What is the Proper Golf Backswing? Find Out with These Golf Backswing Tips

Proper Golf Backswing TipsFor the backswing and the subsequent golf swing to be effective, you must first have the right golf grip, address position, and ball position in your stance. Many golfers ask what the proper golf backswing entails and how to perform it correctly.

First of all, as there are many different golf swing styles, there is no one proper golf backswing sequence. However, there are certain golf backswing tips that are pretty much universal. Remember, it is best to learn one style of swing and stick to it. For example: The Simple Golf Swing by David Nevogt or the Purepoint Golf Swing by Bobby Eldridge.

Description of the Golf Backswing

The backswing can be described as a rotation to the right with a weight shift to the right side. Some golfers like to think of it as a movement that turns their back towards the target and others prefer to think of it as turning their chest away from the target. It is good to find a thought that you identify with a feeling of coiling and resistance.

The proper golf backswing will start from the top to the bottom. In other words, the initial takeaway starts with your shoulder and arms, your torso, and is followed by your hips and lower body.

The aim of the golf backswing is to create resistance or torque by the coiling of the body. The resistance is created by the greater turning of the upper body and shoulders (a shoulder turn of 90 degrees for example) and the lesser turning of the hips and lower body (a hip turn of 40 degrees.)

The Initial Takeaway

What starts the backswing? The proper golf backswing starts with a one piece takeaway which involves the club-head, shaft, hands, arms, and right shoulder. All of these elements should start to move at the same time, with the club-head starting back on an arc and the right shoulder starting to turn backwards. This one piece takeaway continues until the club shaft is parallel to the ground in the 9 0’clock position.

As in the address position, the knees are slightly flexed throughout the initial takeaway. The right knee does not change position during the backswing, but the left knee will move towards the right knee as the club starts back due to the resistance between upper and lower body.

One of the mistakes that some golfers make with the initial takeaway is to take the club back on the ball to target line, probably because so many people say to take the club straight back. The takeaway of the proper golf backswing is to take the club-head back in an arc inside the target line.

Up to the Top of the Backswing

Once you arrive at the 9 o’clock position, there are a couple of things to remember to do correctly. That is, continue the shoulder turn (but never tilt the shoulder up, it must turn) and the golf club swings up in an arc. The right hip should rotate a little bit but it should not follow the rotation of the right shoulder.

During the backswing, the left arm remains long and almost straight but never rigid. It will be hinged from the left shoulder and will swing open across your body just like a gate swinging open. By keeping your left arm long you will be making a longer arc which provides the power in the downswing for more club-head speed. The right arm, however, will start to fold after continuing from the 9 o’clock position.

At the Top of the Backswing

There are two important positions to check at the top of the backswing. The first is to make sure that the shaft of the golf club is pointing just to the left of the target. In other words, it should be parallel to your feet / hips / shoulder line, which is just left of the target as well. The second is to make sure that the right knee did not move from its original position; it was slightly flexed. Your right knee is the foundation of a proper golf backswing.

Further Golf Backswing Tips

Do not hurry your backswing or try to swing back too fast; this will not make your downswing any faster and will only cause you golf swing problems. Your backswing should be not too fast and not too slow either; a steady tempo is what you should aim for.

Finally, remember that at the address position, your weight should be evenly distributed between both feet. Also, you may have noticed that I didn’t mention anything about weight transfer or the cocking of the wrists. That is because I have been describing the Purepoint Golf Swing which is easier to learn than the traditional swing. You don’t have to worry about these things; they will happen naturally.

Proper Golf Backswing Series of Golf Swing Tips

Look out for the other golf swing tips articles on the grip, the address position, downswing, and the follow through that will show you how to golf better. Hopefully these proper golf backswing tips will help you to start playing golf with a more consistent swing.

About

Mick has played golf for almost 40 years and has written golf tips articles for the last 5 years. He became a very proficient golfer after switching to the Purepoint Golf swing system – either the Simple Golf Swing System by David Nevogt or the Full Golf Swing by Bobby Eldridge are both easy to learn, consistent, and repeatable golf swings .

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