Impact is the most important part of a golf swing. However, don’t ignore how important the transition from backswing to downswing can be. You have very limited time to get this movement right and make the proper transition. Focusing on body rotation, a smooth transfer of weight and a great tempo is a start. Here are some of the best golf transition drills to try if you think your swing could be more efficient.
Pressure Shift Drill
One of the most important movements in the golf swing is the weight transition from centered to the trail side and back to the lead side.
With the pressure shift drill, you will start in your normal position with weight distributed 50/50 between your feet. When you reach the halfway-back position with the lead arm parallel to the ground, you feel about 70 percent of your weight on your trail foot.
Now, practice shifting that weight back to the lead side. As you move from the backswing into the downswing, shift the weight so you have about 60 percent on your lead foot.
Most amateur golfers have a tendency to hang back and keep their weight on their trail foot too long. This leads to inconsistency in the clubface angle. If you’ve seen the pump drill with the arms in the past, this one looks very similar except we aren’t paying attention to the arms. Instead, just feel the pumping in your feet because of the pressure.
Pause and Breathe Drill
Hideki Matsuyama has a noticeable pause at the top of his backswing. This motion has worked quite well for him and we can all learn from it when working on the golf swing transition.
This pause-and-breathe drill is not a move you need to incorporate into your golf swing. Instead, it’s a great drill for learning to feel what is going on in your transition. Many amateur golfers wonder how they should work on their transition if they don’t even know what’s going on.
The pause-and-breathe drill involves swinging to the top of your backswing (a three-quarter swing is fine), taking a breath and then swinging and hitting the ball.
This is hard for some players but it’s one of the best ways to learn the natural order of events in the swing and which motions you need/don’t need.
Use a high-lofted club and if you have to put the ball on a short tee when you first start, that’s acceptable.
The key here is solid contact and better understanding so don’t worry about the total distance on these shots.
Step Drill for Lower Body Engagement
Some golfers try to hit the ball just with their hands and arms. Perfecting the transition when you don’t incorporate the lower body becomes very difficult.
This step drill is a bit more complicated so pick something easy to hit, like an 8-iron, and tee the ball up slightly.
Take your stance with your feet slightly touching. When you take your backswing, make a small step backward with the trail foot. When you make the transition, step forward with the lead foot.
You’ll have to get good at timing this but it really makes you feel the rotation of the lower body and the sequence of the movements you must make.
Always go for a full, balanced finish at the end of this drill to ensure you have properly transferred all of your weight.
Squat or Core Squeeze Downswing Drill
This drill doesn’t have an official name—I’ve developed it through practice and how it feels in my swing. It is one of my favorite golf transition drills.
In the video below from Zach Allen Golf, you’ll get insight into the first move of the downswing. For pros, this move often feels like pushing the left hip back (for right-handed golfers) rather than simply rotating the hips open. I feel this movement tightens the core as I move into the downswing.
To get the feel of this move, grab a medicine ball and practice “throw downs.” Hold the ball overhead, then throw it down with force. You’ll notice you naturally squat and engage your lower body and core to bring the ball down which mimics how the core should engage in the downswing.
After practicing with the medicine ball, switch to your golf club and try to replicate that core squeeze or squat-like movement.
By using the ground more effectively, you’ll add power and improve swing efficiency. When practicing, I sometimes pause at the top of my swing and then continue focusing on tightening my core through impact.
Explore how this move feels in your own game—you might find it to be a game-changer!
Final thoughts
These golf transition drills take a bit to get the hang of. Don’t be surprised if the first 10 shots you hit when working on these drills are ugly. Stick with it because when you can gain some confidence in your transition you’ll see results in the control, accuracy and distance of the shots you hit on the course.
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