Trevor Ng
The reverse pivot is a common issue in golf that affects the accuracy and distance of shots. It occurs when a golfer's body weight moves in the opposite direction to the intended swing, resulting in a loss of power and control. To correct this, golfers should focus on transferring their weight to the back foot during the early stages of the swing, maintaining a balanced stance with their feet shoulder-width apart, and tilting their spine forward from the hips. Additionally, excessive wrist action during the backswing can contribute to a reverse pivot, so it's important to maintain a proper hinge to keep the club in the correct swing plane. By making these adjustments, golfers can improve their swing mechanics and achieve more consistent and powerful shots.
How to stop reverse pivot in golf
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Weight transfer | Should happen as a result of a pivot and turn, not a slide. |
| Body movement | During the backswing, the body weight should be moved towards the back foot. During the downswing, the weight distribution should transition towards the front foot. |
| Wrist action | Excessive wrist action can cause the club to get out of position. |
| Spine angle | Should not be changed during the swing. |
| Hips | Slightly bump the hips so the lead hip is higher than the trail hip. |
| Head position | Can impact the reverse pivot. |
| Angle of the spine | Can impact the reverse pivot. |
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What You'll Learn
Avoid excessive wrist action on the backswing
The wrists play a crucial role in a golf swing. They are responsible for generating power, controlling the clubface, and creating the correct angle of attack. During the backswing, the wrists should hinge naturally as the club is swung back. This will help create a wider arc and generate more power.
To avoid excessive wrist action on the backswing, you must first ensure that you have a proper grip on the club. Grip the club in the fingers of your hand, not in the palm. If the club is held too much in the palm, wrist action becomes challenging to feel and control.
Next, you must understand the three ways in which the wrists move: extension/flexion, radial deviation/ulnar deviation, and pronation/supination. Flexion and extension in the wrists are most critical for learning to control the clubface and hit straighter shots. The wrist position changes throughout the swing, so it must be correct at setup and at the top of the backswing to have the best chance for a square and solid impact.
To test if you are hinging your wrist too much during the backswing, take a half-backswing and stop the club. Look at your lead wrist position. Is it hinged? Has your lead wrist started to extend or cup because of this hinge? A proper hinge will help maintain the correct swing plane and prevent a reverse pivot.
To improve your wrist action, you can try the following drill: Take your normal driver stance with the ball positioned under your lead shoulder. Slightly flare both feet outward for better rotation. Maintain a connected arm structure to avoid excessive lifting or steepening of the club path. Slowly rotate into your backswing until you reach the top and stop. Adjust your wrist angles using real-time feedback to get your wrists into the green zone. Reset and repeat the drill, performing at least 10 repetitions and aiming for at least 50% of reps in range.
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Ensure correct spine angle
Ensuring a correct spine angle is critical to making a good golf swing. The correct spine tilt angles your front shoulder slightly up and your trailing shoulder slightly down. This slight spine tilt puts your body in the ideal position to turn away from the ball without collapsing forward or sliding away from the ball.
To achieve the correct spine angle, set your feet about shoulder-width apart for an iron shot and slightly wider for a driver. Your knees should be flexed just right, with your upper body tilted forward. Your lower back should remain as flat as possible, and your tailbone should feel like it is pushed back. Keep your weight centred in the middle of your feet, not back in your heels or out on your toes.
A good drill for maintaining your spine angle is to practice your takeaway and concentrate on immediately moving your front shoulder down instead of lifting your arms up or moving your shoulders out and around. After getting in the right set-up position, with your spine angled forward by bending at the hips, turn the club back using both your shoulders and hips, not your arms. When your club reaches horizontal, the face of your club should be parallel to your spine angle.
To avoid a reverse pivot, do not change your spine angle during the swing. A reverse pivot can also be caused by too much extension and hinging of the wrists in the swing; keeping a flatter lead wrist can help to set you up for a better shot.
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Focus on weight transfer
To stop a reverse pivot in golf, one must focus on weight transfer. A reverse pivot occurs when a golfer transfers their body weight incorrectly, which reduces the distance and accuracy of the shot. During the backswing, the golfer's weight should be shifted towards the back foot, and then towards the front foot during the downswing.
To correct this, golfers should focus on transferring their weight to their back foot during the early stages of the swing, which will prevent a reverse pivot. This can be achieved by using golf alignment sticks placed on the ground to ensure the weight transfer happens efficiently. Additionally, golfers should start with a balanced stance and posture, with their feet shoulder-width apart and their spine tilted forward from the hips.
Another trick to ensure proper weight transfer is to slightly bump the hips so that the lead hip is higher than the trail hip. This creates a feeling of leading up the trail side and ensures consistency in the strike. It is important to note that this position change is slight and does not involve a full lean to the trail side.
Furthermore, golfers should focus on their wrist action during the backswing. Excessive wrist action can cause the club to get out of position, leading to a reverse pivot. To check for excessive wrist hinging, golfers can take a half-backswing and stop to observe their lead wrist position. If the lead wrist is hinged, extended, or cupped, it indicates excessive wrist action.
By focusing on weight transfer and making the necessary adjustments to their stance, posture, and wrist action, golfers can improve their pivot and achieve more powerful and accurate shots.
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Hips and upper spine alignment
The hips and upper spine alignment is crucial in avoiding a reverse pivot in golf. A reverse pivot can cause your body to move incorrectly, reducing the distance and accuracy of your shots.
To set yourself up correctly, start with a balanced stance and posture. Position your feet shoulder-width apart, with your spine tilted forward from your hips. A slight bump in the hips can help, with the lead hip slightly higher than the trail hip. This small change in angle makes a big difference in ensuring consistency in your strike.
When taking the club back, push it back down the line a bit to create space for your arms to swing and force your hips to rotate better. This will help you rotate your hips through impact without swaying them laterally.
It is important to maintain a consistent spine angle throughout your swing. Changes in spine angle, especially if it increases, can lead to a reverse pivot. Analysing your swing through videos can help you identify any adjustments in your spine angle that you may not feel during the swing.
To improve your hip alignment, try this drill: stand with your club across your shoulders and your arms crossed, then tilt your right side towards your right shoe while feeling your left side open towards the target. This will help you understand the correct hip alignment and prevent the hip slide that initiates the reverse pivot.
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Practice with drills and alignment sticks
The reverse pivot is a common flaw in a golfer's swing, where the body moves in the opposite direction to what is mechanically correct. This results in poor rotation and weight shift during the backswing and downswing, reducing the accuracy and distance of the shot.
To correct this, you can use alignment sticks and practice drills to improve your technique. Here are some ways to do this:
- Set up your stance and posture correctly: Place your feet shoulder-width apart and tilt your spine forward from your hips. Bump your hips slightly so that the lead hip is higher than the trail hip. This will help you achieve the correct weight transfer during the swing.
- Use alignment sticks: Place alignment sticks or a club on the ground between your feet, with the stick pointing towards the camera, not the target. This will help you focus on keeping your nose behind the line during the transition while still turning your hips.
- Neck-tie drill: Try the necktie drill, which will help you understand if your swing is improving and if you're generating efficient power.
- Wrist action: Check your wrist action during the backswing. Excessive wrist action can cause your club to get out of position. Ensure your lead wrist is hinged correctly to maintain the correct swing plane and prevent a reverse pivot.
- Two-step drill: Modify the two-step drill to focus on keeping your hip below the shelf, creating a proper pivot. This will help you correct issues with your hands, wrist position, takeaway, and weight transfer.
- Impact position: Before attempting full swings, start with small swings to learn the correct impact position. Use a short iron and practice balls. Lean your weight into your left side and open your hips towards the target, allowing your right foot to rise onto its toes.
- Weight transfer: Focus on transferring your weight to the back foot during the early stages of the swing to avoid a reverse pivot. Ensure your weight is split evenly between both feet at the address, then transfer it to the back foot during the backswing, and finally to the front foot during the downswing.
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Frequently asked questions
A reverse pivot is a move in golf where the body weight is moved in the opposite direction of what is intended. During the backswing, the golfer moves their weight towards the front foot, and during the downswing, they move their body weight towards the back foot. This results in reduced distance and accuracy.
Start with a balanced stance and posture. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and tilt your spine forward from your hips. Slightly bump your hips so that the lead hip is higher than the trail hip. This will help you avoid a reverse pivot and ensure more consistency in your strikes.
A reverse pivot can be caused by excessive wrist action during the backswing, as well as incorrect head position and spine angle. Another cause can be the feeling that you need to help lift the ball off the ground, which leads to a reverse pivot as you try to scoop the ball from underneath.
