Instruction
Should you pause at the top of your backswing?
I’ve been so busy teaching this winter that I haven’t had much time to send a few swing tips your way. As you know, most of my articles stem from the patterns I see over and over on the lesson tee. The day-to-day actions of the people I teach alert me to the fact that certain swing flaws are worthy of mentioning in a public forum.
I recently heard Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee talking about all the great players who have paused at the top of their swing. He named Bob Murphy, Jay Haas, Byron Nelson and a few others. Of course now we have Jordan Spieth and Hideki Matsuyama, who do this same thing. As a teacher of wide variety of skill sets, I think there could be a problem with this advice. For every player who has paused at the top of their swing, there are many more who do not.
Notice the (very) slight pause at the top of Tiger Woods’ backswing.
Often, when I see someone attempting to do the pause move (in an effort generally to complete their backswing), they invariably move the upper body first and ruin the proper sequence. Matsuyama and others have a slight hesitation, but they drive their lower body first and are able to separate the torso from the pelvis to create power in the proper sequence.
There is no pause at the top of Sergio Garcia’s backswing.
Great players have great sequencing. It’s part of what makes them great. They initiate the downswing from the ground up. This holds true for those who pause slightly, as well as those who do not. But for most golfers, a sequence of starting the lower body toward the target as the arms and club are still going back is a better option simply because they are less inclined to cast or come over it.
For those inclined to be too quick from the top, a practice drill featuring a slight pause might be well worth the effort, but it is generally not a good idea to try to incorporate it into the real swing. It very often has the reverse effect on what is being attempted, because trying to get the torso to stay behind the ball is more difficult while attempting to pause. The urge to move ahead of the ball is stronger when one tries to stop near the top. The golf swing is one continuous dynamic motion, and the more awareness we can create of the correct sequencing, the better off we are.
A good place to start might be on small pitch shots and little half wedges. For myself, I know I can feel this better in slow, small swings at first. Then I’ll work my way down the bag. This drill can be a bit disconcerting at first and it might take a little getting used to, but I have seen it help a lot of my students feel a better sequence.
If you’d like me to analyze your swing, go to my Facebook page or contact me (dennisclarkgolf@gmail.com) about my online swing analysis program.
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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Merkwin
Mar 9, 2015 at 1:06 pm
Chamblee and Miller are two VERY different animals, with two very different resumés
Al
Mar 1, 2015 at 9:52 am
Yes and no, identically to all other golf instruction. The only reason to subscribe to a golf magazine for 2 years is to read all that of last year is wrong.
theo
Feb 28, 2015 at 10:59 am
A couple points I have issue with in the article (not trying to argue – just my take. Sad we have to make that disclaimer on WRX since it’s such a argumentative place).
Sergio doesn’t have a pause. YET his PROBLEM when the pressure on is inevitably that he doesn’t finish his turn. Such as last week at Riviera when he started spraying his driver while out of sequence. So a pause would be of value to him thereby giving him a completed backswing. If he paused from the top on 17 and 18 he likely would have been playing from the fairway.
Additionally, pausing at the top TYPICALLY causes the golfer to initiate the downswing from the bottom up. The reason is that from a stalled (paused) position, downswing transitional energy must be generated off of a resistant surface such as the feet on the stable ground. In my experience it’s the players who pause that are best with their ground up downswing. They typically have a Hideki move unless we are talking about a raw beginner.
Dennis Clark
Feb 28, 2015 at 2:07 pm
You’re right Theo; it is sad you have to make that disclaimer but point well taken…As to the suggestions… Sergio’s snap hooks were the result of quitting with his pelvic rotation THROUGH THE BALL, not away. If he had gone back further (“finished his turn”) he would have come even more from the inside and hit even more of a hook. Her comes in to the golf ball on a lower plane than most anyone out there, and with a flatter shaft requiring a concerted effort to rotate HARD through the ball to slow his club down from closing. If I saw some huge high slices Id be inclined to suggest going further back. Under the gun, an aggressive turn through is always a better bet than a longer backswing simply because it misses right if anything. Thx for your comment
Tanner
Feb 28, 2015 at 7:53 am
Dennis,
Good article, besides the pause, my takeaway is the ground up sequence, why is this so difficult? I will try the shorter swings and push off with the right foot. Not sure why my bad swing is better for now. But, in the long haul, it is not. Does it take a year to commit to this transition? Tanner
Dennis Clark
Feb 27, 2015 at 8:11 am
sure did…had a chance to play with Murph one time, he could golf his ball…
Teedogg
Feb 26, 2015 at 11:03 pm
Murphy never tried to pause it at the top according to him he was trying to feel a full turn and a good left arm extension at the top. He did beat Jack and Arnie 40 years ago this week at the Honda (Gleason) so it worked for him.
Joe Duffer
Feb 26, 2015 at 3:47 pm
Years ago, Charles Barkley was told that a “Pause” at the top would be a good thing to incorporate into his THEN pretty good game (6 cap). It didn’t work well at all…
Dennis Clark
Feb 26, 2015 at 5:46 pm
That’s a whole other story????. I gave him a lesson maybe 20 years ago and that hitch/yip was not there then. But he wasn’t a 6…
DS
May 22, 2024 at 8:09 am
Thought he might have left off a digit (like “26 cap”). : )
I’ve incorporated a pause into my swing. When I don’t, I hit pulls. Also, like Byron, I’m much (MUCH) better when I am “leisurely” in my transition rather than in ATTACK mode from the top. As you’ve seen over and over again, this is such an individual game and the pausers certainly seem to be the minority. Would prefer I wasn’t one as it took a while to sort out how to hit the ball the most solidly for me, but it is what it is.
dapadre
Feb 26, 2015 at 10:36 am
I think its all about PACE/TEMPO. I read somewhere that a analysis was carried out to see what all good ball strikers had in common, what they found out the 3-1 Tempo. Those that had a quick tempo ( no pause) or those that had a slower tempo, they all had 3-1 (3 counts up, 1 down). Maybe this could be the clue to whether you need a pause or not.
tlmck
Feb 26, 2015 at 2:49 am
I have been pausing for 34 years now and always will.
Regis
Feb 26, 2015 at 8:40 pm
I think you can now start the downswing. You’ve paused long enough. Just kidding.
Matt
Feb 27, 2015 at 3:20 pm
HA, that was great!
A
Feb 25, 2015 at 8:17 pm
This is also Tiger’s problem. His teenage swing was so great because his focus was on the target, and getting the ball to bend and move exactly how he wanted it to. His current state is focused on positions and hitting the ball (recent interview). It’s why his game has fallen apart.
.
The reason he used to hit so many incredible shots out of crazy lies and situations, is because that was when he would hyper-focus on exactly what he wanted the ball to do, and just execute his creativity. Now he’s missing greens from 100 yards in the fairway and skulling wedges because he is committing this exact “death move” – focusing his mind on the ball.
Brian
Feb 26, 2015 at 7:15 am
why isn’t tiger reading this comment section? He would be back by now. 😉
A
Feb 25, 2015 at 8:06 pm
“Pausing” doesn’t have to mean a full stop, freeze. What appears as a pause should actually be a check of being in the most balanced and powerful position to swing through to the target! The backswing achieves nothing but getting you into a position from which you create a powerful through swing.
.
As you said, good players have good sequencing. And if they sequence the same all the time, they will excel. Where as for a player that has inconsistent sequencing, when his swing is anything less than full power it falls apart. On partial swings, how do you sequence your through-swing if you are used to a rushed and jerky transition with strain in your full swing?
.
A “pause” is indicative of a player that has and regularly finds a balanced and powerful position at the top of the swing, and can find that position on 100%, 90%, 80%, … swings, and still complete the same sequenced swing to the finish. A “no-pause” player is not necessarily in a balanced and powerful position at the top of the swing (ie non-pros), and if that is true it can result in a lot of inconsistency in the through swing at different levels of effort. A lack of balance at the top of the swing is typical of an “aggressive transition” amateur, and eliminating that inconsistency by “pausing” (read: finding a balanced and powerful position from which to start the through swing to the target every time) can be helpful.
simeon
Feb 25, 2015 at 7:02 pm
If I don’t pause I tend to take my backswing too far, lift my torso up and cup my lift wrist. Pausing for me is more like a deliberate end point for my backswing. I don’t know though.
jerry
Feb 25, 2015 at 6:52 pm
I don’t know if i have a pause, but when i reach the top of my backswing, there is a feeling of no resistance on the club until after my weight begins to transfer and hips begin turn, which is then followed by the sequence of my downswing. if i don’t have this feeling, which i can only describe as almost no resistance at top of backswing (*if i think, and try to pause it just throws everything off), i feel like and have seen videos of myself and it does not allow me to drop club into proper “slot” as i guess it would be described, and then just feels abnormal. I don’t see a literal “pause” at top of my back swing, the best way to describe the feeling i get, and this may be a “pause” of sort, kind of a really really slow transition where i can let the club fall into place while my lower half is already beginning turn, and then continue with downswing. Maybe I’m slightly in between, i am not a teacher…just found this article interesting and maybe get a response on something to tinker with.
Dennis Clark
Feb 26, 2015 at 6:52 pm
Jerry. I know exactly what you mean. It’s a feeling. I doubt that anything actually stops but the first motion down is a slight push off the rear foot allowing the arms to drop onto the “reentry” plane. Feeling it start a little before the completion of the backswing takes a little getting used to but can create a great sequence particularly if you tend to be an early releaser. Try it you’ll like it
Dennis clark
Feb 25, 2015 at 6:29 pm
I get a lot of my very early releases and casters to try and start down a little earlier. Pausing is the death move for them
A
Feb 25, 2015 at 8:10 pm
It’s a death move only because their focus is on the ball, and not the target. If they pause, their brain has a moment to hesitate, they react and think “oh shoot, I better not miss the ball” and then proceed to try to shove the club at the ball in an effort to not miss it. You’re right, that is a death move!
.
Stop them from trying to hit the ball!! Instead: Swing to the target!!
Dave S
Feb 25, 2015 at 5:20 pm
I think that pausing at the top only really works for flexible golfers. I’m about the least flexible person ever, so trying to emulate pros’ swings is problematic for me. I say the exaggerated pause at the top of Matsuyama’s swing and gave it a try. It didn’t work. My lack of flexibility caused me to have to either un-torque my lower half to allow the club to pause OR start the downswing with my arms instead of the lower body… neither are good.
Dennis Clark
Feb 25, 2015 at 4:06 pm
Also have to consider that the lower body starts laterally for upright swings and more rotary for flatter planes. Neither effects the sequencing however.
Wayne
Feb 25, 2015 at 2:47 pm
Dennis,
For my swing, the pause at the top enables me to fire the hips before starting the downswing. It has really helped me from “coming over the top”. My natural tendency is not to pause but I’ve found that it promotes the sequence that allows me to drop the club in the slot. Pausing at the top has really improved my game.
Cheers.
Scott
Feb 25, 2015 at 12:26 pm
Dennis,
I agree with your analysis on the stop at the top. I have tried this before in a effort to slow my back swing down as well as develop more feel of where the club head was in the swing. It did not work. With your suggestions and observations, I may give this another shot.
Stretch
Feb 25, 2015 at 12:16 pm
A second comment is the way both players drop their heads and create ground force to help launch the ball. Sergio does not extend his lead side as far upwards as Tiger does. Tiger’s shoulder goes above his head through the strike which looks to be why his back and knee are continuing to be an issue.
Stretch
Feb 25, 2015 at 11:54 am
In looking at Sergio’s slo mo swing it is interesting to note that the club head being well inside the hands from down the line facilitates enough downward weight loading that helps the lower body start at the same time as the club drops down into the delivery slot. No pause really helps in windy conditions where a pause and a wind gust can create a clanker of a shot.
K Staff
Feb 25, 2015 at 11:36 am
By definition a change in direction is considered a “pause,” correct? Certain players’ pause is more discernible than others.
I don’t think players should strive to “stop” at the top, but rather not “hit” from the top and allow the lower body initiate the downswing sequence. Does that make sense?
TJ Chester
Feb 25, 2015 at 11:21 am
CJ Bell…. HUH?? Aside from Miller being a bag of Hot Air, Chamblee and Kostis are the most knowledgeable announcers in golf and provide great insight. What makes you think GolfWRX is ‘the Source of Truth’? Have your own Opinion!!!
Person
Feb 25, 2015 at 11:21 am
I pause at the top of my swing just so I can start my hip rotation early and to start my weight transfer from neutral to the ball of my front foot.
Dennis Clark
Feb 25, 2015 at 10:41 am
so true CJ
CJ Bell
Feb 25, 2015 at 9:55 am
How many real golf instructors and reputable websites like GolfWRX do we need to see including “Chamblee” and “problem” in the same article before the Golf Channel starts realizing how much he is hurting the game? If you want to remain misinformed then by all means keep your volume up during a telecast while Chamblee, Kostis, Faldo, Miller, etc. attempt to break down player mishits into something being a “fraction” (-Faldo) off on the 2D bizhub.