Instruction
Why trying to create more lag can hurt your game
During what seems like every PGA Tour telecast, there’s a swing video analysis segment that mentions how a player retains the angle formed between the club shaft and the left forearm during the downswing.
This action, called “lag,” often confuses the average golfer who’s watching because they see it as a singular key to distance, power and consistency. But that’s not necessarily the case. In this article, I show the correct way to retain the angle, and also a few ineffective ways I’ve seen my students try to lag the club in the downswing.
Proper lag is mainly created during the transitional phase of the downswing and is controlled by the actions of linear force and the centrifugal rotation of the body, not through improper focus on the wrists and/or right elbow. Basically, if the pivot of the body is correct and in the proper kinematic sequence on the way down, then this angle will take care of itself. It is not a conscious thought or physical action of the arms, hands, or wrists on the way down as some players believe.
All too often, players try to make a conscious effort to retain this angle, or “delay the hit,” in order to fix an over-the-top action that they’re aggravated about. By forcing this move, they tend to put themselves into a position at belt-high where they cannot catch up. As a result, they either leave the ball our right or back up and out of it.
Don’t force yourself into this position. Allow lag to happen naturally.
Whenever you cast the club or lose the angle too early in the downswing, it is usually caused by an incorrect start to the downstroke and improper body rotation. It’s here where we will discover the physiological functions that the body must follow in order to retain the lag for good, and where your swing is going wrong.
Before we dive any deeper, let’s examine the correct motion of the swing in order to create and hold the angle of the clubshaft and the left forearm. As your club reaches the top, there should be some type of angle formed between the left wrist and the forearm at the top. Most players have this angle in excess of 90 degrees to the top. In order to fix this casting action, they must first understand how lag is created, maintained, delivered and unloaded.
When the club is ALMOST to the top, several things happen and occur rapidly.
- The lower body begins to shift laterally a little to right field, which moves your center of gravity forward and shifts your weight onto the front part of the left foot. This sets the body in motion while the club is left behind.
- As the club starts to move into the downstroke, your wrist angle becomes more acute as a result of the forward motions of your body. This is due to the linear drop of the clubshaft to the inside to start the forward swing, and the increasing flex and path of the right elbow as it moves closer to your side to accommodate a flatter and more inside downstroke plane.
- From here, as the club moves between your chest and belt, your sternum and zipper now “re-connect” to some degree in order to rotate through the impact area in a more connected fashion.
- During the final rotation phase of the downstroke — belt high through impact — the angle is held off from releasing due to the body’s rotation. A natural release occurs through impact, as the club is thrown into impact via centrifugal force. This is not a conscious movement, but one that occurs naturally.
So what mistakes are amateurs making, since lag isn’t happening naturally for them?
1. Casters, Blockers, and Over-the-Toppers
Don’t try to hold the angle!
Don’t try to hold the angle! By focusing your attention on the upper body, primarily the hands, wrists or right elbow, you’ll get all out of sequence on the way down. Let the body lead the club at the start of the downstroke, which will allow the club to fall linearly and let the shoulders work naturally. That way, the club can achieve the proper inside plane.
2. Right-Elbow Jammers and Spin-out Masters
Trying to hold the angle by spinning the hips rapidly to start the downstroke, in order to hold the angle or lag on the way down, causes you the most problems.
This move is incorrect because when your hips spin out from under you, the base of your spine moves toward the target while the shoulders and head lag behind, which results in a dramatic falling back of the upper body through impact. As this occurs, the body falls backward to start the downstroke, thereby eliminating the return of the right elbow back to the proper area in front of your side. By spinning out and falling back, you cause your right elbow to become jammed up behind your right hip (due to the rearward falling of the upper spine), and thus, you flip your hands through impact to regain some remnants of power you lost by jamming up your right elbow.
Utilize the proper blend of upper and lower body rotation, so they can work together, and you will hit it farther with less effort! Every swing has some degree of spinal lean to the right during impact, but you will find that the most accurate professionals control this action very well. They don’t allow the lower body to out-race the upper body; thus, their spine stays controllably tilted to the right of vertical through impact.
3. John Daly Impersonators
If your only goal in life is to hit the ball 500 yards off the tee, and you try to achieve it by utilizing only the strength in your upper body, you can lose the angle by trying to overpower the downstroke with the hands. By trying to kill the ball from the transitional area throughout the downstroke, you’re setting yourself up to lose the angle by not letting your body do the work and releasing your hands prematurely as you swing from out to in. Don’t use your arms and hands to overpower the downswing; just use your whole body!
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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Other Paul
Apr 9, 2016 at 1:47 am
I was taught a very different swing. I have the fast open hips, open shoulders at impact, lots of lag.
The trick with lag is to not maximize it at the top, if you do then your wrists let it go early. If you max it about 1/3 through the down swing then you release it and you get the full benefits. I added 20MPH, now swinging 115-120MPH. Hitting a nice draw to. Time to sign up to get an official handicap and play some local Amateur tournaments.
Jimmy
Apr 8, 2016 at 8:02 pm
Jack Nicklaus said that as long as you clear your hips and get your left side out of the way there is no such thing as too early of a release. I remember when Sergio first came out on tour, he used to use an Elastic band that he would attach to his wrist and the club to increase his clubhead lag. Sergio used to have WILD misses with his driver from low sweeping hooks to big push slices. He still has massive amounts of delay in his swing compared to other players but much less then when he was in the beginning of his career. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
Dennis Clark
Apr 8, 2016 at 12:31 pm
Spot on pro.
Gibb Pete Ahchance
Apr 8, 2016 at 12:17 am
If you pivot correctly lag happens
cgasucks
Apr 7, 2016 at 9:01 pm
For me, I concentrate of having as much shaft lean at impact as possible and I have all the “lag” I can handle.
tony
Apr 7, 2016 at 3:38 pm
Hi Tom,
what is your opinion about moving your tailbone towards Left Center Field (for a righty) instead of the lateral shift swing thought to right field?
for whatever reason this helped my sync up my timing and eliminate early extension.
the lateral shift to right field swing thought exaggerated my early extension probably cause my right hip popped out way too soon.