Golf Swing Shoulder Turn

by Andy

The golf swing shoulder turn during your back swing is a very important aspect that can be commonly overlooked. This section of "Golf Swing Tips" is designed to help you understand why the shoulder turn is so important and what you need to do to increase yours!

The two types of golfers that I commonly see this swing fault with are beginning and older (I didn't say old!) golfers. Beginners are simply that, they are just learning the game and are primarily focused on just making contact with the ball. They primarily swing the club with their arms, which as we will discuss later, leads to a loss of power.

In older golfers, lack of flexibility can be the main issue with the golf swing shoulder turn. The spine, hips, and or shoulders, are unable to rotate effectively and this, again, leads to a lack of power.

So how much shoulder rotation is enough? Well, that is the million dollar question! There is sweet spot that you want to focus on as too little rotation will cause you to lose power and distance, yet too much rotation will lead to a flat swing angle and likely a poor shot.

In order to practice correctly, you need to add a little upward rotation to your turn.

Take a longer club and hold it directly across your chest. Assume your typically golf stance, focusing on the key elements that you have learning from the other pages on this site. This includes: proper foot position, slight knee bend, flex at your hips, and a flat back. Correct posture is extremely important, as I have discussed on various pages on this site, and will allow for more effective rotation.

With your club against your chest, rotate at your waist simulating the back swing. The angle of your golf club will tell you if you are doing this properly. If the lead end of the club (left side for right handed golfers) is pointing off into the distance, then your are rotating too flat. If it is pointing down near where the ball is placed, then you are performed it correctly!

Perfecting the golf swing shoulder turn is a very important component for any golfer and can lead to increased power!