Rarely over the last four decades have I had to lengthen a students back swing during a lesson. The fact is at least 90% of students, especially beginners have way too long of a back swing. Really good players also suffer from too long of a back swing falsely trying to create more speed.
There is a common misconception that the longer the back swing the farther you can hit it. While the longer the back swing the more potential speed one can create in the theoretical world this rarely works in the real golf world. For most of us we can create more speed through better mechanics and proper sequencing with a shorter swing.
What normally happens in the golf world is the longer the back swing the more compensations are needed on the down swing. The normal bad mechanical problems on a backswing that are too long are as follows.
- Body looses posture, stand up on back swing
- leed or left knee over flexes
- left arm over bends
- shoulders over rotate
- reverse wieght shift
- left wrist extension, too much
- over head rotation, especially for right eye dominant players
- hands seperate in back swing
These are just a few of the issues created with a back swing that is too long. You want your back swing to fit you natural range of motion. Your natural range is your mobility and flexibility. Mobility is your joint range of motion and flexiblity is your muscle range.
Beggining golfers start with a long arm swing and as they improve their arm swing gets smaller and smaller. You would be amazed to know how short many great players arm swing or motion is when they play their best.
So try limiting your back swing and see what happens. You may find out that your good swing feels simular to a long punch shot, try it!
Take a look at these, shorter players golf swings below. They have made many millions of dollars with those short swings…..
Jim Hartnett, PGA
