Whether your game feels completely lost or just a little inconsistent, sometimes one solid swing thought can make a huge difference.
This is one I’ve used in the past and I think it’s something a lot of amateur golfers should consider.
You could call it “organization” in the golf swing but the simple thought is this:
Keep the golf club more in front of you during the backswing.
I’m going to explain what that means, why it can help and give you a simple drill to try at the range this afternoon.
The mistake this can help fix
A lot of amateur golfers get disconnected early in the swing without realizing it.
The club gets pulled too far behind the body, the lead arm gets pinned across the chest and the downswing becomes a recovery mission.
That’s when you start seeing:
- steep swings
- over-the-top moves
- blocks and hooks
- inconsistent contact
Many golfers think they need more shallowing or more lag in the downswing but often the issue started much earlier in the swing. If it’s not addressed, you’ll keep working on the same downswing issues without ever addressing the cause of the problem.
The simple feel that can make golf easier
It’s important to understand from the start that keeping your arms in front of your chest and keeping them glued to your chest are not the same.
You want the arms and chest working together while still maintaining a little space between your lead arm and chest during the backswing.
Good players tend to create width early. Amateur golfers often collapse everything inward too quickly.
Here’s what this feel of keeping the club in front of you is really trying to do:
- Keep the club from getting trapped behind you too early
- Help the body and arms move together
- Create a more organized backswing
- Reduce the need for compensation coming down
- Make contact more consistent
You do NOT need to think about swing plane angles or positions to make this work. For most golfers, this is simply about creating width without letting the club disappear behind them.
How to achieve it
One of the easiest ways to feel this is to imagine your chest and arms moving together for the first part of the swing.
Instead of immediately rolling the club behind you or lifting it upward with your hands and arms, allow the body turn to help move the club back.
You should feel the width in the swing.
If your lead arm immediately gets pinned tightly across your chest, there’s a good chance the club is getting too far behind you too early.
A simple drill to try
One of my favorite drills for this is a Coach Lockey drill and I’ll drop the full video here for you to watch because it’s a really easy way to understand the feeling.
Take your trail hand and place:
- your pinky near your lead elbow
- your thumb near the center of your chest
Now make slow practice backswings while maintaining that space between your lead arm and chest.
The goal is not to create a huge gap. You simply want enough room so the arms stay in front of the body instead of collapsing inward immediately.
You should feel:
- width in the backswing
- the chest and arms moving together
- less “wrapping” of the club behind you
Start slowly, make a few rehearsals and then hit some shots trying to recreate the same feel.
Who this can help
Not every swing thought or drill is for your game. I’d be most likely to recommend this concept if you have any of the issues below.
| If You Tend To… | This Feel May Help By |
|---|---|
| Pull or slice the ball | Keeping the club more organized early, getting yourself into a proper position during transition |
| Feel “stuck” in transition | Preventing the club from getting trapped behind you |
| Hit inconsistent iron shots | Improving takeaway structure so you can repeat under pressure |
| Swing too hard with the hands | Encouraging better body movement from the start of the swing |
| Fight steep contact | Helping the club work more naturally in transition |
Final thoughts
Keeping the club in front of you during the backswing can be a really effective swing thought, as long as you understand what the feeling is trying to accomplish. Give this one a try at the range and see if it helps your swing feel a little more organized and repeatable.
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