Lesson 5 - The Down Swing.(Changed 28/05/2025)

 

Basically the down swing is all about using a combination of the pivotal/rotational action of the hips to force the whole compact twisted body unit to rotate around the axis of the spine whilst the upper body held as a one piece unit -- and carried out as a single movement., but importantly, the down swing is performed at a ridiculously slow pace until the ball has been struck and at that point the club head is whipped through the contact area.

(A very good idea of the upper body action during the down swing movement can be carried out whilst sitting in a chair.
Put your elbows into your waist line and hold your right arm at 90 degrees to your body and then clasp your hands together, and whilst holding the unit in a rigid condition simply turn the shoulders back and forth, and that is how the upper body should be held as it is rotated in conjunction with the rotational/pivotal action of the hips.)

The condition of the upper body unit at the end of the back swing movement, where the left arm is close to the right shoulder and the whole body in is a fully twisted condition must be maintained throughout the down swing and until well into the follow though movement.

The only thing that changes it that before the ball is struck the right arm is in a bent position and the left arm is straight -- then after ball has been struck, the right arm is fully extended and the left arm begins to fold.

It is a simple action, as the left hip begins to rise, the whole twisted body unit rotates around the central core of the spine thus automatically returning the club head to the ball -- an easy one piece movement.

Throughout the down swing, the hip movement is in complete control over the movement of the upper body unit, but importantly the hands must not go past the original address position until the club head strikes the ball and at that exact moment the whole body turns as a one piece unit to fully face the target area.

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Before you start look at this Video -- It shows you how to use your body as you strike the ball.

The aim of the down swing movement is to achieve the perfect impact position --- ( see still photos of top professional golfers.)

 

At the end of the back swing movement the full rotation of the shoulders has caused the muscles of the whole body to have been wound up to its maximum, and the body is in a fully twisted condition, however at this point you must create a very slight pause before you begin the down swing movement.

 

Down Swing Movement.

As the upper body approaches the end of the back swing movement the hips must be forced to rotate / pivot towards the target area movement, thus creating a slight delay before the upper body follows its movement, then whilst the hips continue to force the twisted upper body unit to rotate, there is a further slight delay before you begin to swing the arms/club head into and through the contact area ***

*** The down swing movement is a combination of deliberate delayed actions.***

By forcing the hips to rotate/pivot towards the target area as the back swing movement is still being performed it creates a high torsion of the muscles between the lower part of the body and the upper body and as the torsion reaches it maximum it forces the whole twisted body to rotate into the down swing movement.

The hips have now assumed total control over the movement of the upper body unit.

 

After a delay of a milli- second, the action of pulling my right elbow closer to my waist line initiates the magic move

Therefore as the right elbow touches the waist line, the hips must continue to pivot and turn to face the target area thus forcing the whole compact twisted body to rotate around the central core of the spine so that the belt buckle is almost facing the target area and whilst the left arm remains close to the right shoulder and as the whole body rotates the arms can be forced to swing the club head into and through the contact area, but importantly the hands must not go past the original address position until the club head strikes the ball and at that exact moment the whole body completes its turn to fully face the target area.

All of these movement are performed at a very controlled tempo.

 

Throughout the whole down swing process the hips never stop rotating/ pivoting/ turning towards the target area thus forcing the upper body to follow.

*** It is important that the hips are fully pivoted so that the left hip is in the fully raised position before the club head strikes the ball and the hands have gone past the body.

I cannot emphasis too strongly how solid the upper body must be held together throughout the down swing and into the follow through movement.

 

However in the down swing movement the arms must only be allowed to move independently of the shoulders is when they begin interact with each just club head strikes the ball.

The speed of the club head is not achieved by the swinging of the arm as such, the speed of the club head is achieved by the rotational action of the hips, which forces the rotational movement of the solid upper body unit, the flaying action of the club head and the interaction of the arms as the club head swings through the contact area.

(You must maintain the rigidity of the whole twisted body from the moment the down swing begins - right through to the end of the follow through movement, with the only the wrists as the only independently moving parts which are used to flay the club head into the back of the ball whilst the interaction of the arms are taking place. as the club head moves through the contact area.)

 

 

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