Instruction
How to reduce your handicap (and your back pain) with these simple backswing keys
One of the most common faults I see among recreational and competitive players is that they believe they should attempt to keep the lower body and hips still in the backswing and turn the shoulders as much as possible to create the maximum amount of separation, or “X Factor.”
Previously, this was thought to be the proper way to create power in the golf swing. As golf instruction has moved forward with the help of technology, however, we now have the ability to measure the club and the body in great detail. Research has shown that this extreme separation between the hips and shoulders is not actually what separates the power players from the shorter hitters, and that it is also a major contributor to lower back pain.
Here are some keys that will lower your handicap… and save your back.
The Takeaway
After getting into the setup position, you can see here that my first move in the takeaway involves the lower body remaining stable with minimal pressure shift in the feet, and my chest turning away from the target and the clubhead still outside of my hands. At this point, my hands still have not traveled very far, only to my right leg.
Allowing the pressure in the feet to shift and the hips to open a large amount this early in the swing causes problems with sequence and also gets the club inside or “under the plane” too quickly.
Swing to the Top
As your hands pass your trail leg, allow your hips to open and the right leg to straighten. From the down-the-line view, you should be able to see your lead knee in front of the trail knee, an indication the hips have made a nice turn.
I feel here as if my back foot is turning clockwise against the ground. A good feel at this point of the backswing is that the arms and hands work up to the sky, not around your body, allowing the turn of the body to create the depth. Stay tall and feel a nice stretch in your lead lat. With your trail foot turning against the turf, as opposed to feeling a lateral move, you should get a very powerful feeling from the ground up through the legs and core as if you could jump or do a 360 spin.
Delivery
This nice turn with the body gives us plenty of room to deliver the club from the inside easily without having to use as much right bend away from the target with the upper body, which over time will lead to injuries. This will also be very helpful for those who having trouble drawing the ball or tend to take very steep divots. We can deliver a big hit from here.
Finished Product
With all this space and rotation, we can now pivot through the shot freely with our hips more open than our chest, but not to an extreme. This will make the clubface very stable through the bottom of the arc and creates a very powerful strike.
Make these adjustments to your backswing and your handicap, and your body, will thank you.
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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Tanner
Sep 18, 2017 at 8:01 am
Thx, Jim. wouldn’t it be rotate the shoulders, closed?
N
Sep 17, 2017 at 2:14 am
Just looking at these photos makes my left leg, hip and ribs hurt
Bob Jones
Sep 16, 2017 at 9:08 pm
The X factor has to be the dumbest idea going. Look at Bobby Jones’s swing. He has a tiny X factor, but he hit the ball a ton by the standards of his day.
Chris B
Sep 16, 2017 at 1:01 pm
The open club face at the top is circa 1970. It’s not going left!
Bob Pegram
Sep 15, 2017 at 4:58 pm
One thing I seldom see addressed in articles about the golf swing and back pain is whether the clubs are long enough. For tall golfers (or golfers with short arms) clubs that are too short will cause the golfer to bend over too far. It takes more flexibility to swing when bent over a lot. Standing more upright with longer clubs is much easier on the back and something older golfers should look at. In my case, it may me a more consistent ball striker. It also took the stress off my back.
OL
Sep 16, 2017 at 1:17 am
So, you’re going One-Length, then? lmao
Speedy
Sep 15, 2017 at 2:17 pm
Bottoming out is a back-killer. With today’s clubs, most can choke down a couple of inches and get more solid strikes, as well as saving the back.
Weight properly dispersed on feet (slight lead foot emphasis) will help govern the swing’s length. A 3/4 swing is another back saver.
Laugh
Sep 15, 2017 at 1:48 pm
Sorry but I had to LOL this article.
I can’t feel a thing ur talking about, as I HAVE to move my lower body and engage the legs and ankle lift to throw my weight forward and down into the strike otherwise your method is showing me that I have to keep my legs planted and rigid and then stretch upwards with the torso into the finish which will wreck your ribs and hip joints.
I had to laugh
Laugh
Sep 15, 2017 at 1:53 pm
Because there is no way that I can keep my left foot planted like that and twist on it as I have no flexibility on that leg or ankle and need to eject it soon after the hit. Otherwise I will end up breaking my ankle or the calf strain will be way too immense to be able to use it the next day the pain will be unbelievable
Speedy
Sep 15, 2017 at 2:20 pm
Then you’re likely stubborn, out of shape, and/or swinging way too hard. Flexibility can be learned. It must be learned to save the back.
Phys
Sep 15, 2017 at 10:43 pm
Actually, no. There is a limit to things, just like anything else. Some people are more naturally limber and soft in their tendons than others.
AllanA
Sep 15, 2017 at 1:29 pm
The source of the back pain is usually found in the transition from the thoracic to the lumbar sections of the spine (T12-L1). The lower lumbar vertebrae do not rotate, only the upper thoracic vertebrae twist around.
If you are a sedentary type your lumbar vertebrae and muscles are continuously overstressed and the strain causes pain. When you try to rotate your thoracic spine against the rigid lumbar spine you aggravate the pain. You can develop sciatic pain too.
A normal healthy spine assumes an ‘S’ shape while an unhealthy spine looks like a hunched over ‘C’ shape. Sedentary people invariably have ‘C’ spines and develop back pain. These people should not be playing golf for obvious reasons.
Excessive sitting will also shrink and tighten the muscles in the back of your legs and weaken the front muscles. If your legs are weak your golf swing attempts will suffer.
All good golfers have strong legs and good feet….. which is the true foundation of the golf swing. The hips and torso generate and transmit energy to torque the shoulders that whip the arms and club. Simple, and if you have doubts visit a sports chiropractor.
Zu Qu
Sep 16, 2017 at 2:01 am
Good points. But every single tour pro on any tour worldwide, spends a significant time sitting down – whether its travel, work or other forms that normal people face. Their bodies are just better equipped at handling it. I’ll also assure you many tour pros especially on the champions tour have very deformed postures and the C shape spine you’re talking about, but they still get it done. There are many ways to play the game. If you limit your mind and get lost in this biomechanic mumbo jumbo, then of course you’re doomed to fail before you begin. Hell, there are guys with severe physical disabilities playing at a high level. This isnt as much of a cookie cutter sport as some make it seem. While a healthy spine, strong legs and feet may help give a foundation for better golf, it doesnt guarantee the touch required for the short game or the nerves. You can have great strategy and know-how of how to play the game even with compromised health. There’s a reason the 70 year olds at my club clean up the young bucks.
AllanA
Sep 18, 2017 at 2:50 am
Most of the pro golfers started playing golf at an early age, like 6-7 y.o., or like Tiger as a toddler. Their golf swing neuro-muscular system is hard wired into their body and brain.
They can make compensations to their golf swing and maybe get away with it, but most suffer and give up the game for a living.
Also, your body shape affects how well you can compensate for a wonky spine. A tall slim golfer will have problems while a short stocky golfer may get away with it.
Tim
Sep 17, 2017 at 1:33 am
I am a sports specific chiropractor, and you are somewhat on the right track. Sedentary lifestyles are definitely bad for a number of reasons, but they are not the main contributor to low back pain in golfers, or even general back pain. Don’t get me wrong, lack of meaningful movement is a huge contributor to negative health conditions, but as far as back pain specific to golf, it is more complicated than comments on Golfwrx can cover. I would say 60% (maybe more) of clients from more than a dozen different sports and age ranges of 14-42 have had lower back (lumbar) pain at some point in the past. All of these clients are on the high end of “fit” by today’s standards. As an aside, I would ask you to consider how it is possible for handicapped (one legged) golfers to still hit the ball a respectable distance (approximate 250 yd. driver carry) and play solid (single digit handicap) golf. I’ve known a couple of guys who over the years who could do this. I think they would agree it comes down to centrifugal force.
AllanA
Sep 18, 2017 at 2:44 am
Of course you are right about back pain in the general population, but back pain cause by rotatory sports such as golf and tennis can show up at T12-L1 the transition from the twisting thoracic vertebrae to the rigid lumbar vertebrae.
Lumbar pain due to a sedentary lifestyle is a chronic condition and such people should avoid rotatory sports where demands on posture and torsion are extreme.
Please understand that the momentum of the hip mass must be transferred as kinetic energy through the core and to the shoulders. If the spine is compromised anywhere, rotation is also compromised.
(p.s. there is no such thing as ‘centrifugal force’ in rotation, only ‘centripetal force’ and ‘torque’… per Newtonian physics.)
Tim
Sep 19, 2017 at 10:19 pm
AllanA,
I should have assumed you knew what most people refer to as centrifugal force is actually centripetal force. I apologize.
Your comment regarding “back pain cause by rotatory sports such as golf and tennis can show up at T12-L1” is a broadly generalized statement. Back pain from rotatory sports presents itself in a variety of ways and is not always CAUSED by rotation in the sport. The T12-L1 focus makes sense on paper and is good for textbooks but in real practice the human body compensates differently than most (99.99999999%) of the population realizes. I guess you’ll just have to take my word on it.
“Please understand that the momentum of the hip mass must be transferred as kinetic energy through the core and to the shoulders”. (I hope after 16+ years in sport specific practice and hundreds of hours in post graduate work I’m starting to). Your statement assumes the sedentary people you mentioned in your first post and latest post actually swing in the same fashion as tour pros. I don’t have specific numbers, but I’m willing to bet that essentially no 10+ handicap golfer does. I’m sure you’ve seen and could describe the stereotypical weekend golfer swing with the super tight grip, right arm dominance, and almost no lower body involvement. In reality, the common instinctual weekend golfer swing has little to do with a professions in the areas of weight transfer, proper rotation, flexibility, balance, rhythm, or consistency.
AllanA
Sep 20, 2017 at 1:45 am
Sorry, Tim… in my haste to post I should have said that spinal injury can cause back pain. I tried to verbally illustrate how the spinal column can be injured due to the golf swing and omitted all the other causes that you no doubt have experiences professionally.
My engineering assessment is that an irregular column undergoing rotatory stress has weak points, particularly in transitions from rigid to flexible sections… ergo T12-L1.
The supporting musculature, deep and surface, also contributes to potential back pain due to vigorous rotation torque … and particularly when the column is tilted like a cantilever. Regardless, most of humanity is out of shape to play any sport.
Jonesy
Sep 15, 2017 at 8:43 am
Very good article.
Jim
Sep 15, 2017 at 8:24 am
I’ve recently seen some other pros that suggest that after you’ve completed your one piece take away, that you should feel your trail shoulder rotate open. That movement allow your trail elbow to get closer to vertical rather than flying open and then allow you to lead with that elbow in the downswing and create more clearance. I’ve been trying this recently and it really works. I’ve noticed a reduction in back pain by accentuating the one piece take away and then this shoulder rotation move too (which is good for someone with a bad back like me). Good points on the article.