Instruction
The benefits of maintaining flex in your rear knee during the backswing
A point of contention in the golf swing is whether the rear knee (the right knee for right-handed golfers) should straighten or remain flexed in the backswing. I personally believe it completely depends on the player, but in this story, I’ll discuss the benefits of keeping the flex in your rear knee throughout the backswing.
To gain a better understanding of the rear knee, let’s start where any good golf-instruction article starts; with photos of Tiger Woods.
As you can see, I’ve highlighted Woods’ rear knee in both a down-the-line and face-on view. You can see that he maintains flex in his knee at the top of the backswing, and I’ve noted where the majority of his weight has shifted, as well (highlighted by the yellow dot on the right). Now, as stated earlier, I don’t personally care what the rear knee does because it’s completely player-dependent, however, it’s an important move to comprehend as it can help you sort out a few different flaws.
In this swing, Tiger has kept the address position of his rear knee constant from address all the way to the top, and if you examine the photo closely you will notice several things.
1) When the rear knee holds it flex to the top, you will find that it will cause the hips to have a more restricted motion on the backswing.
You can see that Tiger has very little hip turn to the top, and, in most cases, the overall shoulder turn will also be shortened; unless, of course, you have Tiger’s flexibility! Therefore, you should understand that if you hold the flex in your rear knee to the top, it will likely shorten your swing and tighten your hip turn. In general, the more flex you have, the greater you’ll restrict your turn. This is great for players who over-rotate or lose control of their weight during the transition.
2) When the rear knee holds its address position to the top, the weight will stay on the inside of the rear foot.
Restriction of the hips is one thing, and we as teachers can argue that point until we’re blue in the face. Few teachers, however, would advocate allowing the weight to shift to the outside of the rear foot on the backswing. When this happens, your rear hip will slide out, setting up a reverse weight shift. This will cause you to “hang back” through impact, meaning there is too much weight on the rear foot during impact.
So if you go back to the photo of Tiger above and look at the yellow dot, you’ll see Tiger has maintained his weight on the inside of the rear foot. This gives him something to push off on during the downswing and provides him the stability he needs to use the ground most effectively. Whenever I have an amateur sliding around on the backswing, I tend to see poor pivots and over-the-top transition. So if you are having trouble coming over the top, I would suggest you make sure you do not have your rear knee sliding out from under you to the top.
I would suggest using a mirror to audit these motions, and you will begin to see and feel how the rear knee affects your backswing motion. Experiment to see what is best for you and remember that there is NO wrong answer for your game once you understand what really happens when you control the rear knee to the top.
Look out for my next article, where I’ll address the benefits of keeping your rear knee straight, instead of flexed!
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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Bob Pegram
Jul 30, 2017 at 1:43 am
Contrary to a number of comments, it is possible to keep the right leg bent and still turn the hips. You just have to be flexible. Regular stretching helps a lot. Swinging a heavy club a number of times every day also increases flexibility and strength.
Jerry
Jul 25, 2017 at 6:28 am
If you look at Tiger’s swing in slo mo, you can tell that he DOES extend the rear leg a limited amount. So do not keep the rear leg static as it was at address.
Jerry
Jul 25, 2017 at 6:20 am
I’ve looked at a lot of vids of PGA pros and you DO see their rear leg straightening but it is not straight at the top of the swing. The amount of extension varies. Look at old vids of Palmer, Nicklaus, Hogan – the rear leg extends a certain amount. Look at vids of current players – in many it extends. Look at the ones who don’t – back issues eventually, especially if the front leg does not bend invwards a bit. In sum, don’t kill your back. It’s fine to extend the rear leg a bit. Older golfers may straighten it more to free up the rear hip and make a full term (their flexibility is limited).
asugrad1988
Jul 21, 2017 at 5:19 pm
I’ve just returned from volunteering on the range at an LPGA event. I have noticed a lot of the S. Koreans keep the right leg flexed.
Ude
Jul 21, 2017 at 6:56 pm
the slender girls or the stumpy girls, or both? You can see the bare legs of most LPGA players but none of the panted men on the PGA. Watch the LPGA if you want to see the golf swing from the ground up.
acemandrake
Jul 21, 2017 at 9:07 am
What is “GRF”? (I struggle with acronyms 🙂 )
Randy
Jul 21, 2017 at 1:09 pm
GRF=ground reaction force
acemandrake
Jul 21, 2017 at 3:59 pm
Thanks!
Ude
Jul 21, 2017 at 6:51 pm
Stickney = crickets * * * * *
AceW7Iron
Jul 21, 2017 at 7:32 am
Golf magazine has an article this month that says the opposite…it says you should NOT keep a bent rt knee but rather straighten it by pushing your hip back behind you. Claims a bent knee robs you of power and backswing width.
TR1PTIK
Jul 21, 2017 at 1:03 pm
Depends on the player which is exactly what the author stated at the beginning of the article. If you have the requisite flexibility to keep the right knee bent AND need to because your backswing is too long causing you to lose control of the club path, by all means do so. It’s something I’ve worked on and it helps. BUT, if you have poor flexibility in the torso and shoulders, feel free to straighten the right leg a bit more which will help you push the hips around and create a bigger swing. It fully depends on the needs of the player. There is no one-size-fits-all in golf.
JEC
Jul 21, 2017 at 5:48 pm
Poor flexibility or great flexibility…..it will eventually destroy your back. The human body is not meant to move is a such a fashion.
Ude
Jul 21, 2017 at 6:53 pm
and that’s why 95% of all golfers worldwide cannot break 100, without cheating.
JEC
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:20 pm
Golf coaches destroying the average players backs one lesson at a time.
Nathan
Jul 20, 2017 at 7:48 pm
Agreed, brutally poor advice that will lead to injury…but hey, gotta keep pumping out the articles…
Ude
Jul 20, 2017 at 7:51 pm
Best advice for the average golfer is GET RID OF YOUR BEER BELLY IF YOU WANNA SWING A GOLF CLUB!
Someone
Jul 21, 2017 at 7:01 pm
Jb Holmes, Jason dufner, John daly, Andrew johnston, and many more would disagree with your comment.
emb
Jul 20, 2017 at 2:41 pm
although tigers swing is a great model, the fact that he’s had numerous knee/back surgeries would point to some of his positions wearing excessively on his body. Maintaining trail knee flex is a move for a very very small percentage of golfers as most do not have the flexibility to successfully execute this move as it restricts hip and shoulder turn. Decent article but 95% of amateur should be losing flex/straightening their trail knees for more turn and less injury
prime21
Jul 22, 2017 at 6:26 pm
so you’re saying Tiger’s issues with his knee/back point back to him maintaining flex in his right knee during his backswing? You can’t truly believe that.
Jerry
Jul 25, 2017 at 6:14 am
Think about it. You are creating a lot of torque to your back if you do not extent the rear leg and free up the back hip while making your turn – will lead to back issues. If you look at a lot of pros, you will see some extension of the rear leg to free up the hip – the rear leg is not straight, but it extends.
Samwise G.
Jul 20, 2017 at 11:48 am
So, in your recommended model. The backswing should feel almost as if the legs don’t do anything but hold their position in the backswing (all upper body backswing feel)?
I tend to keep weight on the balls/toes if my rear foot when I try to maintain rear knee flex—it leads to strange problems (notably, right leg straightening in the transition/downswing and shifting my whole upper body forward and causing at last second flip to hit the ball straight) that took me a long time to trace back to how my rear foot was bearing weight.
If I let my rear leg straighten (hip feels like it goes straight back (not a sway / reverse tilt) then my weight naturally loads in my rear heel BUT, as you mentioned, the swing tends to get longer. My hands get deep in the backswing and it feels more “natural” (repeatable).
So, I guess my question is: Do all players who load correctly really few weight on the “inside” of their rear foot? Or, can some successful players feel weight loss in their rear heel (with rear hip going back, not sliding)?
Jerry
Jul 25, 2017 at 6:16 am
You can extend the rear leg but not straighten it completely to free up the rear hip and still feel weight on the inner side of the rear heel at the top.