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Shorten Backswing with a full turn?

Boston_golfer

Boston_golfer

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I've been working on shortening my back swing. If I just set up to the ball without a 2nd thought and just swing natural, I go past parallel because I'm trying to "feel" the full turn. When I shorten my back swing, I get much more consistent hitting, but don't feel like I'm getting a full turn in. If I'm trying to shorten my back swing, to the point where head on, the club head is over my head, should I still be getting a full turn where left shoulder is under the chin, and right is behind the head? Is keeping the left arm straight, throughout the back swing the key?
 
To make a full swing, the key is only in how much rotation YOU can do yourself. Meaning, as you turn, your trunk flexibility/turn should only be as much as you can, or just past that. If you can turn more (like DJ) great, if you can't that's ok to. Only turn as much as your body lets you and load into that. Your left arm doesn't need to have a locked elbow, but you'll want it in an athletic/straight position. As you get to the top, just make sure that you are creating that 90 degree angle from your club shaft and your left arm (as a right handed player). If/when you get to the full rotation that your flexibility allows, keeping that 90 degree angle (or more if you can) and your shaft is parallel with the ground or less, great! I think about some players who don't even get to parallel and they are just fine. Tony Finau, Jon Rahm or Jack Nicklaus to name a few.
 
Boston_golfer said:
I've been working on shortening my back swing. If I just set up to the ball without a 2nd thought and just swing natural, I go past parallel because I'm trying to "feel" the full turn. When I shorten my back swing, I get much more consistent hitting, but don't feel like I'm getting a full turn in. If I'm trying to shorten my back swing, to the point where head on, the club head is over my head, should I still be getting a full turn where left shoulder is under the chin, and right is behind the head? Is keeping the left arm straight, throughout the back swing the key?
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What do you consider a full swing? The left shoulder literally move 12" from its start position (guessing at actual distance) this short move against a stable lower body is all you need to get all you want out of the golf swing.
 
Tadashi70 said:
What do you consider a full swing? The left shoulder literally move 12" from its start position (guessing at actual distance) this short move against a stable lower body is all you need to get all you want out of the golf swing.
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Basically to your chin?
 
I was having some dispersion problems and went to see the guy I had taken lessons from in the past. This was the root of the issue. I was trying to get to much turn in my backswing. He had me bring it back just until my shoulder hit my chin and stop there. I still hit the ball as far as I ever have. I am just not flexible and trying to get more turn was causing me to come out of good position and lose control.
 
I make a pretty good turn for someone with a short backswing and plenty of mass in the middle section of my torso.
 
What Freddie said about the front shoulder & the chin is dead on. It's something he ID'd in my videos a few years ago, and something my instructor had me work on as well. The biggest thing is trusting that as soon as your front shoulder gets to your chin, that your backswing is done, and getting your arms to stop moving at that point. I was lifting my arms trying to swing longer and that was a death move. In lessons I was told to turn and feel like my hands weren't going any higher than my side, but on video they were at my shoulder. What I felt like was barely a half swing was a full controlled backswing.
 
Yeah, lots of times I feel like I'm doing a 3/4 swing and on video I see that I'm still getting the shaft passed parallel....unfortunately, I'm doing it by getting too much bend on my lead arm.
 
fupresti said:
I make a pretty good turn for someone with a short backswing and plenty of mass in the middle section of my torso.
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+1. We have to protect our core lol
 
For me, I've noticed that width is key. If I get adequate width, I don't feel I need to go as far to complete the backswing. If I fail to get width, I feel like I have to go way past parallel before it feels like I've completed the backswing.
 
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