Stop rushing your downswing! This is a very common fault in amateur golfers, especially in golfers who struggle with a slice. In the video below, PGA Professional Jack Backhouse explains why exactly why this is happening and some drills and swing feels to allow you to swing with better rhythm and tempo.
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Problems With Rushing The Downswing
Rushing the downswing is an extremely common swing fault in handicapped players. It happens when golfers do not complete their turn in the backswing, are often nervous or too eager from the top of the swing to hit the ball, or just don’t know how to actually sequence the golf swing correctly.
Rushing the downswing can cause:
- Thin shots
- Slices
- Shanks
- Loss of power
- Fats
- Hanging back
- Chicken wing
This is quite an extensive list, so it a wise idea to make sure you are not starting your downswing too quickly if you suffer with any of the above issues.
Complete Your Backswing
The first way you can get rid of the hit impulse at the top of the backswing, is simply making sure you complete your turn in the backswing. In a golf swing we are looking for a 45 degree hip turn and at least a 90 degree shoulder turn to the top of the swing.
You can work on this in your practice swings away from the golf ball, completing a full turn, pausing for a second or two to make sure you know how it feels to hit that position, and then swinging down through into the finish position.
If you do not complete your turn, then you might not create enough depth to your hands at the top of the swing, which can then lead to an over-the-top swing and slices and shanks. You might also just lose distance.
Understand Correct Sequencing
It is interesting as a golf coach to listen to so many amateur golfers think they are not turning through the ball early enough when actually they turn significantly more than many professionals!
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From the top of the golf swing, golfers need to start the club moving down behind them before they start turning through. Because most players struggle with separation between their lower and upper body, when they start turning back towards the target everything starts moving, not just the legs.
By focusing on what Bryson Dechambeau works on, and getting the arms down first, then turning through, so many golfers will find it easier to shallow the golf club, stop slicing it and stop shanking the ball.
This is absolutely the right swing thought for the golfer who has a short golf swing and cant stop fading and slicing the golf ball.
Drills To Stop Rushing Your Downswing
Drills are a great way to work on new feels and develop new skills, so give these a try:
- Hideki Drill – swing up to the top, pause for 2 seconds, then swing down
- Reverse sequence drill – swing to to top, start the downswing with your arms first, when your arms get to hip high then start turning your body though the shot. This will exaggerate the shallowing of the golf club and help you hit draw shots.
If you want some help knowing what to work on with your own game, be that swing path or club face control, you can get in touch with Jack about in-person or online lessons here!
Give these tips a try and let us know how you get on! If you want to keep up to date with Jack’s instruction you can subscribe to his YouTube Channel here, or keep watching our instruction page!
If you want to watch some more of Jack’s instruction videos, you can get to his YouTube Technique Tips playlist by clicking here. Please check out our other instruction articles if you like this video on how to stop rushing your downswing.
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