Trevor Ng
Golf swing rotation, often referred to as a shoulder turn, is a critical aspect of achieving powerful and accurate shots in golf. Many golfers struggle with proper rotation due to a lack of flexibility or misunderstanding of the technique. The correct shoulder turn involves rotating the hips and torso, allowing the front shoulder to rotate downward and maintain posture. This shift in control from the arms to the larger muscles of the body improves consistency and increases clubhead speed. Additionally, golfers should focus on pulling their trail shoulder behind them to achieve a full turn and stay centred during the swing. Proper hip turn is also essential for a decent backswing, maximising the range of motion and preventing a sway that reduces power and accuracy.
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What You'll Learn
Hip movement is key to a proper turn
A proper shoulder turn involves turning your hips and torso. This allows your front shoulder to rotate downward, helping you maintain your posture and stay on the proper swing plane. If you are struggling to get your body fully rotated at the top of your backswing, it could be because your shoulders are open to your target line at the beginning of your swing, or because your shoulders, arms, or the club are getting out of position during the takeaway.
If you allow for some hip rotation in your swing, you will see more turn in your shoulders, which will translate to better distance. This is because hip restriction locks up your rhythm and tempo, affecting your speed and distance. It also demands extreme twisting, which can strain your lower back.
To practice a proper golf turn, try the following drill: Get into your address position without a club and make a mock backswing. Let your arms flow freely to the top while rotating your hips and shoulders. Now drive your left hip rotationally—try to get your hips square to the ball by the time your left arm is parallel to the ground.
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Avoid tilting your shoulders
While it may seem counterintuitive, tilting your shoulders is an important part of achieving a proper golf swing. However, it is crucial to avoid excessive tilting, which can lead to a collapse of your spine angle and a loss of power and synchronization in your swing. Here are some tips to help you avoid excessive shoulder tilting:
Firstly, focus on rotating your hips as you swing. A proper shoulder turn involves not just the shoulders but also the hips and torso. By rotating your hips, you create room for your front shoulder to rotate downward, allowing you to maintain your posture and stay on the proper swing plane. This technique will help you avoid excessive tilting and improve the power and accuracy of your swing.
Secondly, be mindful of your shoulder position at the setup. While a small amount of tilt is natural and necessary, especially when using a driver, you should avoid excessive tilting that can throw off your swing. At the setup, your shoulders should be relatively level with the ground, as this is the natural position for grabbing the club. As you begin your backswing, your shoulder tilt should gradually increase, with the average PGA Tour player achieving a tilt of around 28 degrees when the shaft is parallel to the ground.
Additionally, remember that the amount of tilt can vary depending on the club and lie. More shoulder tilt is generally needed when using a driver compared to irons. When hitting from an uphill lie, drop your right shoulder to match the slope, and when facing a downhill lie, drop your front shoulder to swing with the slope.
Finally, consider using tools like a Swing Align golf swing trainer or recording your swing to analyze your shoulder tilt and make adjustments. By focusing on hip rotation, maintaining the proper shoulder tilt at setup, adjusting for different clubs and lies, and utilizing tools for feedback, you can avoid excessive shoulder tilting and improve your golf swing.
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The importance of a balanced setup
Power and Consistency
A balanced setup is crucial for generating power and consistency in your golf swing. When your weight is evenly distributed between your feet, you create a stable platform from which to execute your swing. This balance allows you to make a full turn, engaging your larger muscle groups and maximising power. Without this solid foundation, your swing may lack the consistency needed to strike the ball with precision.
Improved Tempo and Smoother Transition
A proper balanced setup also contributes to a smoother tempo in your swing. By maintaining stability and control, you can transition from backswing to downswing with greater ease. This smooth transition helps you deliver a more fluid and powerful strike, improving the overall quality of your shots.
Correct Body Alignment
Achieving a balanced setup ensures your body is aligned correctly relative to the target line. This alignment is essential for making an effective turn and swing. When you're balanced, your shoulders, arms, and hips are positioned optimally, allowing for a full rotation and a powerful downswing. An improper setup can lead to tilting or swaying, which reduces power and accuracy.
Stability and Flexibility
A balanced setup provides the stability and flexibility needed for a successful golf swing. When your weight is evenly distributed, you create a stable base that allows for a full range of motion. This balance helps you maintain posture and stay on the proper swing plane, ensuring your body stays in sync throughout the swing. Flexibility is crucial for a powerful turn, and a balanced setup enables you to rotate your torso and hips effectively.
Mental Focus and Confidence
Finally, a balanced setup contributes to your mental game. When you feel balanced and stable, you can focus on the task at hand with greater clarity. This sense of balance and control can instil confidence in your swing, allowing you to trust your body and your technique. Mental focus and confidence are essential for peak performance on the golf course.
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How to pull, not push, during a turn
Pulling, not pushing, during a turn is a fundamental concept in the rotary swing. It is the difference between fighting against the force of movement and having everything work with you. When you push during a swing, you are more likely to lose lag, come over the top, or get the chicken wing, leading to fat shots.
To pull during a turn, you must focus on rotating your hips and shoulders. This allows the club to stay on plane, keep lag, and square the face naturally. It is not about forcing the hands to square the face but giving your body time and space to do it with rotation. Your first move down from the top should be a natural lower body rotation.
To achieve the correct shoulder turn in your golf swing, your rotation must include the hips. A proper shoulder turn involves turning your hips and torso. It relies on big muscles to drive the motion, and big muscles equal big power. By rotating your hips, your front shoulder has room to rotate downward, allowing you to maintain your posture and stay on the proper swing plane. If done correctly, your shoulders should turn down and under your chin, not out and around.
To practice pulling during a turn, you can use alignment sticks or lay down a club on the ground to confirm that your feet, hips, and shoulders are aligned parallel to your target line. For right-handed players, this means aligning parallel to the left of your target line. You can also insert a stick into the butt end of your club so that it extends out behind you. At setup, it should rest just outside your lead hip. Then, hit punch shots, making sure the stick doesn't hit your body. This drill helps train body rotation and prevents club flipping.
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Practising proper shoulder rotation
Common Misconceptions
Firstly, it is important to note that flexibility is not the main factor when it comes to achieving a proper shoulder turn. Many golfers think they need to be more flexible to achieve a full shoulder rotation, but this is a common misconception. In reality, a lack of flexibility is often due to a misunderstanding of how to rotate the shoulders and hips together to achieve a proper golf swing. Some golfers cheat by just tilting or swaging, relying entirely on their arms to get to the top of their backswing. This results in a tilt in the body or a collapse of the spine angle, causing a loss of power and synchronization.
The Role of the Hips
To achieve a proper shoulder turn, your rotation must include the hips. By rotating your hips, your front shoulder has room to rotate downward, allowing you to maintain your posture and stay on the proper swing plane. If you are a less flexible golfer, focusing on turning your hips will help you get your shoulders turned more relative to your target line, creating more power in your swing.
Practising Shoulder Rotation
To practise proper shoulder rotation, you can start by setting up with two alignment rods: one behind the golf ball and another over your shoulders. The rod behind the ball should be positioned about a clubhead and a half behind and slightly outside the ball. During the backswing, focus on getting the left side of the rod on your shoulders to hit the rod behind the ball. This reinforces the downward tilt of your left shoulder. When performing the downswing, mirror the drill by setting the rod a few inches in front of the ball. As you swing through, bring the right shoulder down in the same way, maintaining the correct tilt and body angle. This drill will help you feel the correct shoulder tilt and train your body to maintain this movement during an actual swing.
Additionally, you can focus on improving your knee flex to boost your shoulder turn. Many golfers go wrong by not utilizing the extension from their ankles to their hips. Copy the movement patterns of a Tour pro: turn your hips 45 degrees and your shoulders 90 degrees at the top.
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Frequently asked questions
A proper golf swing turn involves turning your hips and torso. It relies on big muscles to drive the motion, and big muscles equal big power. By rotating your hips, your front shoulder has room to rotate downward, allowing you to maintain your posture and stay on the proper swing plane.
Some golfers tend to cheat by just tilting or swaging, usually due to a lack of flexibility or a misunderstanding of how to rotate the shoulders and hips. This results in a tilt in the body or a collapse of the spine angle, causing a loss of power and inconsistency in the swing. Another common mistake is locking the lower body and lifting the arms, which inhibits the ability to turn and costs power.
To achieve a correct shoulder turn, your rotation must include the hips. A good swing thought is, "Turn the trail shoulder behind you". You can also try Greg Norman's swing thought, "Right pocket back", which involves turning your right-front pant pocket behind you to maximise your range of motion and prevent a sway to the right.
