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Glam Monitor

Why is rotation important in golf?

Author

Ava Wright

Updated on July 11, 2026

A failure to rotate your hips properly can result in pushing or pulling the ball and inconsistent strikes on the club. You must continually rotate your hips throughout the entirety of your swing and in order to do this you can't sway them. The more efficiently you rotate your body, the better.

What happens if you don't rotate in golf swing?

A golf swing without rotation loses its greatest source of power and gets your entire body out of sync, it becomes nearly impossible to get back to a nice square impact position resulting reduced distance and shots that are wildly off target.

Why is shoulder rotation important in golf?

With a good 90 degrees shoulder external rotation that is supported well by the stability of the shoulder blade, it allows golfers to get into a good swing plane at the top in order to shallow in the downswing. An example of a good shoulder rotation position at top of backswing.

What is rotation in the golf swing?

According to Webster, the definition that best fits rotation in the golf swing is “a circular movement around a center.” Most of the muscles involved in rotation within the golf swing are not big muscles. Most of them are somewhat small.

How far should hips rotate in golf?

Ideally, you want your hips to be around 45 degrees open in the backswing, and 40 degrees open at impact. Too much hip turn in the takeaway will make it difficult to get your hips open enough when it comes to striking the ball, which can hurt your swing.

15 related questions found

Do the arms rotate in golf swing?

Rotation in the golf swing isn't limited to the shoulders and hips. The arms must rotate correctly, too, in order to produce long, accurate shots. This is especially important during the downswing. If you fail to rotate (aka release) the arms and hands through the shot, you'll invariably slice or push the ball.

How far should you turn in golf swing?

In the backswing, your shoulders ought to turn 90 degrees away from the ball and away from the target.

Is shoulder flexibility important in golf?

Shoulder flexibility in golf is an essential aspect of a fluid golf swing. The shoulder joint itself is a classic ball and socket joint. It's similar to the hip, but with a lot less stabilization. This design allows the joint a lot of motion in all planes of movement, but puts it at a greater risk of injury.

Is it OK to sway in golf swing?

Swaying in the backswing also leads to balance issues. So, for people who sway a lot in their backswing, they also often struggle to maintain the correct balance all the way through their swing.

Do the hips start the backswing?

Initiating the backswing

The initial move should come with your hips. If you are right-handed, start the swing by turning your hips to the right. This will help you shift your weight from a neutral position to your right side.

What hand controls the golf swing?

Third, Hall said golfers must have their lead arm and hand in control of their swing. That's the left arm for right-handed golfers and the right arm for lefties. By leading, you avoid hitting at the ball.

Should left elbow Point golf swing?

The lead elbow, for those of you who are right-handed this would be your left elbow, should point down the line in the direction in which you are hitting. In other words, have the target side elbow (photo 1) point in the direction you want to hit your golf ball.

What is the most important move in the golf swing?

The first move down from the top is one of the most important in the golf swing. No matter how you take the club back, the transition into the downswing has to be smooth, and the club needs to come into the ball from inside the target line. And the overall downswing has to start from the ground up.

What should the downswing feel like?

Just remember that you can't stay in a squatted position. If you do, the club will crash into the ground behind the ball. To improve your downswing, feel like you squat and then push upward. The front leg has to straighten.

What should move first in a golf swing?

To start the swing, it's important to remember to use your “big” muscles at first, instead of the “small” muscles. This means that the first movement is with the shoulders and arms, not the wrists. The shoulders and arms draw the club directly back along the target line until the hands reach waist-high.