Many golfers have swing tendencies that, no matter how hard they try, they can’t get rid of. That’s why in this Golf Digest+ series, Matchmakers, Golf Digest No. 1 Teacher in America Mark Blackburn is teaching you how to play with what you’ve got. No matter your tendency, you can play well with it as long as you match it up with the right moves.
An excessively outside and upright backswing can be a death move for average golfers. You might be thinking, Wait, don’t a lot of the best players in the world have upright backswings? What about Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas? You’re right … but the key is that they match these backswings up with the right moves in transition to get the club on plane coming down.
Before we get into the transition, let’s first distinguish between the upright backswings on the PGA Tour and the ones I often see with average players. Guys like Scottie and JT pair their high arms and hands with huge shoulder turns. Average golfers often get into an upright backswing position simply by lifting their arms and not turning their shoulders and ribcage behind the ball. That’s no good, and it looks a little something like this.
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It’s OK to be upright, but make sure you get enough turn. Feel like the muscles between your shoulder blades are facing the target at the top of the swing. Another helpful feel is to focus on turning your shirt buttons away from the target.
Assuming you’ve paired your upright backswing with a full turn, now comes the magic move. Start the downswing with your lower body by shifting your pressure into your lead foot, and lower your arms while keeping your back facing the target. It should look a little something like this.
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Exaggerate this move a few times without a ball. It might feel like you’re making a loop with your arms and the club—that’s a good thing. Remember, if you took the club too far to the outside in the backswing, you need to get it back on plane by feeling like you’re coming more from the inside in the downswing. The correct sensation is that your arms are dropping, with your hands moving toward the pocket of your trail leg. Do it right, and you’ll hit plenty of draws.
But remember, if you’re trying to do this transition move but you didn’t make a full turn, you’ve got no chance. You can’t keep your back facing the target in the downswing if it never got there in the backswing!
Get that full turn and drop the club on plane in transition, and you’ll hit baby draws with your upright backswing.
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Blackburn’s new book, The Coaching Code, is now out. In it, he explains the concepts he has used in coaching dozens of tour players, including Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, Max Homa and Collin Morikawa. Blackburn is a Golf Digest Teaching Professional.
MORE FROM MARK BLACKBURN
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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
