A great backswing puts you in good position at the top and sets the stage for the rest of the golf swing – a good transition and impact zone.
A poor backswing, whether it be off plane or poor tempo, can really hamper your ability to get back to the ball with any consistency.
There are many keys to making a perfect backswing, but in this video I discuss 4 of what I believe are the key factors in executing the first half of the golf swing.
First, every golfer should learn how to make a supple waggle. This frees up the tension in the hands, and gives a sneak preview of the arc. I use my feet in the waggle as well, so that my entire body stays loose and in motion.
Next, a subtle forward press will keep us in motion for a smooth takeaway to our golf swings, and gives us a sneak preview of the pivot going through impact.
Taking the clubhead back smoothly requires the use of the big muscles of the hips and trunk. I believe in starting the wrist cock about 1 hour into the backswing when the handle of the club has reached the middle of the right thigh, or even the right hip.
In this manner, the body’s center of mass (CoM) is the first thing to move, and the motion then radiates out to the fingertips like a wave or a whip.
Finally, make sure to hit your plane checkpoints in the mirror every day for a couple of minutes. At first parallel, which defines the end of the takeaway, we want the club fairly close to pointing parallel to our intended line of flight. This will require that the arms and body follow a parallel arc as the club shaft. We will need the Austin pivot to make this the easiest.
At the top of the swing, you should again be on a parallel, both to the ground and to the intended target. It’s ok to go a little past parallel as long as a wide arc is not compromised.
At this point we are braced, wound up, and ready to spring off the back foot to pivot and throw the clubhead.