Instruction
Which of these 6 downswing transitions is right for you?
Watch any PGA Tour event and you’ll see varying setups, takeaways, and moves to the top, but the most important part is the transition move that begins the downswing. For the purposes of this article, we’ll call it a plane-angle shift between the backswing and the downswing. This shift sets up your delivery position into the ball and allows you to deliver the club in a more powerful position.
In this article, I cover six of the eight general types of shifts and the settings of the plane angles at address. And for each one, I reference Tour examples that we all know and understand so you can relate to how these shifts work.
My resource for these shifts comes from Homer Kelley’s classic book, The Golfing Machine. It’s not necessary to understand all these shifts — unless you teach golf for a living — but identifying the one that’s pertinent to your swing can help your game. Remember, there is no one way to swing a club, and any of these shifts can be used to produce a swing that is repeatable and PGA Tour quality.
The Zero Shift
The “zero shift” is just what it states, the club shaft starts on one of the address plane angles and never leaves it, back and through. It is a short and flat golf swing, and an efficient procedure that produces very accurate shots. It takes a strong person to use the zero shift, because it does not produce the swing length and power of the others shifts, so you have to be careful with it.
Tour examples: Moe Norman, Alan Doyle, Matt Kuchar
The Single Shift
The “single shift” is a move from the club-shaft plane at address to a steeper and more vertical plane during the transition. This is most commonly seen in a player who moves the ball from left to right. Golfers with this swing have a very slight out-and-over move from the last part of the backswing into the transition.
This single shift can easily change into an uncontrolled over-the-top transition when pressure causes the player’s tempo to become too quick during the downswing. Players successfully using this type of transitional shift all have slow, syrupy tempos while they make the plane-angle shift into the downstroke. This is a very good model for anyone looking to move the ball left to right exclusively.
Tour examples: Craig Perry, Corey Pavin, Olin Browne
The Double Shift
The “double shift” is the most common plane-angle shift model taught by most teachers. This shift starts from the club-shaft plane at address, moves into a slightly more upright position into the backstroke, and then falls back to the elbow/club-shaft plane through the ball.
This is a very good motion to make if you can keep the club shaft from lifting too much into the last part of the backswing, which is where most people foul this shift up. They tend to allow the club shaft to lift too much, thus raising the entire right side of the body and forcing the right shoulder to move outward to start the downswing, or over the top. Use the “double shift” if you have good flexibility; if not use another transitional model.
Tour examples: Ernie Els, Kevin Kisner, David Frost
The Triple Shift
The “triple shift” is the classic in-up-and-over move that is most commonly abused by the average player who moves the club inside off the takeaway, trying to hit a draw, and over-cooks it off the start.
When the club shaft creeps too deep behind the club-shaft plane line during the backswing, the net result is a lift, which in turn throws the club over the top. If you use this plane-angle shift, then you must control your release or you can hit left-to-left shots or weak slices to the right that have too much height. The solution is to understand why the club moves inside off the start: over-rotation of the torso or over-rotation of the left forearm.
Tour examples: Bruce Lietzke, Craig Stadler, Kevin Stadler
The Reverse Shift
The “reverse shift” is just like the single shift, but in reverse. This type of action has the club lift steeply to the top with a high right shoulder, and then it’s re-routed to the club-shaft plane line established at address.
In my opinion, this is the easiest plane-angle shift to make because if you take it back steeply and straight up, then the only place for it to go on the way down is back to the inside.
Players who use this shift must have powerful lateral and rotary hip motions to aid the reversing action on the way down, and they tend to have slower transitions and back problems later into their careers. Another issue with this plane-angle shift is not giving the club time to drop back to the club-shaft plane line on the way down.
Tour examples: Fred Couples, Jim Furyk, Lee Trevino
The Reverse Loop
The “reverse loop” is used by players who lift the club to the top slightly, yet have shoulder turns that are level or perpendicular to the axis of the spine at the top. These players have no need to re-route the arms and shoulders; they only need to re-route the shaft, moving it back to the club-shaft plane line established at address.
The best example of this plane-angle shift is Nick Price, who can be seen in the transition reversing the club with a noticeable “flattening” of the shaft in his downswing without dropping his arms violently. These players are using the rotation, or the supination of the right forearm (moving the right palm to the sky during the shift), to flatten the shaft and drop it behind them back to the club-shaft plane line at address.
The only problem with this type of shift is allowing the club shaft to fall too deep behind the club-shaft plane line on the way down, getting stuck and hanging the ball to the right. This is my favorite plane-angle shift for the player who naturally has a “level” shoulder turn to the top.
Tour examples: Nick Price, Nick Faldo, Rickie Fowler
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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MAC O
Jun 8, 2016 at 3:14 pm
I THINK YOU NEED TO COME AND SEE ME AND GET YOUR DEFINITIONS OF HOMER KELLEY’S TGM FIXED UP. $2500 FOR 3 DAYS SHOULD SORT YOU OUT, ACTUALLY ADD ANOTHER $500 FOR THE CASINO.
Pat
Mar 31, 2016 at 5:58 pm
I have the reverse loop shift and my swing is inside out so my go to shot is the straight draw. I think it’s one of best ways to add power to swing along with doing the squat. I can hit it 300 yards carry as a result of being able to generate swing speeds up to 122mph. Most amateurs don’t have the flexibility in their hips and shoulders so the most common mistake is coming over the top.
Patsy
Apr 3, 2016 at 5:58 am
“I can hit it 300 yards carry as a result of being able to generate swing speeds up to 122mph.”
Are you a pro?
Tom
Mar 28, 2016 at 4:16 pm
Interesting piece. Thanks. I have been working on the zero shift, although I think I hit it most powerfully when I feel the club flatten even more in my transition. My question is: As the zero shift kind of relies on keeping the left arm connected to the chest throughout the swing, and Kuchar has worked on turning back more vertically, how does this add up? Should I be content to stay flatter throughout or is a more vertical shoulder turn on the takeaway still a good idea? I hate to ask such a nuanced question, but that right there is the source of all my swing experimentation/inconsistency.
Mikee
Mar 27, 2016 at 11:47 am
Thanx for (yet another) excellent article Tom. Part of the reason GolfWRX is the best golf website is due to the excellent instruction and instructors (like yourself) who contribute to the site.
Which of these is the “best” ?
My instructor keeps “beating on me” as I have a single shift which, if I am not pausing at the top, results in a “pull slice” due to a club path of about -5 degrees and a open club face (+1 or so). Would it be fair to say that the best ” move from the top” would be a lower- body initiated downswing trigger (ie. push off with your back foot, or rotate your left hip or straighten your left leg or a combination of the three)?
Jeff
Mar 25, 2016 at 8:47 pm
A good read and new information to me. Which one of the shifts should an amatuer work towards? I read the article a couple of times and I can understand the difference between the shifts, but I’m still not sure which of the transitions is right for me. Is the point to experiment with the different shifts? It’s definitely an informative article but I feel like there’s some gaps in what is trying to be conveyed.
Mark Moser
Mar 25, 2016 at 12:00 pm
I love to read the comments from the “wanna be Pros” who rip everything. If you were that good we’d see you playing on tv or selling teaching videos!! Guess what-you’re not as good as you think you are and not everything is about you!! Get over yourselves!! Let these great teachers share their different techniques with us readers and allow each reader pick what works for them. Just because you disagree or it doesn’t work for YOU don’t rip it as it works for someone else. Plus your negative attitudes will take people who need this help and steer them away from trying them and improving their games.
So please “Forum Pros” if you can’t add something positive……….. Shut up.
Martin
Mar 25, 2016 at 4:48 pm
I agree Mark! We get this wonderful, worldclass instructions for free!!! Everybody don’t like to read, but a lot of us do. So thank you Tom!!!
Pat
Mar 31, 2016 at 6:00 pm
Chill out dude. You seem butt hurt. Nobody is ripping this article. Take a xanax, you’ll feel better, lol.
Martin
Mar 25, 2016 at 9:50 am
The single shift is my swingtype. I have been very frustrated about this and have been trying to do the opposite for three or four seasons, mainly because trainers have been pushing me to do that. But thats not natural to me. I guess the “problem” with this type of swing is to NOT get over the top more than slightly. Any tips for drills to make this single shift swing work fo me?
John Grossi
Mar 25, 2016 at 7:22 am
Tom, very informative article. After reading it, I think I have used all 6 at one time or another. The last one, reverse loop, is the one I would be thrilled to work into my swing full time. I have admired Nick Prices swing, and lately Fowlers. It seems like a very powerful and consistent way to deliver the clubhead to the ball. I see this move in Mark O’Meara and Sergio Garcia also. Any other tips on this move? Thanks again for another great article.
jon
Mar 25, 2016 at 12:33 am
maybe it’s time to introduce gifs especially for articles like these
Mat
Mar 25, 2016 at 5:46 am
Amen
Philip
Mar 24, 2016 at 11:46 pm
Is this article targeting golfers? Or instructors? … oh well, maybe there will be a follow-up article that connects the voids.
tom stickney
Mar 25, 2016 at 2:59 pm
This article was designed to help you understand which shift you have…there will be a future article with videos linking it all together. More of an informational thing to play off what Scott Hamilton is doing.
Chuck D
Mar 24, 2016 at 10:32 pm
Hey Steve, and to think that Tommy is a Trackman Master/Partner with “distinction!” Hey Tommy, we feel like we’ve been shorted of your expertise. No trackman, and in my humble opinion, video would have been a tad more effective to illustrate the actual transition moves we are all afflicted with. GOLF INSTRUCTION……ONWARD AND UPWARD!!!
Steve
Mar 24, 2016 at 5:22 pm
What did I just read? Pictures were totally unhelpful.
Steve
Mar 24, 2016 at 4:39 pm
Nice article and no trackman data, that a boy
tom stickney
Mar 25, 2016 at 3:03 pm
Steve–
I see you still cannot help yourself with your consistent negative comments…why don’t you contact me personally and we’ll discuss? I’d love to hear your thoughts…
Michael Breed
Mar 24, 2016 at 1:24 pm
Using my willy the wacky weasel pool toy training aide will fix your transition and have you bombing down the the fairway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! N
Weekend Duffer
Mar 24, 2016 at 1:28 pm
where do i buy???
Tom
Mar 24, 2016 at 9:18 pm
weekend duffer you can buy it @ a adult toy store.
Jay
Mar 24, 2016 at 11:42 am
Nah – we just make it hard
tony
Mar 24, 2016 at 11:28 am
golf is so hard