Why You Should Exit Left In Your Golf Swing (Like Hogan And The Pros)
In this video, I share why I believe golfers should exit left in their swings to create the correct body and club release.
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!
ButchT
Sep 29, 2017 at 3:54 pm
Pretty funny “Highpro” discussing rational thought and in the same paragrap referring to a “god” having mercy on a soul! Talk about irrational thinking!
joro
Sep 5, 2017 at 9:51 am
Theories are marvelous but that is what they are. Everyone is different yet most teachers teach what they do and not what the player needs. The first thing they need is skill and ability, something most Golfers don’t have. Then they need to see what works for them, not Hogan or anyone else. We all have a skill level and that is it, a level whether it be great or ok, it is our level.
As an old guy that taught Golf for over 40 yrs. and a really good player in my day I have seen it all and it ain’t pretty. Some have the ability and some have no chance and they are the vast majority who pour money into teachers pockets. The First and most important thing is the game should be played naturally by letting your body control the swing. Start off with swinging the arms and the body will react. Hit the ball with your strong hand, the hips will go along and make a good finish. For a right hander it is a right hand hit, or you can even call it a swat.
Just let the club do its thing and make a good finish, that controls the direction. Finish with the hitting had next to your ear and the club over your shoulder. I you are right handed it is the left shoulder of course. The single most important thing to me in the swing is TEMPO. I always tell players to swing at 60% and go from there up and down until you find your best tempo, it is way too simple yet we do nothing to keep it that way. We attack it with vengeance to hit the little White Ball out of the Park, losing our balance and hitting it who knows where and nowhere. Today there is way too much garbage about what the swing should be and how it should be done and totally confusing so a few Gurus can spread their BS and make a lot of money.
Back in the day we did not have Gurus, or 300 yd Drives, or hot Balls. We were self taught and just picked up a club and went at it and the gifted became good while like today the rest just kept on trying. Guys I played with like Tommy Bolt who in my opinion was the best ball striker I ever saw, and guys of that era were all like me, self taught. Even a guy like Sam Snead taught himself, but we all had the skills to be good. Take it for what it is worth and rather than follow all these quacks, try figuring it out for yourself what works for you. And remember TEMPO and Balance is the key.
Hogan Fan
Sep 5, 2017 at 11:15 pm
While there is a great benefit to digging your own personal technique out of practice sessions of trial and error, even Ben Hogan wrote 2 books on swing instruction and specifically mentioned his reason for writing them were so others could capitalize and build on his knowledge without having to start from scratch. Hogan basically said that by the time he figured out the swing, he was physically incapable of adequately performing the motion. Instruction books and videos just speed the process but it certainly helps to have talent, desire and an ability to sort through some of the BS and experimental thought that is in todays golf instruction. I don’t agree with some of your thoughts but I will agree that balance and tempo are key factors to keeping things under control and on a decent track. Best wishes.
joro
Sep 6, 2017 at 11:54 am
True, but in films it showed even Hogan did not do what he perceived he did. He was a great tinkerer and player no doubt, but what he enjoyed was the search for the perfect swing, but what is perfect? I think it is what works for you.
But, as we get older it goes on and on. Thanks for the opinion, we all have one. Mine is based on years and years as a player and a teacher and what I saw.
Take care and enjoy the game.
Andrew Cooper
Sep 3, 2017 at 2:04 pm
Hogan’s swing, or any other great player you want to pick-was unique; built around his physique, the equipment of his era, his feels, influences, environment etc. Also it evolved over time. Hogan was a notorious tinkerer and practiced probably more than anyone. He also detested hitting hooks, and much of his technique was designed to guard against it. Trying to emulate/copy what he did (or somebody’s idea of what he did) is probably a bad idea for the vast majority of golfers.
Nathan
Sep 3, 2017 at 10:50 am
http://www.stevewozeniak.com/2014/04/swinging-left-is-for-amateurs-2/
Swinging left is an awful idea. Not sure what else to say…
Adam
Sep 3, 2017 at 12:41 pm
Great find, Nathan, but what this reveals is that the followthru is different for different body shapes and sizes.
A short stubby guy like Alistair abbreviates his followthru and carries the club around his body.
The golfers in all the pictures in your linked article are taller and more slender and the momentum of the followthru pulls their arms and club outwards and not around.
So it all depends on your body type.
Both followthru styles are natural, however I’ll stick with Alistair because most amateurs and novice golfers tend to block their hips at impact and then come out of the shot. Alistair’s advice encourages the golfer to clear his hips and stay down resulting in the club coming around in the followthru.
Nathan
Sep 3, 2017 at 2:45 pm
I don’t agree.
Going left is just incorrect. Plain and simple.
Golfers are not blocking their hips for the reasons you’ve mentioned before.
Going left is just a ‘trick’ (a bad one) to get the hips around a touch more.
It’s sad that golfing instructors are still pushing this BS.
Adam
Sep 3, 2017 at 6:10 pm
Your comments are just personal assertions with no explanations. I have explained why golfers block their hips and cause different followthru’s.
Perhaps you can offer us a bit more detail for your reasons why golfers tend to block their hips, otherwise your views are unsubstantiated.
I’ve told you the examples shown by Wozeniak are slim golfers who can fully rotate without body mass interference. Alistair shows us the only feasible followthru for his stout body type, and then he prescribes it for most golfers.
And yes, I’ve seen golfers fling their arms and club into the followthru and then follow up with hip rotation, but that’s because they stall their hips going into impact and then restart the rotation after impact. Swinging around to the ‘left’ may unlock their hips from blocking, as Alistair demonstrates.
Chipowahhhh
Sep 4, 2017 at 6:29 am
ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz
Chris K
Sep 5, 2017 at 12:00 pm
aaaah, the Gearhead Song.
Hogan Fan
Sep 3, 2017 at 8:41 pm
He mentioned he was actually looking for a fairly neutral path. I’m not sure you are understanding what he is saying. I used to agree with you but in this case, I’m totally in agreement with the video. I watch a lot of Christo Garcia on YouTube and his MySwingEvolution. He has some great videos on this and I have found it to work like a dream. In addition, this would parallel what Jim Hardy teaches as an RIT (Right Arm Inward Throw) release. The wording sounds terrible but it is 100% correct. A large number of the best ball strikers in the world are One Plane swingers and RIT releasers. Buy Jim Hardy’s book “The Release”. You’ll probably love the other release he speaks of (LOP-Left Arm Outward Pull) but both are valid. I love this one for certain.
golfreality
Sep 5, 2017 at 9:21 am
the fact you actually watch christo garcia says alot he is completely clueless
Hogan Fan
Sep 5, 2017 at 11:07 pm
Have you watched Christo Garcia? What do you not like? Please be specific. I have studied the golf swing for about 35 years and taught for 25. I have learned a lot from many different people and Christo Garcia has many thoughtful insights into the golf swing. Much of what he says is dead on and although he is specifically pursing a “Hogan swing”, it is a highly efficient way to swing the club for those who are physically capable. Its easy to say someone is clueless without giving specifics. Please expound on your vast knowledge. In all seriousness, I am interested in why you believe what you believe.
Andrew Cooper
Sep 4, 2017 at 8:14 am
Agreed. There isn’t a good player in the world who’d get anywhere near hitting that inside stick. Even the pros on the video aren’t really doing anything more than letting the club take its naturally arc back to the inside after impact-they’re certainly not artificially pulling the club across themselves.
Highpro
Sep 5, 2017 at 9:46 pm
At no point in this rambling incoherent blog post does the author come anywhere close to a rational thought. Everyone on this site is now dumber for having clicked this link. I award you no points, you know nothing of the golf swing, and may god have mercy on your soul.
Adam
Sep 2, 2017 at 6:53 pm
What Alistair failed to say was that your arms and club will fling outwards if the body rotation stops and the hips block. The arms and club have no other path than down the line.
Completing the hip rotation will carry the shoulders around together with the arms and club.
Why do golfers block their hip rotation? It’s because they go erect into impact and their body stiffens up with hips extended open and no lateral torso tilt. This is the natural instinct but it is anti-golfswing.
Caroline
Sep 2, 2017 at 6:41 pm
You will know you did this wrong when you hear the plate Glass patio window to the left (right Hand golfer) of the fairway shatter…be careful this idea is NOT fantastic for the weekend warrior…it is more for the real single digit player and the ones you see each week on TV.
Firsttimeposter
Sep 2, 2017 at 5:29 pm
Hey Alistair, cool video.. with the exit left, how would one work on hitting a draw..
Draw Meister
Sep 3, 2017 at 8:28 pm
Aim right and shut the face.