A great backswing can take many hours on the practice tee to develop, but we all have a limited time available. We must focus on being effective (practicing correctly) and efficient (learning quickly using proper biomechanics, doing drills to that train our mind, and using training aids that can speed up the development of myelin and muscle.
In the video below you will learn everything you need to quickly develop a great backswing including:
- Right arm drills
- Left arm drills
- Body turn drills
- How to use the Pro Swingband to speed up your learning and increase distance
Other than setup, the backswing is the most important part of the golf swing. It puts the hands in a position that allows the arms to swing freely in the socket and maintain posture through impact. It’s like taking a trip. The set up gets the car ready to go. The backswing is the first part of the trip. If you get lost at the beginning, it’s much worse than if you make a wrong turn within a block of your destination. The golf swing becomes exponentially more biomechanically difficult if a mistake is made earlier in the swing. It takes multiple compensations to correct an early error.
For example, you can set the plane of the club by simply firing the supinator muscle. If it doesn’t fire, multiple muscles must correct the plane of the club at the top of the swing. The clubface will also remain shut, requiring additional compensations during the forward swing.
The position at the top of the swing determines how the body must move to square the club at impact. If the hands are positioned incorrectly, particularly if they are too deep (too far behind the shoulder), multiple (as many as 16) hip rotator muscles must fire in the right sequence to hit a straight shot. It is also extremely difficult to keep the club on plane. However, if the hands are in the correct position at the top of the backswing, the arms can rotate with great speed in the shoulder sockets. I believe this creates accurate power.
If the right hip rotates too far behind the golfer in the backswing, it becomes trapped and is forced to go under the trunk and to the right of the target on the forward swing. This causes loss of spine angle through impact. In my experience, this is a leading cause of wild shots.
Another important factor to consider is where your center of gravity and weight are during the swing. This determines much of the biomechanics of the golf swing. In my opinion, the center of gravity must be in a position that allows the body to move to maximize arm speed and direction. The center of gravity at the top of the backswing, I believe, should be toward the right toe (if right-handed). This allows the spine angle to stay in position so you can correctly rotate your arms, maximizing speed.
This video will demonstrate how to create a consistent backswing. It was formulated after years of biomechanics study, multiple conversations with Jim Flick, as well as studying the swing of many top players and some trial and error with my students. Mastering this skill will help you become a more proficient golfer who can enjoy the game to the fullest. Good luck!