The Follow-through - How Important is it for Your Swing?

JonMA1

Well-known member
Albatross 2024 Club
Joined
Sep 22, 2017
Messages
5,060
Reaction score
4,979
Location
Northern Michigan
Handicap
High
I've seen this debated on other forums. Some will answer not at all, while others say it matters a lot.

I'm going to assume it differs from individual to individual. Those who argue that since it happens after impact it has no bearing might be ones who perhaps have a decently grooved swing??? I believe (for me) it can help create a better impact position if everything is in a good position at the top of the backswing.

My thoughts... As I approach 2022 working towards an improved mental game, I'm reminded by the experts that during the action phase of the swing, thoughts are a killer. If true, I want to eliminate as many as possible. Keep 1, maybe 2 until the swing becomes closer to no thoughts.

While I'm practicing, I'm working on developing better positions throughout the swing P1 through P10. However, once on the course, it'll be a matter of addressing the ball and only thinking about P4 and P8???

If I can get the backswing or starting point of the DS to become repeatable and focus on where my body, arms and hands need to be post impact, I'm hoping that blur in between the two might be easier to repeat.

Thoughts?
 
I think the follow through is directly proportional to the shot I'm "attempting" to hit.

An example might be driver or longer shot, getting it up up and away. The follow through and move is pronounced and strong

A shot that is intended to be lower or hop and stop might be more abreviated on the follow through.

A bunker shot that needs some elevation will be a high follow through.

I think it's an important thought, but more a correlation to the shot being attempted?
 
I think it matters in that getting to a good follow-through/finish position means it was probably a good swing. As @J4U said, it might look different according to what shot you were trying to hit (e.g., a low punch is going to have a different finish than a full approach shot you're trying to bring in high and soft), but either way it means you committed to the shot and "finished" your swing.

It's no guarantee, but if I finish with high hands, full extension and good balance where I can hold that pose, it'll usually be a lot better shot than one where I finish off balance or with the club down below my shoulders.
 
Count me in the camp of the thought that the follow-through portion is a reflection/result of the type of shot hit, rather than having an influence on what the ball does, since it's long gone at that point.
 
On full swings where distance is most important, I need my full follow through to achieve that max ball flight distance.

On shorter shots where accuracy is more important, a full follow is not that important to me for the shot.

My rule of thumb is this; I try to always match my follow through with the length of my back swing.
 
I think emphasizing a a low or high finish with the hands, and hold off vs. release type follow through helps encourage the type of swing that achieves the desired result. The follow through is a result of how you swing leading up to it, and getting that part right for the shot you are trying to hit, willl lead to the correct follow through if that makes sense. Thinking about swinging through to a finish nudges certain thought patterns and movements for me.
 
I think the follow through on a natural swing is also indicative of where you are...out to in or in to out for example. My hands are usually further away from my body on an out to in swing where I am trying to draw it and closer when they are coming in from a fade setup
 
This may differ for different golfers. For me I play well when I follow through well, the problem is I get short on my follow throughs and cause myself problems. IMO a good follow-through is indicative of a good overall swing and the results usually show that.
 
Follow through is very important for my swing. I've recently been learning that an upright follow through really can magnify my tendency to leave the club face open at impact. Flattening out my FT a bit recently has really straightened out my ball flight.
 
The finish is important on every shot because it is a reflection of what came before. Focusing on the finish also helps you get off thinking that the point of the swing is to hit the ball. The swing is the point and the ball is just in its way.
 
I have found this bit of advice to be gold - the more work the wrists have to do after impact the better the shot.
 
I been working on a hold off release like Tommy Fleetwood. Especially for the wedges and shorter irons. This is good for me as I get too loose and lazy and get this over swing follow through where I recoil.
I had a habit of going past parallel in backswing. So focus on a shorter follow thru helps me shorter my backswing.
after some practice my tempo is improved too
Length of backswing match the release
 
I think that the follow through is a major indicator of whether or not you are "swinging through" the ball or "hitting at" it!
 
I'm thinking an impact bag would be a really good aid in trying to incorporate the changes I want to make in my swing. I think the follow-through is definitely an indication of what went on in the swing, especially as it relates to attempts to shape and flight shots.
 
Please explain how any action taken after the ball is struck could possibly affect its flight pattern ?
 
Please explain how any action taken after the ball is struck could possibly affect its flight pattern ?
As far as I have experienced, from a conscious swing perspective, follow through starts before the club head contacts the ball. If I consciously make an effort to move in a certain way on my follow through, say, to flatten it out and finish a little lower, the motion can't help but start before the ball strike. It's like there's a transition between down swing and follow through that lasts a couple of feet on either side of the ball, maybe more, as opposed to a hard line dividing the two.

I'm not an instructor, or an expert in bio-mechanics, but that's how I see it.
 
Please explain how any action taken after the ball is struck could possibly affect its flight pattern ?
To quote Homer Kelley - "The club starts up and in after low point but the thrust continues down plane during the follow-through." This is important to keeping the swing on plane.
 
The finish is important on every shot because it is a reflection of what came before. Focusing on the finish also helps you get off thinking that the point of the swing is to hit the ball. The swing is the point and the ball is just in its way.
That’s pretty much how I look at it. I fixed a hook by holding the back of my lead hand to the sky during drills. That drill changed my downswing by getting my body to work at getting to that position during the swing, not just after contact.
 
Very. Fatboyslim tends to get lazy and not finish...
 
To quote Homer Kelley - "The club starts up and in after low point but the thrust continues down plane during the follow-through." This is important to keeping the swing on plane.
One does not need to be an Engineer to understand that makes absolutely NO sense . How could any thrust continue down the plane occur when a driver traveling at 100 mph will only be in contact with the ball * one half a thousands of a second ( 50 milliseconds )* during impact ?
ONLY the direction the face as it enters impact could possibly affect it‘s direction of flight ! That is called *** plain old common sense ! ***
 
One does not need to be an Engineer to understand that makes absolutely NO sense . How could any thrust continue down the plane occur when a driver traveling at 100 mph will only be in contact with the ball * one half a thousands of a second ( 50 milliseconds )* during impact ?
ONLY the direction the face as it enters impact could possibly affect it‘s direction of flight ! That is called *** plain old common sense ! ***
When looking at an elite players swing from the target back one gets what Homer was referring to. Makes perfect sense from that view.
 
When looking at an elite players swing from the target back one gets what Homer was referring to. Makes perfect sense from that view.

That’s pretty much how I look at it. I fixed a hook by holding the back of my lead hand to the sky during drills. That drill changed my downswing by getting my body to work at getting to that position during the swing, not just after contact.
The finish is important on every shot because it is a reflection of what came before. Focusing on the finish also helps you get off thinking that the point of the swing is to hit the ball. The swing is the point and the ball is just in its way.
RecGolfer- well said - and factual !
 
I feel the following through is just as important as any other part of the swing. It shows you've finished what you've started and not having a good follow through could lead to a poor down swing.

I always say I may not hit the ball well but I'm going to look good doing it. Going to have a follow through and clean clubs on every swing.
 
For me, on a stock shot, I want to follow through all the way. I want to be speeding through the ball and don't get there with a short finish. I want to bust through a wall.
 
I think that the follow through is a major indicator of whether or not you are "swinging through" the ball or "hitting at" it!
This is where I'm hoping my swing will develop into while on the course... "top of the backswing - follow through" without a lot of thought in between. Hopefully, it will make a difference come March.

What my follow through is seems to matter to some degree, but the idea that I'm performing it the same way matters more.
 
Back
Top