Instruction
Backswing 101: Tips to get the club on plane in the backswing
While Flightscope offers my students a host of swing data, one of the most common statements that I hear is: “I don’t know how to consistently get to the top of my backswing.”
The old saying, “The ball does not care about anything except for impact” might be true, but the backswing does set the stage for our move into the ball. The cleaner and more efficient the backswing, the easier and more reactionary the downswing can be.
If you’re struggling with your backswing, I suggest that you try the following practice drills, which includes the tracing of visual checkpoints and synchronizing the movements of the body, arms and club. Passing through these checkpoints is known as swinging the club back “on plane.” To identify what’s on plane, we will keep the club pointing at or parallel to the target line throughout the backswing.
The Start Up
In the photos above, I have attached a training aid to the end of the grip, which effectively extends the shaft of the club into my stomach. To start my backswing, I focus on keeping the club head pointing at the target line from address until the hands are approximately opposite my right thigh. The grip remains in contact with my stomach, thus assuring consistent radius and synchronization during start up. This is achieved by turning the core, while eliminating independent hand action.
The Halfway Back Position
Continue turning as you guide the club shaft through the parallel-to-the-target-line position, and then point the grip at the target line when you’re halfway back. I call this giving the club direction. The shaft can either lay down in a horizontal position, which is commonly known as flat (pointing too far outside the target line), or move too vertically, known as steep (the grip end pointing too much towards your toes). It is up to you to give the club proper direction and point the grip end at the target line.
Getting It to the Top
From an on-plane, halfway-back position continue turning your shoulders to complete your backswing, with the club shaft pointing at an extension of the target line (if you are swinging a driver and you are flexible enough, the club shaft will once again be parallel to the target line). The club and arms should stop moving backward when your shoulders stop turning. That is your check point for a synchronized top of swing. From here all you have to do is reverse the engines and keep pivoting all of the way through to a balanced finish.
Here is some good news. Use these checkpoints as guidelines, but they DO NOT have to be perfect. More than a few playing professionals only hit some of these locations. If you have discovered a consistent way to get to the top of your swing through trial and error or athletic prowess, by all means stick with it. Use these reference points to clean up any unwanted or extra movements.
If your backswing has been a cloud of confusion, then the closer you get to being on plane and synchronized, the better and more reliable your swing will become. Work these check points in front of a mirror or a reflection. A little practice time away from the ball will greatly speed up your coordination of the movements and make for more productive sessions when you get to the range.
Enjoy some peace of mind and find the right blend for your swing.
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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sze
Jun 12, 2014 at 5:32 am
follow your first tip for my driver, for two rounds in three days, I hit every fairway , 20 to 30 yards more. thank you
Michael Howes
Jun 14, 2014 at 8:07 pm
You are very welcome. Thx for the update!
Ian harris
Jun 10, 2014 at 10:01 pm
I would disagree with your description of on plane. An on plane backswing would have the shaft parallel to it’s angle at address halfway back not pointing at the target line.
cody
Jun 9, 2014 at 7:20 pm
how do you set the angle on the stick to put in the ground? I am 6’2″ what do I use as a reference point.
Michael Howes
Jun 10, 2014 at 3:42 pm
Cody – The angle of the stick will match the angle of the shaft for whatever club you are using at the time. The stick will be at a more upright angle for a wedge and a flatter angle for a 5 iron. Just work on pointing at or parallel to the target line with all clubs and that is your main check point.
Dave
Jun 8, 2014 at 2:17 pm
Another question about the on plane back swing: I had an instructor that had the clubhead outside of my hands (and face angle the same as my spine angle, which prompted me first response) when the shaft was parallel to the ground. What would the purpose of this be? I hit it good from that position for what it’s worth.
Michael Howes
Jun 9, 2014 at 4:28 pm
Hello Dave – sounds like you were taking the club quickly to the inside to a degree that you were not able to recover from. It’s “worth” a lot that you hit it well from your new position – the proper blend for your swing.
Rod
Jun 6, 2014 at 10:52 pm
Hi Michael, thanks for such a good summary. I was hitting the ball ok but although I was starting the back swing with my arms, I wasn’t bringing the club back parallel to the target line. I was taking the club straight up. I now have stopped the last bit of lateral movement in my back swing and it’s a bit shallower. I can feel my right elbow more connected to my body which must set up my downswing because it also feels a lot shallower. I’m hitting most shots a lot straighter and looking forward to your approach to the downswing.
Michael Howes
Jun 7, 2014 at 8:43 am
Sounds like you are on the right track Rod – keep working it.
paul
Jun 5, 2014 at 7:22 pm
When I first started messing around with golf about 3-4 years ago (lucky to shoot 110), I remember figuring out what this article is teaching with “plane” (ha ha) dumb luck. A friend of mine who knew more then I did said it looked great. Then once I learned that the swing arc is never going to be straight and needs to come from the inside my scores plummeted. Learning golf for me has always been a series of “A ha!” moments and this was the first one with scores that drop a few strokes each “A ha!” Shooting 90 now on 6400 yard courses now.
Matt
Jun 5, 2014 at 6:24 pm
No lie I just gained 4mph clubhead speed when I do this correctly…you ‘da man!
Michael Howes
Jun 7, 2014 at 8:40 am
Nice!!!
Michael Howes
Jun 4, 2014 at 7:51 pm
Hello guys. Summer is here, so I have been on the range with enthusiastic junior golfers & am just now getting a chance to check out your feedback & article comments. Thanks for reading & taking the time to provide input. Bear with me & I look forward to discussing my thoughts on the backswing with you. I hope you all have a great summer season!
Mbwa Kali Sana
Jun 4, 2014 at 4:24 pm
Your fine description should be completed by the indication that the backswing move is initiated (or correlated if you wish )with the weight of the body being brought on the back foot.
Also some golf Pros (Such as great teacher of the past ,JOE DANTE-THE FOUR MAGIC MOVES OF WINNING GOLF ) teach to hinge the wrists at the very beginning of the backswing ,then turn ..
Michael Howes
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:29 pm
A classic read…
paul
Jun 4, 2014 at 2:41 pm
I only focus on where my club is at the top and my wrist angle in a mirror once in a while. Rest seems to fall into place on its own.
Michael Howes
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:54 pm
Thx for posting David. While not the intent of this article, keep in mind that direction isn’t just clubface positions. A slice is the relationship between face & path (among other variables…).
David
Jun 5, 2014 at 11:20 am
I’m certainly not saying that the to up position is wrong. For beginners though it is sometimes hard for them to get back to square from this position. I also think it has to do with how upright or flat your swing is.
David
Jun 4, 2014 at 12:17 pm
Halfway back the club face is open if the toe is pointed straight up. Most people will slice from this position and would be better off if the club face is the same as the spine angle.
Richard L Cox III
Jun 4, 2014 at 12:47 pm
David, by your logic, does the clubface match the spine angle throughout the swing?
The toe-up position is square at the 9 o’clock position by the same precept that the toe up position is square at the 3 o’clock position.
David
Jun 5, 2014 at 11:18 am
No, it’s just a checkpoint for fixing a slice. I work with lots of beginners and lots of them would struggle to square up the face when they are in this position coming back. Some may say that’s hooding the club, but I find that an upright swing benefits from this more so than a flatter swing.
Nunya
Jun 4, 2014 at 2:12 pm
Disagree.
Toe-up will vary somewhat based on grip strength but this is a great way to check against yanking the club inside.
Michael Howes
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:16 pm
I agree Nunya & that was the point of this article – Plane awareness.
Scott Shields
Jun 4, 2014 at 11:58 am
If you have the time, buy two laser pointers, and attach to the bottom end and grip end of club. And just make sure the laser is always pointing at the line. My coach made me one years back, as part of TGM program. I love it.
Michael Howes
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:04 pm
Correct Scott – Doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that.
Darren Tan
Jun 5, 2014 at 9:02 pm
About the laser, I know why we need to attach to the grip end of the club.
But what is the bottom end? And why do we need that?
Thanks!
RobN
Jun 6, 2014 at 10:04 am
One on the bottom end, down by the head and pointing to the ground at address, will allow you to be sure you are taking the club back along the target line. As the club moves up the backswing, the laser on the grip end will then come in to play and point at the target line.
Darren Tan
Jun 8, 2014 at 10:06 pm
I see.
Thanks RobN for the explanation.
DaveMac
Jun 4, 2014 at 11:00 am
Thanks for the article. Golf swing tuition has been obsessed with the belief if you get the backswing right then the downswing will be right as well, unfortunately this is not the case. I think it is important to stress that the halfway back shaft plane is not the same as the halfway down shaft plane which needs to be flatter ( more in line with the right arm) .
While it might be tempting to see the swing in this way, matching the 1/2 way back position on the downswing will cause an over the plane strike which requires high hands at impact resulting in weak strikes.
Michael Howes
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:14 pm
The golf swing is a chain of good moves. Not always “Perfect” positions, but more importantly proper dynamics. I agree there is no magic move. One of those dynamics is the flattening of the shaft during the downswing.
Hennybogan
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:45 pm
Flattening the clubhead/shaft during the transition is a staple in elite ball strikers the last 70 years. So why is it now taught by some instructors to steepen the clubhead/shaft? I’m i missing something here? Can’t find one tour player who does this.
Winmac
Jun 6, 2014 at 12:43 am
I think for me personally, it works. Whenever you got the backswing right, you can’t go wrong on the downswing. Maybe some directional issues or a little draw / fade but never will it caused the basic problems of fat / thin shots.
IH8
Jun 4, 2014 at 9:50 am
This is one of the best instructional articles I’ve ever read on this site. You know what, it’s just one of the best period. Concise and straight to the point, with effective use of visual aids. A lot of the articles on this site tend to get a little over the top and become difficult to absorb and take with you. This article should become the template for articles on wrx!
Michael Howes
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:03 pm
Appreciate ur post IH8
Owen
Jun 4, 2014 at 9:38 am
You should publish a similar post on downswing to impact, and then impact to follow through. Good stuff!
SwingerWinger
Jun 4, 2014 at 10:07 am
+1
Regis
Jun 4, 2014 at 2:18 pm
+2
Michael Howes
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:02 pm
Thx guys!
JJ
Jun 4, 2014 at 9:32 am
I think the first portion of the takeaway is the hardest to repeat. Michael, what’s a good technique or method to get to the halfway back position using your core and not your hands?
Richard L Cox III
Jun 4, 2014 at 12:53 pm
JJ,
Try to imagine a full bucket of water in-between your hands. Practice making the action back to 9 o’clock without spilling any imaginary water. You’ll notice that the pit of your right arm stays skyward and your right arm stays fairly straight and extended. From that point you should be able to elevate your arms almost straight up into a proper backswing position.
Hieronymus
Jun 4, 2014 at 2:02 pm
“Try to imagine a full bucket of water in-between your hands.
Straight out of the Little Red Book….
Harvey was the man.
JJ
Jun 4, 2014 at 7:59 pm
Thanks boys, appreciate the insight!
Michael Howes
Jun 4, 2014 at 8:01 pm
JJ – try the variation of the drill suggested in the article. Choke down on the club until your hands are on the steel & the grip end is stuck in your stomach. Rehearse turning back until the hands are opposite your right thigh & keep the grip in contact with your navel. You can also choke down to the steel and let the grip rest against the outside left hip. Either way, rehearse the takeaway keeping contact between grip and body until hands over right thigh – then continue turning & point the grip end at target line 9:00 position.
Chip Hunt
Jun 6, 2014 at 10:59 am
My teacher just took my alignment stick and shoved it down into the hole at the butt end of my golf grip. It works just fine for the drill.