
This may be caused by physical restrictions limiting flexibility, or poor technique. These flaws will generally lead to a short backswing and cost you power and distance. As mentioned earlier, it’s important to distinguish between a short backswing and a swing that simply doesn’t reach parallel at the top.
Full Answer
What are the most common mistakes in the golf backswing?
There are three very common mistakes that occur in the golf backswing. The first mistake is opening the clubface during the backswing. This move sets up a golfer’s followthrough to fail by creating an open clubface at the top of the swing and an open face at impact most likely causing the ball to slice.
Are Your Arms on the wrong track in your golf swing?
That's right, most golfers' swings are set off on the wrong track immediately. Here's the simple reality you need to burn into your brain is that your arms are going to feel like they don't really move much at all during the entire backswing! If you feel that, you'll likely move them the right amount.
Should you shorten your backswing to get to parallel?
For the vast majority, shortening their backswing will produce much better impact conditions, greater distance, and a better overall motion. For those that aren’t aware, “getting to parallel” is when the club is parallel with the ground at the top of the backswing. Some great players get there (or even past it), others don’t. Most don’t need to.
Why do some golfers have a long backswing?
In general, the higher the handicap, the greater the chances that their backswing is too long. There are a number of causes for this. Trying to complete the turn and other similar cliches are one cause.

How do you get parallel in golf swing?
1:085:18Swing Parallel to the Line of Action with The PRO! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf i direct my swing in my arms. Outward this way. Then you can see where the energy transfers toMoreIf i direct my swing in my arms. Outward this way. Then you can see where the energy transfers to which is the pro. It picks up the same direction. So it copies the behavior of the swing of my arms.
Should clubs be parallel at top of backswing?
Correct Hand Position at the Top Basically, in order to give yourself the best chance of hitting the ball straight, you need to make sure the back of your front hand is parallel to your club face.
What is the most common mistake in the backswing?
The most common error is a grip that is too weak, or turned too far to the left on top of the club. Another common error is a grip that is too strong, or turned too far to the right on top of the club.
How do you stop going parallel in golf swing?
2:016:08Golf Drills To Stop Overswinging (PERFECT BACKSWING!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd take the butt of this right hand and push it against the left thumb for the right-handed golferMoreAnd take the butt of this right hand and push it against the left thumb for the right-handed golfer big key here we're not trying to push the club away from the body that way trying to push it.
Should you pause at the top of your backswing in golf?
1:486:18GOLF BACKSWING: Should You Pause At The Top? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou need a little more time to make the switch in your mind. From set the top to down here to fireMoreYou need a little more time to make the switch in your mind. From set the top to down here to fire your body. So i would suggest pausing or hesitating for a little longer.
How do I get my club to point to target in the backswing?
0:081:37Top of the Swing Drill - Where to Point the Club at the Top - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo just lay the golf club down to the side a second feel what your left thumb is going to do duringMoreSo just lay the golf club down to the side a second feel what your left thumb is going to do during the swing. It's going to start off in an address position pointing down towards the golf ball here.
What is the most common swing flaw in golfers?
Poor alignment is a very common golf swing issue and the reason many golfers struggle for consistency and improvement. Most golfers aim too far right and left of their targets resulting in many shots that fall of the mark of the intended target.
Why is a 5 iron so hard to hit?
Some golfers make the mistake of playing the five iron with a ball position that is right in the middle of their stance. This will make it very difficult to even get the ball up off the ground. A proper ball position with a five iron is closer to your left foot than it is to the middle of your stance.
Should you swing irons hard?
0:321:49How Hard Should You Swing on Most of Your Golf Shots? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut you want to maintain your balance. So go ahead and swing as hard as you can and find yourMoreBut you want to maintain your balance. So go ahead and swing as hard as you can and find your breaking point before you start throwing yourself out of whack.
Is a short backswing better?
Beginner golfers can significantly benefit from a shorter swing. A shorter swing will help to keep the game more straightforward from the beginning. What is this? As you get better and the golf swing feels more natural, you can slowly increase until the club is parallel to the ground at the top of your backswing.
When should backswing stop?
A good, full backswing generally should end when the club is pointing between 2 and 3 o'clock, if we were to imagine clock hour hands anchored at the grip end of your club.
Why is my backswing so short?
Why is my golf backswing so short? A short backswing in golf is commonly due to insufficient hip turn, shoulder turn, or wrist hinge. This may be caused by physical restrictions limiting flexibility, or poor technique. These flaws will generally lead to a short backswing and cost you power and distance.
Feedback
I think why it is so important is because a lot of beginners go way past parallel. When you do that the whole swing is thrown off and you are pretty much fixing it the whole way down. Not getting too parallel doesn't seem like that much of an issue.
Feedback
It's not so much a magic spot as such, or even an ideal goal. The length of your backswing is mostly determined by your own physical ability / joint range of motion.
Feedback
The club shaft being parrallel to the ground at the top of the backswing is an older checkpoint and was what used to be considered the ideal position for someone to be in at the completion of the backswing........when you view most tour pro's these days you will see that they are much shorter than parrallel at the top of the backswing, there are many reasons for this but the main one is due to the pivot controlling what the hands/arms/club are doing in the 1st move means that there is genmerally more turn in the 1st move which then means that if the swing finishes "in synch" at the top of the backswing then the club will nearly always be short of parrallel unless the player is VERY supple and flexible. Also when you view the backswing if the club is short of parrallel, then for every degree it is short of parrallel it should be the same amount laid off to the target line Cheers Dan.
Feedback
It "was" a good ref point for an instructor as long as there was no vertical head motion!
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Sony Open Pics from January 11, 2022 Part 1
I was able to get out to the Sony Open today to take a few pics. I guess due to Covid precautions they kept the spectators pretty far from the players. Also due to camera...
kleraudio
any tips on how to finish my backswing where my club stops at parallel right before I transition down?
kleraudio
Thats how I know because of tape, I get way past parallel, and even sometimes I can see it in my peripheral vision, just wanna know how to stop it at parallel, Like I said, I tried that 75% stuff, and it ruins my rhythm cuz thats all I think about.. I guess I should go to the range with someone and have em tell me when Im parallel and just practice the backswing till I dont think about it anymore....
kleraudio
Im really flexible man, 6'2 190 pounds, hit the gym 4 times a week and am pretty lean....
deronsizemore
Im really flexible man, 6'2 190 pounds, hit the gym 4 times a week and am pretty lean....
Zeph
If you have problem controlling when swinging past parallell, why not settle on short of parallell? Many long hitters don't get it past parallell. Those few inches doesn't make much of a difference, especially if you don't get the timing and impact right anyways. Every golfer should be taught to take shorter backswing in the beginning.
Zeph
Then why would you teach them to swing past parallell? It doesn't exactly make it easier to get down to the ball in all the right places. John Daly may have mastered it, but I don't suggest anyone else should. Golf is not natural, the movement is not natural.
Where's the Cart Girl?
Find something that stands the right height, i.e. something that stands just shorter than what would be your parallel position at the top, and position yourself relative to it such that if you swing past parallel you'll contact it with the club.
How to improve backswings in golf?
For most golfers, it’s easier to improve this by focusing on one aspect of the backswing as opposed to thinking of it as two separate parts. Or, as I demonstrate in the no turn cast drill, most golfers instantly improve their backswings by focusing on setting their wrists and letting their bodies react to that.
How to get good backswing?
One of the keys to a good backswing is putting yourself in an ideal position for the arms to accelerate through the ball. That’s why massively long arm swings are so bad. Most people cannot get from the top back to the ball by accelerating.
What is getting to parallel?
GETTING TO PARALLEL IS AN ARBITRARY GOAL. For those that aren’t aware, “getting to parallel” is when the club is parallel with the ground at the top of the backswing. Some great players get there (or even past it), others don’t. Most don’t need to. More importantly, most will do much better with a shorter backswing.
Is a golf swing always individualized?
I have often stated that a golf swing is always going to be somewhat individualized, due to the unique physical makeup, body type, and skill level of a given golfer. But when it comes to backswing length, there are very few golfers who can get away with a massive backswing and produce an optimal downswing in response.
Why do you hold the club in the correct position on the backswing?
Tomasi, who also holds a doctorate in education, said that holding the club in the correct position at the top of the swing, (like a baseball batter or a cricketer waiting for the ball to be delivered), avoids the 'kinesthetic clutter' of the backswing.
What would happen if instructors taught the no backswing technique?
He claimed that if instructors taught the "no backswing" technique, accuracy would improve, though it would take much more to persuade golfers to ignore deeply-rooted tradition.
How many swings did Tomasi study?
In his study, 29 golfers took 10 radar-tracked swings - half with a backswing and half without. Tomasi reported that except among professional golfers, there was no statistically significant difference in the accuracy or distance of the shots.
Is cutting your golf swing in half a technological advance?
Cutting your golf swing in half could be the next big technological advance. Among over 100 club professionals, gadget makers, engineers and scientists at a conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this week was golf coach TJ Tomasi, from Nantucket, who claimed that golfers would improve if they started with the club poised at ...
What happens if you don't load your body correctly on a backswing?
Without the body loaded correctly during the early stages of the backswing, you'll get to the top of the swing and feel like you don't have any power.
What About the Arms in the Backswing?
Here's where nearly every golfer destroys their golf swing - in the first 6 inches of club movement!
What does it mean when you get to the top of the swing with your arms?
What this does is give you the feeling of muscular tension earlier in the swing and a sense of loading so that when you get to the top of the swing with your arms, you have something to cue you to start the downswing.
What is the only thing that makes contact with a golf club?
So much of our tactile feedback in the world comes form our arms and hands and our hands are the only thing actually making contact with the golf club.
What is the sensation of load in the right glute?
This sensation of load, particularly in the right glute and right leg, is what triggers your brain to start moving in the other direction at the beginning of the transition. Without this cue, you will continue to swing long and across the line, no matter how hard you try and stop.
Can you swing back with your arms?
If you feel the tension early in the golf swing, by the time you get to the top, you'll be unable to swing back any farther with your arms. At first, you'll probably want to exaggerate this and really feel a lot load so that you can get the sensation.
