Shorter, quicker backswing?

[azstu324]

I've always been a firm believer that the backswing makes the golf shot. Whenever my backswing is right, little seems to go wrong with the execution of the shot.

 

My backswing is pretty deliberate. I try not to lose the connection between my hands and the club so I keep my grip light and really try to work with my hips and lower body. Not too steep, nor too flat. I try to make a fluid transition to with a good solid compression and follow through.

 

Tonight while practicing I was hitting more thin shots than I like. When I'm hitting thin, I know I'm getting into a sway that just puts me slightly out of position.

 

I decided to get a little funky and try a shorter, quicker backswing. In my mind it was something in between Rahm and Finau. I'm sure it was probably much different but it's just how it felt compared to my normal swing. What I started seeing was that I was holding my position better. I was making fewer long movements and by working in a shorter and tighter fashion, I was making more consistent contact for effortless compressing and a nice flowing follow through.

 

My trigger feeling to start the downswing was when my left arm felt parallel to the ground. Now keep in mind that my shoulders and hips end up perpendicular to the target line so it's not just a lazy swing.

 

The trajectory seemed a hair lower which I actually liked and was seeing a very straight flight. As opposed to my usual fade. No difference in distance at all and I was having great results all throughout the bag.

 

My question to the forum is if anybody has employed a similar swing change with success? Is it a sustainable change that could yield good repeating results?

 

I will add that tonight was on a mat with the launch monitors. Tomorrow morning I'll be hitting off of grass at the range while Kaylen is Having her lessons. I'm interested to see how this new swing translates to the grass.

 

To be continued...

 

the more I practice, the luckier I seem to get..

 

 

[dlow206]

I've done it before, and its always a temporary fix. It produces better shots temporarily at times, because i think it helps my sequencing, but my swing is still flawed with the quicker tempo, shorter backswing. And its still actually pretty long even though it feels short.

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

Interested in this. I think I tried once and it helped me. Just took some swings in the house and I felt smoother. I think for people that over rotate or start to sway, thinking of stoping your swing at left parallel is a good thing since you likely then make a full swing with no over rotation. In one of Monte’s video, he tells a student to only swing to left parallel and turned out he then was making a normal rotation swing. 

[russtopherb]

That was one of the first things I worked on when I got lessons. Feeling like my hands go no higher than my hips on my backswing actually has my hands at shoulder height and the club in a good position. When I go further than that I'm way past parallel, and my body doesn't really synch up. 

As far as speed... when I try to go faster I spray the ball because my transition gets really jerky and yanky. That's just me. 

[tommc23]

I've done this and it was also a temporary fix for me. When I felt like I was at parallel I was actually beyond it. I honestly don't focus on my backswing distance much or ever but when I do it's still longer than it feels

[Kenny B]

I've been doing this for years, but it's from old age.    It's actually an efficient, powerful move that may be beneficial to players who over-rotate in the backswing; less time to come OTT so straighter shots.  

Keep practicing... you'll be ready when in your 70's.  

[azstu324]

3 hours ago, Kenny B said:

I've been doing this for years, but it's from old age.    It's actually an efficient, powerful move that may be beneficial to players who over-rotate in the backswing; less time to come OTT so straighter shots.  

Keep practicing... you'll be ready when in your 70's.  

Hey man I'm 41.. with the body of a 70 yr old.. Aches and pains from lots and lots of teen through 30's dumbassery are beginning to show up to say "hey, remember me?" 

[Shankster]

Jon Rahm and Tony Finau make this work rather well.  I messed around with a shorter backswing, but my lanky arms and general lack of coordination with my lower body, a swing that allows for a lot of arms works best for me.  I don’t “rotate”... I seriously can’t get myself to make a “rotational” swing work.  No holding on and turning for this guy.... I’ll Shizank it every single time.

[Kenny B]

1 hour ago, Shankster said:

Jon Rahm and Tony Finau make this work rather well.  I messed around with a shorter backswing, but my lanky arms and general lack of coordination with my lower body, a swing that allows for a lot of arms works best for me.  I don’t “rotate”... I seriously can’t get myself to make a “rotational” swing work.  No holding on and turning for this guy.... I’ll Shizank it every single time.

Interesting.  I Shizank it when I don't rotate, which is when I'm more sore than normal or tired from late in the round.  

[Kenny B]

5 hours ago, azstu324 said:

Hey man I'm 41.. with the body of a 70 yr old.. Aches and pains from lots and lots of teen through 30's dumbassery are beginning to show up to say "hey, remember me?" 

Let me know when you've had 6 surgeries.  

[silver & black]

13 hours ago, Kenny B said:

Let me know when you've had 6 surgeries.  

I've had two... I quit!

[heavygolffeels]

I made that change quite some time ago. It's proven now that the faster you take it back the faster you are likely to swing through it. the old adage of low and slow is disappearing on tour. Rahm and Finau are freaks of nature that can pound the ball which such a short movement. JB Holmes is another way with a quick throw, shorter swing, and can send it out there. But there have been alot of players that play really controlled with short swings like Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker. 

For me, the shorter swing is much more controlled. Much easier to deliver the center of the club face. And going quicker takes out some of the manipulations. For me, it almost does the opposite of @azstu324 , where now the backswing has limited importance. It's just a means of getting into a position where the transition can happen which has the ultimate importance to me. We've seen the pictures a thousand times, but Furk, Rory, Sergio, Trevino, Kuchar, DJ all have very different backswings and hand positions, but the first move is identical which is to shallow the club, get the right elbow in, and the hands to be able to pull down and out, attacking from the inside.