Parallel or past Parallel?

[ShanksaloT]

I go past parallel with my driver and 3wood 90% of the time - as long as my tempo isn't too quick I can avoid getting "stuck" and hit it well.

As for my irons I ::knock on wood:: never really go past parallel - if I do, it usually ends in a poor result either thin or duck hook.

 

[Hawk]

Does it matter? People overcomplicate the game and this is a prime example of that. Past or not, add long as your timing is OK it makes zero bloody difference.

Absolutely matters for me. My hands outrun my shoulders in a long backswing, pulling my upper body weight forward, leaving me leaning towards the ball and at impact I'm ahead of the ball. To hit it, I have to flip, which sometimes works if I have it timed well. Even then, I've dumped all my power and am prone to flippy, low spin balls that have varying levels of hook spin. It's a terrible fault. Inconsistent and distance sapping. If I could turn that long without the consequences I certainly would.

 

[JonD]

My driver gets to about parallel-ish. I'd say my FWs are a bit short of that, and my irons another step shorter. Spent a lot of time working on a shorter iron swing last year. Past 90 but the shaft should never be past the back of my head. Wedges I try to make the top 90˚.

 

[drp3434]

I go past parallel and it drives me nuts. Pretty sure it's the major contributor to my OTP swing. It used to really throw me off to see the head of my driver come into view of my left eye in my backswing.

For those that have tried to shorten the swing but saw bad results, how long did you work on it? A year? A month? A week? A round? A range session?

I've been trying for a year to stop going back too far. And no matter what I do I always creep back into taking a really long backswing.

 

[JonD]

For those that have tried to shorten the swing but saw bad results, how long did you work on it? A year? A month? A week? A round? A range session?

I used to hang every club out to where I could see it on my left. Really killed my iron consistency. Spent a good few months working on shortening my iron swing last year with my coach. Definitely was a tough process as it was a substantial change. Still a work in progress with my woods & driver, but honestly I hit the ball more consistently when I take a little bit longer of a swing with the longer shafted clubs. The work I did with my irons last year definitely impacted my swing overall and my consistency is much better. I still get too long when I'm lazy with the driver but otherwise I feel like I've made a good amount of progress here.

For those working on it, I saw some distance loss early, but after committing to it and putting the reps in it all came back. Consistency in distance and direction is so much better.

 

[captaincaution]

Before I started my lessons, I went past parallel, with bad results. We made a big effort to shorten the backswing, even stopping before parallel, and I am seeing much more consistent striking, and the same distance, if not more, than I did with the longer backswing. Going past parallel caused a lot to break down in my swing, and my weight shifted forward before I could start down, again leading to disaster. Who knows if I'll ever get to the point of lengthening the swing some more, but if I can keep the fundamentals in place while doing it, I don't see how that could be an issue.

 

[drp3434]

I used to hang every club out to where I could see it on my left. Really killed my iron consistency.

It really throws off your concentration when you see the club pop into view on your left side

 

[Jman]

Absolutely matters for me. My hands outrun my shoulders in a long backswing, pulling my upper body weight forward, leaving me leaning towards the ball and at impact I'm ahead of the ball. To hit it, I have to flip, which sometimes works if I have it timed well. Even then, I've dumped all my power and am prone to flippy, low spin balls that have varying levels of hook spin. It's a terrible fault. Inconsistent and distance sapping. If I could turn that long without the consequences I certainly would.

Get out of my head.

 

[socalf1fan]

I don't get it to parallel....I can easily do it or get past parallel I just can't control my downswing when my backswing is that long. I usually get the club 45 degrees before parallel and it works for me

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[swellins]

I get close to parallel, like others I find that by trying to achieve it exactly I end up over compensating and losing control. I've been focusing on a full shoulder turn recently and that seems to add more distance and control for me.

 

[Agent Jay]

Where you club stops on your back swing is relative to your flexibility in your shoulder turn. Some golfers have really good turns and thus go way past, and there is nothing "wrong" with that at all. I, for example, do not get to parallel on my back swing, as my rotation is less. There is no right or wrong on this. The key is, just don't go PAST your body's normal rotational point. Once you expend extra turn or energy to make that longer move, then you'll just using up the extra power you could have in your swing. Meaning, a rubber band, when twisting, has it's limit. IF you go past that limit, if you can, you'll either break it or bend it causing a fault. The key, IMO, if making sure you're getting your hands set at 90* or more in line with your forward (left arm for righties) arm at the top. IF that take you past parallel, then so be it.

 

[Tadashi70]

Where you club stops on your back swing is relative to your flexibility in your shoulder turn. Some golfers have really good turns and thus go way past, and there is nothing "wrong" with that at all. I, for example, do not get to parallel on my back swing, as my rotation is less. There is no right or wrong on this. The key is, just don't go PAST your body's normal rotational point. Once you expend extra turn or energy to make that longer move, then you'll just using up the extra power you could have in your swing. Meaning, a rubber band, when twisting, has it's limit. IF you go past that limit, if you can, you'll either break it or bend it causing a fault. The key, IMO, if making sure you're getting your hands set at 90* or more in line with your forward (left arm for righties) arm at the top. IF that take you past parallel, then so be it.

This post is misleading. Past parallel is not ok if it involves a reverse pivot, additional wrist flex, straight right leg, no shoulder turn. There has to be some fundamental basics in place for it to be ok.

The vast majority of golfers have no idea how deep they swing or why they swing so deep.

 

[Agent Jay]

This post is misleading. Past parallel is not ok if it involves a reverse pivot, additional wrist flex, straight right leg, no shoulder turn. There has to be some fundamental basics in place for it to be ok.

The vast majority of golfers have no idea how deep they swing or why they swing so deep.

If you over read into it (like you are) then yes, I agree with you, it would be miss leading.

All I'm saying is, it's ok to be past parallel if your body naturally can turn to that point, and you're making the correct 90* wrist hinge. That's all I was saying.

 

[Canadan]

I am pretty confident I go past parallel, but I tend to believe it's controlled, and I find it easier to set my swing at the top when I am past rather than cutting it short.

It's probably a timing thing, and not something I'll be looking to adjust to improve on accuracy.

 

[Haggis]

Not even close to parallel, but I'm old and broken down. I've seen video where I thought I was swinging half and it was definitely more like 3/4. I think if golfers feel like they are swinging 3/4s they'd be surprised to see that they are really going back to where they should finish their backswing a/k/a close to parallel instead of past it. Nothing good happens past parallel, unless you have the off-the-charts hand/eye coordination and incredible athletic ability of a pro golfer--IMO.

 

[Jody Keith Wong]

I try not to go past parallel. Simple logic should tell you the further you go the harder it will be to square the club face when you come back to make contact with the ball.

 

[Tadashi70]

I am pretty confident I go past parallel, but I tend to believe it's controlled, and I find it easier to set my swing at the top when I am past rather than cutting it short.

It's probably a timing thing, and not something I'll be looking to adjust to improve on accuracy.

The funny thing about your past parallel is that it is directly related to your lag on the down swing. You are at or just below on the back swing and then your transition into the down swing and for that split second the hands are higher than the club head. This is why you hit it high and long. (Donkey long)

 

[O'Carroll]

I'd call this parallel:

This is shorter than it's been in the past, but I don't know if that helps or hurts.

 

[MWard]

I'd call this parallel:

This is shorter than it's been in the past, but I don't know if that helps or hurts.

Helps. Less distance for something to go wrong. Just because you take it back far doesn't mean you'll hit it far. Flip side, just because you take it to 3/4 doesn't mean you'll hit it short. Example A: JB Holmes

 

[fupresti]

Short of parallel and I still generate more then enough club head speed.

 

[TripleBogieTim]

I'm short of parallel for sure


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[golfinFF]

I'm at or short of parallel now but was past before lessons and lots lots of practice.

Shorter is more consistent and just as long for me.

 

[Wicked Cool Bearded Man]

When I go past, I tend to fade the ball more. While I sometimes get more distance, it isn't worth it for me.