Instruction

How balance affects your swing shape

Published

11 years ago

Jun 12, 2015

When golfers swing in balance, they generally hit the ball more solid and less crooked. Most GolfWRX readers already know that, but what they may not know is that balance can play a significant role in the shape of their swings, which of course will affect the shape of their shots.

There are few absolutes in the game of golf, but I am seeing more frequently through the use of technology that golfers who swing in balance also have better control of the delivery of the golf club through impact. Those of us who struggle with our balance throughout the swing are frequently making recovery motions to maintain our balance, which in turn negatively effects our ability to deliver the golf club to the ball consistently on the downswing.

One of my regular students came to me recently, struggling with bad ball contact and an ugly slice. My launch monitor dutifully shared with me obvious characteristics of a slice swing. He’s a right-handed golfer, and his swing path was 12.3 degrees to the left, while his club face was 5.2 degrees to the right of his path.

Another tracking device that I like to use when gathering data about a student’s technique is the BodiTrak Pressure Mat system, which allows me to analyze a golfer’s center of pressure throughout the swing. This provided me with some interesting insight as to why my golfer’s swing had slice characteristics. At the top of my student’s golf swing, much of his pressure was towards his toes, 61 percent on his target foot and 76 percent on his trail foot.

Note the fade swing characteristics and the toe pressure at the top of the swing.

I find that many of my students who have a center of pressure that moves toward their toes during their backswing can produce one of two major swing flaws:

To counter balance their heavy toe pressure, their arms swing very deep behind their bodies on their backswing to try to stay in balance.
Their lack of balance limits their ability to make a big enough turn to get the golf club on an ideal downswing plane.

Both toe-heavy backswing characteristics frequently evolve into a steeper downswing plane and a slice swing path.

I shared this observation with my student, and encouraged him to keep his center of pressure more centered by exaggerating the feeling and trying to keep his weight a little toward his heels. He reacted beautifully to this observation.

His very next swing produced the following results:

At the top part of his swing, his pressure moved to 61 percent on his left heel and 63 percent on his right heel.
This change in foot pressure produced a bigger back swing turn, which evolved into a different downswing delivery and draw ball flight characteristics (a swing path of 5.1 degrees to the right and a club face that was 2.7 degree to the left of his path).

Note the draw swing characteristics and the heel pressure tendencies at the top of the swing.

By simply focusing solely on his balance, my student’s “athlete” was able to react subconsciously in a completely different manner that produced much more solid ball contact and his preferred ball flight.

We all know how important balance is to making good, consistent contact. Perhaps now, you can add the characteristic of balance to help improve your swing shape.

Good luck!

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Tim Mitchell

Certified Teaching Professional at the Pelican Hill Golf Club, Newport Coast, CA. Ranked as one of the best teachers in California & Hawaii by Golf Digest Titleist Performance Institute Certified www.youtube.com/uranser

18 Comments

Josh

Jul 31, 2015 at 10:55 am

I’m curious what a left foot bias weight shift would cause on the swing path. This clears up my thoughts on a balance with no weight shift being more beneficial than actually shifting weight.

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Sira

Jun 15, 2015 at 3:36 am

I agree with Alex below. Isn’t the ball of your feet= weight shift more toward the ball?

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Fade

Jun 14, 2015 at 8:59 pm

Hi Tim, interesting concept and one I need to keep in mind at the range.

Quick observation, if you look a the two images you provide, it looks as though the top one (slice), the student had an open stance. In the bottom one (draw), the student had a closed stance. So, at least with a cursory glance at the images, it wasn’t just weight shift that changed, but the students’ stance (open vs closed) too, which could also affect shot shape. Am I misinterpreting the graphs and seeing something that is not there?

Reply Report comment
- Tim Mitchell
  
  Jun 16, 2015 at 1:06 am
  
  Fade-good observation. The student also significantly changed his lateral center of pressure on his backswing, too (fade swing 85, draw swing 62). The most interesting items of note for this particular golfer was how instinctive and immediate the changes were, just by focusing on his balance. The major dynamic changes that took place to produce a different ball flight was really fun to watch. I can tell you there was no conscious thought or preparation to change ball flight through set up.
  
  Reply Report comment
Jeff*

Jun 14, 2015 at 7:37 pm

Awesome article. I’m not a teacher, but a good player, and this article says something I’ve seen/experienced myself and shows why. I always called it hip-sway, but it’s a reaction to losing balance. Most players can’t deliver the ball back to the ball the same when they take it back and try and “shift their weight.” The weight gets stuck in the toes because they lost their balance by “shifting.” Nobody thinks about their weight shift when they throw a punch or a pitch. Thanks for the article.

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other paul

Jun 14, 2015 at 7:10 pm

I have been trying to move my weight back a bit and I pull hook the crap put of it sometimes. I tend to roll my hands… Coupled with a swing that is usually a few degrees in to out makes it pretty bad.

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Neige

Jun 13, 2015 at 8:37 pm

nice. I hope this will help me with my slice.

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Steve

Jun 13, 2015 at 9:35 am

In your example, did his swing slow down with weight on heels? I would quess that a driver would produce more on the toes swing, trying to swing to hard. I bet if you would have put a wedge in his hands the swing would be more balanced. Not swinging out of your shoes creates more balance.

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- Tim Mitchell
  
  Jun 16, 2015 at 1:08 am
  
  His swing speeds stayed similar Steve. In fact, the draw swing was just a little faster.
  
  Reply Report comment
wpk

Jun 12, 2015 at 7:36 pm

Very nice article. I just heard something about this recently and it hits home. I agree with the other comment about a little bit better description of the images. What’s the orientation?

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Alex

Jun 12, 2015 at 5:17 pm

Good article, especially on footwork. I’ve always played my best golf when feeling the weight in my heels. Is it possible that I get more balance this way? I’ve seen for years lessons on tv or the internet by top teachers insisting on your weight on the balls of your feet, but this has never worked for me. How come?

Reply Report comment
- Tim Mitchell
  
  Jun 16, 2015 at 12:54 am
  
  Hi Alex. I would make three comments to your question.
  
  1. “Feel” and “Real” can sometimes be two very different things. Only through measurement can your motion be truly analyzed. Perhaps you’re actually on the balls of your feet during your swing.
  2. Golf swings just need to balance out…like a simple algebra problem. If all of your techniques match up, you can play good golf. You don’t need to look too far at unique golf swings like Jim Furyk, Lee Trevino and Paul Azinger to know that you just need to find something that works for you.
  3. A linear trace, or a center of pressure that works more over the balls of your feet, most frequently produces a more on plane golf swing. A lot of teachers/golfers prefer that. They argue that it’s a simpler, easier to repeat motion/technique.
  
  Hope that helps!
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Alex
    
    Jun 16, 2015 at 10:35 pm
    
    Thanks forma your comment, Tim
    
    Reply Report comment
John

Jun 12, 2015 at 4:46 pm

I’ve been struggling with hitting the toe on my irons, which I traced to having a too-steep swing. I’ve been struggling to consistently flatten it out, but I do find I’m on my toes quite a bit, so hopefully this is the cause!

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Golfraven

Jun 12, 2015 at 4:38 pm

powerful images.

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Hippocamp

Jun 12, 2015 at 3:55 pm

Super interesting. But can you explain the images a little more? Doesn’t the first picture show that the weight is mostly on the right heel rather than on the toes? Perhaps I’m just not looking at the images the right way…

Reply Report comment
- Tim Mitchell
  
  Jun 16, 2015 at 1:18 am
  
  Good observation Hippocamp. The article was written based upon the numbers measured by the BodiTrak system versus the coloring of the images. I have found them to be more accurate.
  
  Reply Report comment
Bryan P

Jun 12, 2015 at 2:34 pm

Interesting… I’ve always been a fade/slicer, I would also say that most the time I feel like I’m on my toes. I will have to give this a shot at the range the next time I’m out! Nice tip.

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Instruction

How to play your best golf when the temperature drops

Published

3 months ago

Feb 3, 2026

Brendon Elliott

The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.

“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.

Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.

If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.

Understand What Cold Does to Your Game

Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.

Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.

Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.

Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing

Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.

Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.

Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.

Take More Club Than You Think You Need

This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.

The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.

Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.

Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens

Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.

Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.

Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.

Embrace the Mental Challenge

Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”

That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.

Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.

Warm Up Longer and Smarter

This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.

World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.

Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.

The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.

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 “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, 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!

Instruction

3 lessons from Brooks Koepka that’ll actually lower your score

Published

3 months ago

Feb 2, 2026

Brendon Elliott

Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.

What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.

So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.

Stop Overthinking Every Shot

Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.

This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.

How to actually do this:

On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.

Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.

If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.

This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.

Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)

Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.

Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:

Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.

Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.

Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.

Save Your Best for When It Counts

Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.

How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.

Here’s what actually works:

Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.

Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.

Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.

The Bottom Line

Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.

You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.

Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.

Instruction

What we can learn from Blades Brown’s impressive American Express performance

Published

3 months ago

Jan 29, 2026

Brendon Elliott

Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.

Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.

Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee

Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.

Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.

Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.

The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.

Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens

This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.

How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.

Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.

Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.

When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.

Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient

Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.

He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.

Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.

Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.

Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.

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” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.