Why Shaft Lean is the Secret to Pure Ball Striking
If you’ve ever marvelled at the crisp, penetrating shots of top professionals, you’ll notice one thing they all do exceptionally well: create shaft lean at impact. This is the difference between a glancing, weak strike and that satisfying ball-then-turf contact we all chase. When you master shaft lean, you not only compress the ball better, but you start squaring the clubface and finding the centre of the club more regularly.
The Common Mistake: Hands Forward at Address
A lot of golfers think creating shaft lean is as simple as setting up with the hands forward. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works during a real swing. You can’t just preset your hands and expect to recreate that position at impact—especially at full speed. Worse still, if you simply shove your hands forward at address, you’re likely to leave the clubface wide open, sending shots high, weak, and right.
The Real Way to Create Shaft Lean
Shaft lean is built from the top of the swing as you shift your body mass towards the target. The best players move their hips and pressure forward, which gets the handle ahead of the ball at impact. But here’s the crucial detail: when your hands move forward, the clubface tends to open. If you don’t manage the clubface correctly, you’ll simply swap one problem for another.
The secret is to match the amount of forward shaft lean with an equal degree of clubface closure. This ensures the face is square at impact, even as your hands and body move ahead of the ball.
Drill: Train Your Body and Clubface Together
Here’s a simple yet powerful drill to get the feeling:
- Lift the club in front of you and close the clubface about 20 degrees.
- Place your hands on the grip, so you can clearly see the face pointing left.
- Set up to the ball—yes, the face will look closed, but stick with it.
- As you swing, focus on pushing your hips forward towards the target, feeling your weight shift and your body moving laterally, not just rotating.
At first, shots may go left, but this is part of the process. As you get used to the feeling, dial back the exaggeration until the ball starts flying straighter.
Find Your Preferred Way to Close the Clubface
There’s no single solution that fits everyone. Here are three different feels you can experiment with:
1. Closing the Face Early in the Takeaway
Some golfers benefit from keeping the clubface looking at the ball for longer during the takeaway. This can help you maintain a strong clubface angle as you swing down, naturally producing more shaft lean and a powerful, low ball flight.
2. Twisting the Shaft from the Top
Another feel is to twist the shaft as you start the downswing. By letting your trail wrist (right hand for right-handers) work underneath and actively twisting the shaft, you create a stronger, more closed clubface through impact.
3. Turning the Knuckles Down Through Impact
This classic move involves actively turning your knuckles down and letting the forearms rotate as you approach impact. While it’s not the most fashionable method these days, it can be very effective for many golfers.
Experiment with all three and see which gives you the best results. There’s no magic fix, but with practice, you’ll find the feel that works for you. If you’d like personalised guidance, my online lessons on Skillest are perfect for drilling down into what suits your swing best.
Grip Matters: Strong vs Weak
Your grip has a huge influence on how easy it is to square the clubface. A strong grip (with the hands more to the side of the club) makes it far easier to close the face and create shaft lean. Modern tour players often favour a stronger grip paired with dynamic shaft lean—think Dustin Johnson.
If you use a weaker grip, you’ll find it much harder to close the clubface as your hands move forward. This means you’ll have to work even harder to manage the face, or you risk adding loft and losing power. Whichever grip you use, remember: shaft lean is created by moving your body towards the target and by squaring the clubface at the same time.
The Path to Pure Striking
If you want to strike the ball like the best, focus on combining forward shaft lean with clubface control. It’s not about presetting your hands or trying to manipulate impact in the last split second. It’s about building the right movements from the top of your swing through to impact. Stick with the drills, find your preferred approach, and you’ll see real improvements in your ball striking.
If you’d like a more in-depth look at these drills and concepts, I invite you to watch the full YouTube video here. And if you want tailored feedback on your swing, you can always book an online lesson with me.
