All top players begin to shift their weight before they reach the top of the backswing.
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Welcome to Play Smart, GOLF.com’s regular game improvement column that will help you play smarter, better golf.
Like snowflakes, every golf swing looks different. But while the beauty of each game may be different, there are some commonalities – especially among high-level players.
Take the swings of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, for example. These are two of the best players in the world, yet their swings look very different. However, if you look closely at the way Scheffler and McIlroy swing the club, you will see that there are some similarities.
One of the main ways these two swing alike is the way they distribute and shift their weight during the swing. And in today’s edition of Play Smart, we turn to Top 100 Golf Instructors Jonathan Yarwood and Chris Como to break it all down.
How experts change their weight
Top players are extremely skilled when it comes to swing sequence. This means that they are able to move all parts of their body in the right way to produce the most efficient swing.
Having the right sequence is a big reason why pros can produce power without looking like they’re putting in too much effort. If you can put everything in the right way, the power of production becomes much easier.
If you want to swing like a pro, it’s important that you track your swing the same way they do. And a good place to start with that is to learn how to properly manage your weight.
“A lot of people that we see, they get to the top of the swing – especially young players – they’re afraid to take their ball forward,” Yarwood said. “What we see with high-level players is that their arm goes up, the lower body and the body move as the lead arm goes up. So there is a change of direction before they reach the top. That’s a common thing among many good players.”
This act of shifting your weight and pressure forward before completing the backswing is called “re-centering,” and it’s something that all top players do during the swing.
How to teach yourself to re-center
If you’re among the large number of golfers who don’t shift their weight correctly, don’t worry. There is hope for you now. In fact, one of the best exercises for learning how to shift your weight is incredibly easy to do when you’re in range.
All you need to do is line up to the ball with your feet a little closer than usual. Make your backswing high, but before you complete the backswing, step forward with your lead foot.
“That will increase your horizontal power,” Yarwood said. “It creates a really good mass movement. It is especially good for iron. “
When you start taking your normal swings, mimic that practice step feeling. It will help you move your weight and pressure forward, and share an important part of the swing with some of the best players in the world.
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