Next up in our backswing sequence posts is ‘the turn’. Please note that we didn’t call this move the jerk, the lift, the twist or the slide. Once your club is parallel to the ground (or at 9:00) in your swing, your turn begins, and any lateral movement stops. We spoke about how its important to move your body away from the ball in step 1, and it is, but once you reach this point in your swing, with your weight fully shifted, and more lateral movement will throw your body weight far beyond what would be considered salvageable. If your weight ever creeps to the outside of your rear foot, you’re swing is in trouble. Interestingly this is also fundamentally why you’re taught to have a square back foot at address.
The turn involves your hips, torso and shoulders pivoting around your right leg, as you complete your backswing. This motion is crucial to a properly sequenced swing, and it one of the toughest parts to master. This is where a ton of faults can wreak havoc in your game. We often tell players to think as if their spines are immovable, and they must swing the club back while pivoting their shoulders on their spine. This is a good image to have to emulate the proper movements.
Its this move that officially unites nearly ever muscle in your body in your attempts to generate and load power as you prepare for the downswing.
Don’t you worry, yes, we’ve reached the top of the swing, but there are still four more fundamental elements for the proper backswing. These last four tips are little helpers to help you along the way as you swing, and also provide added insight into how your proper backswing should feel.
Next Up: Extension