
Shallowing in the golf swing and in particular the downswing means getting the golf club to flatten more horizontally. As I go through below, most golfers have this angle too steep which results in poorly struck golf shots. There’s no one perfect angle to aim for as it varies from golfer to golfer depending on your height and body size.
Full Answer
What does it mean to shallow your golf swing?
In golf, shallowing your swing and specifically, the downswing simply means getting the club to flatten horizontally. Most golfers tend to have this angle extremely steep and this results in golf shots that are poorly struck.
Is the angle too steep for your golf shots?
As I go through below, most golfers have this angle too steep which results in poorly struck golf shots. There’s no one perfect angle to aim for as it varies from golfer to golfer depending on your height and body size.
Why do my golf shots flare out to the right?
Most golfers tend to have this angle extremely steep and this results in golf shots that are poorly struck. This is a trait that is characteristic of amateur and leisure golfers and they produce left to right spin and shots which flare out to the right.
Are you coming in too shallow on the downswing?
For shallow swingers, the inverse is the problem. “If you’re a player who comes in too shallow, you’re probably keeping your shoulders closed and sliding too much,” Sprecher says. “So I want you to feel like you’re rotating your shoulders and upper body a little bit earlier in the downswing.”

What happens if golf swing is too shallow?
6:3010:01IS YOUR GOLF SWING TOO FLAT | Golf Swing Tips - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSomething that you don't often do when you're swinging the club too shallow just a really simpleMoreSomething that you don't often do when you're swinging the club too shallow just a really simple drill to get you feeling the the sensation of the arms lifting upwards.
What does it mean to shallow your golf swing?
Shallowing the golf club means that you get the club to flatten out more horizontally on the way down. Most golfers instead, have an over the top, casting motion which leads a steeper plane on the downswing. This can produce fat shots, skinny shots, and big misses to the right.
Is a shallow golf swing good?
2:148:51How To Shallow The Club EASILY and NATURALLY For More Power ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd why is it. Important i'm waiting let me know well shallow in the golf swing. Really is justMoreAnd why is it. Important i'm waiting let me know well shallow in the golf swing. Really is just about having a more athletic. Move that you can sort of get into a slot if you will through the impact
How do I shallow my golf swing?
To shallow the golf club, you need to use the trail arm and wrists to move the club shaft from a steep position to a shallow position, more horizontal to the ground. By dropping the trail arm and hinging the wrists at the top of the swing, this will cause the club to fall into a 'shallower' position.
Is a shallow or steep golf swing better?
The clubhead does not point to the sky as much on the downswing, and the shafts stays relatively flat in relation to the ground. Shallow swings often times produce less deep divots and approach the ball with a positive angle of attack, causing less backspin.
What is the difference between a steep and shallow golf swing?
3:597:44Steep V's Shallow Golf Swings - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFace is square on both the angle attack is the same on both. It don't make a difference does notMoreFace is square on both the angle attack is the same on both. It don't make a difference does not make a difference the steeper transition might hurt you back more long term the steeper transition
Does Phil Mickelson shallow the club?
Note that Phil Mickelson's clubshaft descends down the TSP and he doesn't shallow the clubshaft during his early-mid downswing. Note that he doesn't aggressively adduct his rear (left) upper arm during his early-mid downswing and his rear (left) elbow doesn't drop groundwards faster than his lead (right) elbow.
Is my backswing too steep?
When the shaft works too steep in the backswing, it causes the player to excessively tilt their shoulder plane. A steep shoulder plane often results in a reverse pivot. It also requires excessive shallowing of the golf club to make solid contact.
How do you stop swinging steep?
3:518:213 MAIN CAUSES & FIXES FOR A STEEP DOWNSWING - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMotion by an aggressive upper body rotation. Down towards the ball the lead arm is staying againstMoreMotion by an aggressive upper body rotation. Down towards the ball the lead arm is staying against the chest.
How to shallow out your swing?
To shallow out your golf swing you only need to perform 3 critical moves. Get these right and I guarantee better ball striking and lower scores. These moves are, shift your weight to your lead side, let gravity drop the golf club on plane and flatten the left wrist or bow slightly in the downswing.
Why do golfers come down too steep?
Most golfers come down too steep in the downswing which puts the clubhead on the wrong angle exposing the toe and heel of the golf club. Only coming down on the right golf swing plane will produce the type of golf shots you’re after. See right and wrong image below of where you should be in your downswing.
How to correct a steep golf swing?
1. Shift your weight to your lead leg. The first part of correcting a steep golf swing and shallowing the angle of attack is to shift your weight correctly. This first move is critical because without it, you’ll come down steep and require compensations to save the shot. Move most of your weight (80%) to your lead leg.
What side do you swing on when you are a right hander?
If you’re a right hander, you do most things with your right hand, arm and shoulders etc. Because of this habit, when it comes to the golf swing you overuse the right side which has dire consequences in your swing. The golf swing believe it or not is left side dominant. This means for a right hander you should be pulling from the left side in ...
Which side of the golf swing should you pull from?
This means for a right hander you should be pulling from the left side in the downswing to deliver the golf club to the ball. The opposite happens to most of you where your right side takes over in the downswing which throws the golf club too far over the top or outside to inside the swing plane resulting in a steep path to impact.
Can you square up the clubface at impact?
If you don't shallow out your golf swing and in particular your downswing, you’ll always find it difficult to square up the clubface at impact. The good news is regardless of your currently ability or what scores you shoot can you learn how to do this right and become a better ball striker.
What are steep and shallow describing?
The terms steep and shallow describe your swing plane i.e. the angle of the shaft during the swing. A steep swing has a shaft that is more vertical in relation to the ground, while a shallow swing is more horizontal.
Shallow Golf Swings
A steep swing, on the other hand, works around your body more. The clubhead does not point to the sky as much on the downswing, and the shafts stays relatively flat in relation to the ground. Shallow swings often times produce less deep divots and approach the ball with a positive angle of attack, causing less backspin.
What are the two things that are important when shallowing a golf club?
2. Grip and Wrist Angles. Your initial wrist angles are critical to shallowing the club. Being able to move your wrists into flexion (bowing) on the downswing is a must. It is this move that allows you to close and deloft the clubface preventing the ball from going right.
When is Shauheen's post on Shkeengolf?
A post shared by Shauheen Nakhjavani (@shkeengolf) on Oct 18, 2019 at 12:19pm PDT. By definition if you want to be a successful online coach you have to be good.
What does shallowing the golf club mean?
Shallowing the golf club refers to a movement at the top of the backswing where the club shifts from a ‘steep’ position to a ‘shallower’ position, resulting in a shaft angle more horizontal to the ground.
How do you shallow the golf club?
To shallow the golf club, you need to use the trail arm and wrists to move the club shaft from a steep position to a shallow position, more horizontal to the ground. By dropping the trail arm and hinging the wrists at the top of the swing, this will cause the club to fall into a ‘shallower’ position.
Top training aids for shallowing the golf club
Often a training aid is going to be a huge help in replicating the movement required to shallow the golf club in the downswing.
How do you shallow the golf club and hit it farther?
To shallow the golf club and hit the ball farther it is important to flatten the club in the backswing, not steepen it. Getting the club in a more horizontal position will allow you to coil and release more freely, maintain swing speed and avoid slices that will travel far less distance than draws.
How do you flatten a golf swing?
To flatten the golf swing you need to work on taking the club into a position more horizontal to the ground at the top of the swing. This can be achieved by dropping the trail arm and allowing the wrists to lower the club head more towards the ground.
Can a golf swing be too shallow?
Yes, a golf swing can be too shallow, and people who take the club back in a shallow position will quite often come over-the-top to negate this, leading to slices and misses to the right. Try working on a takeaway less from the inside, and more on-plane, so you can shallow the club with confidence.
Final message
Many people play golf for decades with weird actions in their swing and several faults adequately patched up by counteracting movements and fixes.
What does it mean when a golfer whiffes his shot?
A whiffed shot refers to an attempt made by a golfer to hit his ball through a live swing, i.e., not during a practice swing, and missing it entirely. The name comes from the sound made by the club traveling at full speed without the expected ball striking noise that is a staple of a golf stroke. Consequence: Whiffing a ball will result in ...
What is the name of the second shot that a golfer is allowed to take without penalty?
Happy Ball. The name of the second shot that a golfer is allowed to take without penalty, specifically from the tee-box on hole #1. Or in other words, a happy ball is the alternative name for a mulligan when it is hit from the very first hole.
What is a shank shot?
Shank. A shanked shot will occur when the ball will shoot straight off to the right of the intended target line on a very low trajectory. It usually comes as a result of the ball being hit by the hosel of the club instead of its clubface. Consequence: A shank shot will often put the golfer in catastrophic situations for the next shot.
How many happy balls can you have in a round?
Regardless, a happy ball is the designation of a mulligan when it is hit from the first tee, and as such a golfer could theoretically only be allowed one happy ball during a round of eighteen holes.
What does it mean when a golfer hits the ball fat?
A golfer is said to have hit the ball fat when his club will have penetrated through the ground before striking the ball. Ideally, in a successful strike at the ball, the clubface will come in contact with the ball first before it continues its forward descent into the ground. Consequence: Hitting a shot fat will result in a loss ...
What happens if you whiff a golf ball?
Consequence: Whiffing a ball will result in the total loss of distance, i.e., the ball will remain in its original spot. In accordance to the official rules, the golfer will need to count a whiff as a full stroke, even though the club has not touched the ball at all. More on: How to Fix Whiffs.
What is double tap in golf?
A double tap occurs when the golfer’s clubhead strikes the ball twice, the first time when the ball is on the ground and the second time shortly after when the ball is off the ground. This type of golf shot error usually occurs near the green during chip shots, when the ball is launched slowly enough for the club to catch up to it ...
