During the golf downswing, many golfers have the tendency to ‘stand up’ as they near making their shot. This is an error that leads to inconsistency and inaccurate strokes by most golfers. So as a golfer, it’s imperative to master how to position the angle of your spine during your golf swing.
While the spine tilt should be kept intact during your golf swing, many players tend to change that tilt, causing a shift in the swing arc, and the results are inaccurate and light shots. By raising the torso before making a shot, you also raise your shoulders and hands, which lifts the clubhead, and you end up with extra thin shots.
This article will explain to you the causes of lifting up during the downswing and the possible ways to correct it for more accurate and consistent pro-golfing.
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Why Do You Lift Up During Your Downswing?
Having a Weak Grip
It’s crucial to note that how you hold and grip the golf club influences the quality of the shot you make. The term club face in golf defines the front striking surface of a club head. Having a soft grip on the club means that your club face will be significantly exposed during the backswing turn.
Exposing the club face during the backswing lowers your chances of closing it when making your downswing, and this will lead to a weak shot. Your skill in holding the golf club dramatically influences the state of your club face, and in most cases, a tighter grip will ensure an intact placement of the club during the whole golf swing.
Subsequently, in an attempt to keep the club face closed, golfers unknowingly lift their bodies through the backswing. Lifting your entire body and head increases the chances of having your club face exposed, leading to poorly defined shots.
Body Posture
This is another critical issue that causes golfers to lift up during the downswing. You cannot stand with your back arched and expect to make a good turn for the backswing for a perfect front swing before impact! It’s unmanageable. Don’t get it wrong though, the secret is bending in the right way – and that is from the hips.
During the golf swing, a bend at the waist will result in a rounded back, a very incorrect posture when taking any shot in golf. Always ensure that your back is straight and knees are slightly loosened just before the impact. This improves your shots and minimizes lifting.
The Right Shoulder
Most instructors advise that at any instance during the golf swing, your right shoulder should always be below your left. The logic is that if you keep your right shoulder higher than your left after the grip, the result is an exposed club face, and remember that an exposed club face means weak uncontrolled shots.
For that reason, it’s advisable to see that you have your right shoulder lower than your left as you grip with the right hand. This will help curb the lifting up for properly created shots.
Why Shouldn’t You Lift Up During the Downswing?
Though standing up during the golf downswing is not advised, it really varies from player to player depending on the style you use, and the experience a player has in the game.
Different golfers develop their preferred golf swing styles with time as they play the game, so it’s not entirely right to talk any player into a particular golf swing style.
However, in as much as you need to develop your own play style, it’s essential to note that lifting your body during the front/downswing will, without doubt, lead to annoying strokes. It is quite normal for players to lift up during the backswing, but replicating it in the downswing will be ineffective at the moment of impact.
Bad Posture
Losing your posture occurs if you lift up as you transition from the backswing to the downswing. You’ll find that during your downswing, your weight tends to shift to the front leg for a more powered shot.
Disrupting this sequence, lifting the body makes you lose the sturdy posture you need for an accurate shot. Experts state that the key to a successful downswing is your lower body. Keep your knees in position and allow them to move together so that your upper body will rotate about the spine with no horizontal movements for the right posture.
This way, the body won’t lift, your back won’t arch, and your downswing will be perfect.
Back Curvature
During the downswing, you need to stay aware of the movements of your body around the spine. The rotary motion is generated by the body as it uncoils around the spine.
This means that any crosswise and vertical movements should be avoided at all costs. The backbone needs to retain a fixed stance during the downswing.
Balance Loss
Lifting your shoulders, back-arching, stiffened knees and waist, and lowering your head, are the very reasons you will lose your balance in the downswing. As an alternative to lifting it, ensure you turn your body during the downswing for picture-perfect shots.
Balance loss is the most likely scenario that will occur if you don’t master the art of staying still and straight during the downswing. Any golfer that looks to go pro has to know how to keep their balance in check during a swing. To learn how to retain your balance, you also need to stop lifting your body during the downswing.
Pro Tips
Here are a few tips that will help with a bad downswing if observed:
- At impact, keep your head still and don’t allow it to move whatsoever, if possible
- Allow your knees to be flexible, never lock them during the golf swing
- Hang your hands free as you swing for impact, keeping your eyes on the ball.
- Bend, not from the waist but the hips
- Always Ensure your back is straight with no curvature during the swing
- Have your grip tight and your right shoulder slightly beneath your left
Conclusion
Never let your golf stroke be ruined by a weak swing when you have the potential to work it out! Practice is the key to the successful game of golf you’ve dreamed of.
Apply the above pro tips, and your golf swing will continually prove productive with consistently accurate and well-measured shots. Now you know how to stop lifting up during your golf downswing. Good luck!
