
Let your arms flow freely to the top while rotating your hips and shoulders (photo, above left). Now drive your left hip rotationally. Don’t just slide — try to get your hips square to the ball by the time your left arm reaches parallel to the ground (above right).
How to hit a golf ball straight from the hip?
Now let the arms fall into place in front of the right hip while rotating the left hip away towards the intended target. Try to turn the hips to a position where they are square to the ball, as at setup, before your left arm reaches a position parallel to the ground on the downswing.
Should your hips be open or closed when you hit the ball?
Even casual golfers understand that at impact the hips need to be open to the target. (Picture your belt buckle pointing to the left of where you want the ball to land.)
Do you rotate your hips properly in golf?
It seems simple enough, but most golfers don’t rotate their hips properly. In fact, in many cases, when the golfer tries to increase rotation, the motions they perform work counterproductively.
How should my hips feel when I Swing my golf clubs?
You should feel as though your hips are leading your upper body, then pulling your arms and shoulders into action. This separation between your upper and lower halves is what drops the clubhead down into the correct “inside” power path, making it easier to swing your arms in front of your body and rotate the clubface to square.

How do I trigger my hips in my golf swing?
2:5410:18How to FIRE the hips in the GOLF SWING - Game Changer MoveYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLike you simply put your trail foot back to get the sensation of that hip being where backwards.MoreLike you simply put your trail foot back to get the sensation of that hip being where backwards.
How do you promote your hips in golf?
1:058:59GOLF: My Best Drill To Increase Hip Rotation - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI put a stick on the ground here just to reference my aim. So this middle stick that we'll see isMoreI put a stick on the ground here just to reference my aim. So this middle stick that we'll see is about one club width or club length rather in front of my foot.
How do you hit a golf ball with your hips?
0:371:56How to use your hips to hit the ball further - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo using your hips. Allows for greater rotation. Which allows for more distance. So your swing.MoreSo using your hips. Allows for greater rotation. Which allows for more distance. So your swing. Thought let your right hip go up and back in the backswing. Creating as much turn as possible.
How do you easily clear your hips in the downswing?
7:419:59The Truth on How To CLEAR YOUR HIPS In The Golf Swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTry out your right elbow tucking in and this is all as you start the downswing. And then try turningMoreTry out your right elbow tucking in and this is all as you start the downswing. And then try turning that doorknob to the right as you start the downswing that gets it in the slot.
How does separation help in golf?
The separation also helps you maintain the angle between your lead arm and the clubshaft farther into the downswing, creating an extra burst of speed through impact when the angle straightens . One big key to power is maintaining the separation between your hips and upper body in the transition from backswing to downswing.
How to do a downswing with a belt buckle?
From there, initiate the downswing by turning your belt buckle and hips hard to the left while keeping your back to the target.
Why do you use your hips in golf?
Proper use of your hips can improve both your ability to generate power and your ability to strike solid shots, which is a powerful combination. We hope the content in this article will point you in the right direction as you seek to add this element to your golf swing. Good luck!
Which way should you turn your hips when swinging?
As your shoulder turn is winding down and the club is reaching the top of the swing, you should already be turning your hips to the left. By overlapping the backswing and downswing just slightly, you can create a smooth transition which will help you produce a consistent, repeatable swing. Avoid the slide.
How to keep club swing down?
Clearing your hips successfully is the best way to keep the club swinging down in the right direction all the way through the ball. Clearing your hips is not a particularly complicated topic to understand, but it can offer powerful benefits to your swing as a whole.
Why do you turn your hips in the downswing?
The action of turning your hips toward the target in the downswing has a powerful effect, as it can help you carry speed from the downswing all the way through impact and on into the finish. Hip rotation is largely responsible for the ‘easy power’ that so many professional golfers seem to possess.
What does it mean to clear your hips?
The idea is very simple – to ‘clear’ your hips means to move all the way through the ball and into the finish, to the point that your hips wind up roughly perpendicular to the target line.
Why do golfers cut their backswing short?
This is a problem because the lower body is not going to have the time it needs to get started.
How to be consistent in golf?
Consistency is key in golf, and you are only going to be consistent if your head is stable while the club swings around your body. A stable grip. You might not think much about your grip when working on your hip turn, but the grip is something that has an impact on every other part of your swing.
The Mirror and Practice
Practicing the swing in front of a mirror or large glass pane is the easiest and simplest method of watching the swing movement. Setup in a golf stance without a club, and swing an imaginary club to the top of the swing. Now let the arms fall into place in front of the right hip while rotating the left hip away towards the intended target.
How much Should the Hips turn on the Backswing?
In a perfect swing, the hips should rotate from the setup position, 45-degrees away from the ball on the backswing. The shoulders ideally turn at 90-degrees to the top of the swing. Now, this is not possible for all golfers due to age, suppleness, or injury.
Sliding the Hips
The most common fault in the swing is to slide the hips away from the ball on the backswing, rather than rotate or turn them. This is a Swing Killer! Sliding them robs the swing of all the power generation, and to hit the ball squarely or solidly from this position, requires exactly the same amount of forward slide to get back to the ball.
Swaying off the Ball
Another common error is to sway away from the ball initially on the backswing, before rotating the hips. Another swing killer for the same reasons as above! Some top players do move off the ball slightly on the backswing, but the many hours spent practicing, allow them to get away with it on the course.
Staying in the Barrel
I have used this analogy of the “barrel” before and it was a tip from Sam Snead, one of the best strikers of a golf ball in his day. Set up to the ball and imagine your friend places a large barrel over your body. The thought process and drill are to turn the lower body within this barrel.
Completing the Hip Turn after Contact
To generate power and control through the ball at impact requires the continuous turning of the hips all the way through to the finish of the swing. This may sound a “no brainer”, but many golfers do not complete the follow-through, and tend to hit at the ball rather than through the ball.
Hips Facing the Target
The swing is completed when the hips and shoulders end up facing the intended target. After impact, the hips continue to rotate until the “belt buckle” faces the target. Without the completion of the hip turn, the swing will lose its rhythm and balance will be affected. Another swing killer!
When you make impact, the hip rotation doesn’t stop?
When you make impact, the hip rotation doesn’t stop. The momentum of your moving hips should continue until you finish your swing. The ideal finish consists of your back foot heel off the ground and your belt facing towards the target. Shooting for a finish like this will help increase the consistency of your hip rotation in the swing.
What do you do when you are over the ball?
When you are over the ball, you want to feel a comfortable, centered position with pressure near the balls of your feet -- while your arms hang relaxed and grip the part of the club where they feel most comfortable. Being in an athletic position like this will allow you to rotate with ease.
What is the key to achieving balance and unlocking the power in the golf swing?
Maximizing rotation is the key to achieving balance and unlocking the power in the golf swing. Below we will go through select parts of the swing and highlight how you can use your hips to maximize power and consistency.
How to make a full turn in the backswing?
Set-Up. At set-up, it is crucial to have you hips and posture in the proper position to make a full turn in the backswing. Being too close/far from the ball makes it much harder to rotate your hips during the backswing. However, getting your set-up down is easier than you might think.
How to sling forward in tennis?
Once you’ve reached the top, you should feel like a rubber band ready to sling forward. You want to control this and make sure your hip action serves to clear the path for your hands, as opposed to thrusting towards the ball. Ensuring sure your hips maintain a connection to the upper body is vital in maintaining consistency in your ball strikes, along with the added power you’ll experience.
Do golfers rotate their hips?
It seems simple enough, but most golfers don’t rotate their hips properly. In fact, in many cases, when the golfer tries to increase rotation, the motions they perform work counterproductively. The Golf AI app will tell you if your hip rotation angle is less than ideal, and give you feedback/drills on how to improve.
How to keep your hips closed?
They should strive to keep their hips closed (relative to the target), let their arms swing down and only then allow their hips to clear as the arms swing through.
What happens when you add speed to a swing?
When we add speed to the swing, centrifugal force will take over if you allow it, and our hips and body will naturally clear as we swing our arms. The downswing does not need to be a consciously controlled movement, rather an instinctive move toward the target.
Where does the downswing start?
As most golfers know, the downswing starts from the ground up . The proper kinematic sequence is as follows: the hips move left and open up to the target, followed by the torso, then the arms and finally the club. Slow-motion video and modern technology has shown us this.
Can you clear your hips early?
Please try again later. Clearing your hips early can cause several faults. Some players will come “over the top,” as clearing early can cause your upper body to open early, pushing your arms out from your body, producing an out-to-in swing path and the dreaded slice.
Do you need to hit your hips when hitting a golf shot?
In my experience, golfers who consciously try to get their hips open at impact by aggressively clearing them from the start can create timing issues… and the dreaded two-way miss. Yes, for maximum speed, golfers still need to hit shots using their hips, but they need to make sure they use them at the correct time.
Do hips rotate when golfing?
To golfers with over-active hips, this will feel like more of an arms swing, but they will still notice their hips have rotated. Once you have the feeling of the correct downswing timing, you will instantly notice how much more effortless your swing feels.
