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
Instruction
How to play your best golf when the temperature drops
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
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.
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
What we can learn from Blades Brown’s impressive American Express performance
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.
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