Starting the Golf Swing

← Golf Instruction & Improvement | Swing Mechanics & Fundamentals

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Quick Answer

• Nail your setup: balanced stance, correct grip, and posture.
• Initiate the backswing with a smooth, connected turn of your shoulders and torso.
• Avoid an early, disconnected arm-only movement.

Who This Is For

• Brand new golfers trying to get the basics right from the get-go.
• Players who are hitting it inconsistently and suspect the problem starts before the club even moves.
• Anyone looking to build a repeatable and powerful golf swing.

What to Check First

• Your Grip: Is it too weak, too strong, or just right? Make sure your hands are in a position that allows the clubface to square up naturally. A neutral to slightly strong grip is often a solid starting point.
• Stance Width: Are your feet too close together or too far apart? Aim for a width that feels stable and allows for a good rotation without feeling like you’re going to fall over. Shoulder-width is a good benchmark.
• Posture and Balance: Are you bent correctly at the hips and knees? Does your weight feel centered, or are you leaning too far forward or back? You should feel athletic and ready to move.
• Clubface Alignment: Is the face of the club pointing directly at your target when you address the ball? This is fundamental. A closed or open clubface at address is a recipe for trouble.
• Ball Position: Is the ball placed correctly in your stance for the club you’re using? This varies by club and affects how the club interacts with the ball.

Step-by-Step Plan: How to Start the Golf Swing

1. Action: Get into your stance. What to look for: Feet should be roughly shoulder-width apart, with your weight balanced evenly between the balls of your feet. You should feel grounded and stable. Mistake to avoid: Having your feet too close together, which leads to instability, or too wide, which can restrict your hip turn and rotation.

2. Action: Take your grip. What to look for: Place your hands on the club with a relaxed but firm pressure. Imagine you’re holding a small bird – you don’t want it to fly away, but you don’t want to crush it either. Your lead hand should be positioned so you see about two to three knuckles when looking down. Mistake to avoid: Gripping the club too tightly. This restricts wrist action, slows down clubhead speed, and leads to tension throughout your swing.

3. Action: Address the ball. What to look for: Position the ball in your stance according to the club you’re using (generally more forward for longer clubs, more centered for shorter clubs). Ensure the clubface is square to your target line. Your body should feel athletic, with a slight bend in your knees and hips. Mistake to avoid: Having the clubface open or closed at address. This means you’re already fighting to get the club back to square at impact.

4. Action: Initiate the takeaway. What to look for: Start the club back with a smooth, connected movement driven by the rotation of your shoulders and torso. Your arms should move away from the ball with your body, maintaining the triangle formed by your arms and shoulders. Mistake to avoid: Yanking the club away with just your hands and wrists. This disconnects your body from your arms, leading to a loss of power and control.

5. Action: Maintain your posture. What to look for: As you start the backswing, keep that athletic bend in your knees and hips. Your spine angle should remain relatively consistent, allowing for a free turn. Mistake to avoid: Standing up or straightening your legs too early in the takeaway. This throws off your balance and swing plane.

6. Action: Feel the weight shift. What to look for: As your shoulders turn away from the ball, you should feel a slight shift of your weight towards your trail foot (your right foot if you’re right-handed). This loading action is crucial for generating power. Mistake to avoid: Swaying your body laterally instead of rotating, or keeping all your weight on your lead foot. This prevents proper weight transfer and power generation.

7. Action: Develop lag (optional but beneficial). What to look for: As your backswing continues, allow your wrists to naturally hinge as your body continues to turn. The goal is to create an angle between your lead arm and the club shaft that is maintained for as long as possible into the downswing. Mistake to avoid: Trying to “help” the club through the ball with your hands too early, or unhinging your wrists prematurely. This kills speed and consistency.

How to Start the Golf Swing with Power and Precision

Getting the start of your golf swing right is like laying a solid foundation for a house. If the base is weak, the whole structure is compromised. This means focusing on your setup and the initial movement away from the ball. It’s not about hitting hard; it’s about setting up for a clean, powerful, and repeatable motion.

The Setup: Your Foundation

Before the club even moves, you need to get your physical positioning dialed in. This involves your stance, grip, and posture.

Stance: Grounded and Stable

Think of your stance as your athletic base. For most shots, you’ll want your feet to be about shoulder-width apart. This provides a stable platform from which to rotate. If you’re hitting a driver, you might widen it slightly for even more stability. For shorter irons, you might narrow it a touch.

• What to look for: A stance that feels balanced and allows you to comfortably turn your hips and shoulders. You should feel like you can shift your weight easily.
• Mistake to avoid: A stance that’s too narrow will make you feel wobbly and unstable, prone to losing balance. A stance that’s too wide can restrict your body’s natural rotation and make it harder to generate power.

Grip: The Connection Point

Your grip is your only connection to the club, so it’s critical. The goal is to hold the club in a way that allows the clubface to return to square at impact, and to do so without unnecessary tension.

• What to look for: A neutral to slightly strong grip is generally recommended for most golfers. This means your hands are rotated slightly towards your target. You should see two to three knuckles on your lead hand when looking down. The pressure should be light – think about holding a delicate object.
• Mistake to avoid: Gripping the club too tightly is a common culprit for many golfers. This creates tension that travels up your arms and into your shoulders, restricting your natural swing motion and robbing you of clubhead speed. It can also lead to a closed or open clubface at impact.

Posture: Athletic and Balanced

Your posture sets up the entire swing. You want to feel athletic and ready to move.

• What to look for: A slight bend in your knees, allowing your hips to hinge forward. Your spine should have a natural athletic tilt away from the ball, not be perfectly upright or hunched over. Your arms should hang naturally from your shoulders, creating a slight gap between your hands and your thighs. Your weight should feel centered, or slightly towards the balls of your feet.
• Mistake to avoid: Standing too upright, which can lead to a loss of balance and a steep swing. Conversely, bending too much from the waist without hinging your hips can restrict your rotation and lead to back issues.

The Takeaway: Your Swing’s Opening Act

This is where many golfers go wrong. The takeaway is the initial movement of the club away from the ball, and it’s crucial for setting up the rest of your swing.

The Connected Turn

The takeaway should be a smooth, unified motion. It’s not about lifting the club with your arms; it’s about turning your body.

• What to look for: As you begin to move the club back, think of your shoulders and chest turning away from the ball. Your arms should move away as a unit with your torso, maintaining the triangle formed by your arms and shoulders. The clubhead should stay relatively low to the ground in the initial part of the backswing.
• Mistake to avoid: The most common mistake here is an “arm lift” or “scoop.” This is when golfers try to lift the club away with just their hands and arms, completely disconnecting their body. This leads to an out-of-sync swing, inconsistent contact, and a significant loss of power.

Weight Shift: Loading Up

As you initiate your takeaway, your weight should begin to shift.

• What to look for: You should feel a subtle transfer of weight to your trail foot (right foot for right-handers). This isn’t a big lateral sway, but a controlled shift that allows you to “load up” power for the downswing.
• Mistake to avoid: Swaying your hips laterally instead of rotating them. This is like trying to swing a hammer while standing on a slippery surface – you lose your balance and your power. Also, keeping all your weight on your lead foot will prevent you from loading up effectively.

Common Mistakes

• Gripping too tightly — Reduces clubhead speed and control. It’s like trying to throw a ball with a clenched fist, you lose finesse. — Fix: Practice with lighter pressure. Imagine you’re holding a delicate flower or a tube of toothpaste you don’t want to squeeze too hard.
• Stance too narrow — Leads to instability and poor balance. You’ll feel like you’re on stilts, ready to topple over. — Fix: Widen your stance to shoulder-width for a solid, grounded base that allows for good rotation.
• Early wrist hinge — Causes loss of connection and power. Your arms get ahead of your body, and you lose the potential for lag. — Fix: Focus on a shoulder-led takeaway. Let the wrists hinge naturally as your body rotates, rather than forcing them.
• Incorrect ball position — Affects how the club contacts the ball, leading to fat or thin shots. — Fix: Consult your club manufacturer’s guide or a pro for proper ball placement with each club. It’s not one-size-fits-all.
• Standing up too early — Disrupts your spine angle and balance, leading to inconsistent contact. — Fix: Focus on maintaining your posture and spine angle throughout the takeaway and backswing. Feel your weight shift, not your height change.
• Trying to “lift” the ball with your hands — This is a major power killer and leads to scooping. — Fix: Trust that the loft of the club and your body’s rotation will lift the ball. The hands should guide, not lift.

FAQ

• What is the ideal grip pressure for starting a golf swing?

Aim for a pressure that feels firm but not tense, about a 3-4 on a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is maximum squeeze. You want enough pressure to control the club, but not so much that it restricts your wrists and arms.

• How wide should my stance be when beginning a golf swing?

For most shots, a stance that is roughly shoulder-width apart is a good starting point. This provides a stable base for rotation. Adjustments can be made based on club length and personal comfort, but avoid extremes.

• What is the role of the shoulders in the initial phase of the golf swing?

Your shoulders are key initiators of the backswing. They should lead the takeaway, turning your torso away from the ball in a connected motion with your arms. This sets up a proper rotation and creates potential energy.

• Should I try to lift the ball with my hands at the start of the swing?

Absolutely not. The loft of the club and the rotation of your body are what lift the ball. Trying to lift it with your hands leads to a “scooping” motion, loss of control, and inconsistent contact.

• How important is posture when I start my swing?

Posture is paramount. A good athletic posture, with a slight bend in the knees and a hinge at the hips, allows for proper balance, rotation, and a consistent swing plane. It’s the foundation for everything else.

• What if my clubface isn’t square when I start?

This is a common issue that needs addressing immediately. Re-check your grip, ensuring your hands are in the correct position. Then, square the clubface to your target before taking your stance. Make small, deliberate adjustments until it looks right.

• How much should my weight shift in the takeaway?

The weight shift should be subtle and controlled. You’ll feel most of your weight move to your trail foot as your shoulders turn. It’s about loading power, not swaying your entire body off-balance.