their backswing feels too long, leading to a loss of control and poor strikes. If you’ve ever felt like you’re losing consistency or not quite getting that solid contact, you’re far from alone. But here’s the good news: you can actually shorten your backswing, hit the ball more solidly, and even gain distance.
The Real Problem: Arms Versus Body
Most golfers focus heavily on what the club is doing, but the real issue often lies in how your arms work relative to your body. I see a lot of golfers letting their trail arm get stuck behind their body early in the backswing, or sometimes even throwing their arms out, making everything feel disjointed. I used to do this myself when I was younger, so I completely understand the frustration.
The Key: Keep Arms in Front, Turn the Body
The movement that changes everything is keeping your arms in front of your body as you turn your chest away from the ball. When you focus on a big shoulder turn, your arm swing naturally becomes shorter, but your body is doing more of the work. This creates a lovely width in your swing, with your lead arm staying comfortably straight and your trail arm well away from your body, rather than folding behind you.
Why This Works
When your arms and body work together, there’s less need for compensations on the downswing. This means more consistent strikes, a better low point ahead of the ball, increased shaft lean, and a much crisper strike. You might even find you’re gaining yardage without swinging any harder — it’s all about efficiency.
A Simple Drill to Feel the Change
Start by swinging back only to waist height, but do it by turning your body rather than using your arms. Shift your weight and turn through. Focus on letting the big muscles do the work. Even with this shorter swing, you’ll be surprised at the club head speed and solid contact you can achieve. As you get comfortable, gradually add a bit more length to your backswing, always making sure your arms stay in front as you turn your chest.
Building Up to the Full Swing
As you lengthen your swing, let the club start to hinge naturally, but keep your focus on body turn rather than letting the arms drift behind. You’ll find that the swing feels simpler and more repeatable. The more you trust the body turn, the less you’ll need to manipulate things with your hands and arms, leading to much more consistent results.
Why Simpler is Better
When my own swing feels simple with fewer moving parts, my strikes are always more consistent. If you feel like you’re having to do too much in your downswing to recover from a long or disconnected backswing, it’s time to break that cycle. Turn your body, keep the arms in front, and enjoy the benefits of a more solid, repeatable strike.
Need More Personalised Help?
If you’d like tailored advice on simplifying your backswing and improving your ball striking, I offer online lessons through Skillest. Whether you’re just starting or looking to take your game to the next level, I’m here to help you build a swing that works.
Watch the Full YouTube Video
For a step-by-step guide and more detailed demonstrations, watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KW5vXk-8jU
