I was asked a question yesterday by my good friend Aaron who resides in Buffalo.  He asked, “Brian, how much is my lower body supposed to turn in the backswing.”  That is an interesting question because all players bodies rotate slightly different based on flexibility and body make-up.  However, here is a simple drill that will help you train your body to turn properly.  This will also increase your flexibility.

The key is that your upper body needs to rotate and because of the physical make-up of your body, if the upper body rotates then the lower body will follow.  Most struggling golfers tend to have an extreme amount of lower body movement in the backswing.  The front foot will lift up and this normally results in the head and spine moving as well.  This leads to poor shots because they are not able to get back into a good impact position in the downswing.

Do this drill whenever you have 5 or 6 minutes to spare.

Step 1: Grab a club, a stick, a broom, or even a baseball bat…..something stable but preferably not sharp.  If you don’t have a club then just move to Step 2 and don’t use anything.  It will still work to better your backswing.

Step 2: Get into your proper set-up position like you were hitting a shot (See Below)

Drill Set-Up                Real Set-up

Step 3: Place the stick high across your chest and cross your arms to hold it into place.  (Notice how the only thing I have moved so far is my arms)

Step 4: Feel like your lower body is relaxed and naturally turns as your shoulders rotate back.  Now, try to turn your left shoulder under your chin as shown below.  Notice how the butt end of the grip closest to the ground is turned behind where the ball would be.  That’s putting flexibility to good use.  The more you do this drill, the better your stretch will be.

Practice Backswing           Real-Time Backswing

Step 5: Rinse and Repeat.  Kidding!  Hold for 5-10 seconds and then repeat 3 more times.  The key is to do this at a very slow speed so your body learns the proper motion.  If you can do it slow, you can do it fast.

This simple drill that can be done in the comfort of your home will increase flexibility and make your body stretch more in the backswing.

Caution:

Increasing your rotation and creating more energy may result in longer and straighter drives!