How to Stop Swaying and Start Rotating for a Better Golf Swing

There is a common misconception among some amateur golfers that the swing needs to have significant side-to-side movement in order to be effective.

You’ll sometimes see golfers working on a ‘weight shift’ from one side to the other while on the range. And, while there is some movement of your weight in the lateral direction as the swing progresses, focusing on this piece is dangerous.

Most players would be far better served to think about rotation rather than lateral movement.

With this article, we’d like to talk about the issues that come into play when you sway in your golf swing, and how you can make the change to a more rotational action. The potential benefits here are many, including added power and improved consistency, so this is certainly a topic worthy of your attention.

Swaying Leads to Many Problems

It might not be an exaggeration to say that swaying is the biggest swing fault in the amateur game. Even if that isn’t quite true, it’s certainly a big issue and one that many golfers would benefit from confronting. If you sway significantly during your swing, here are some of the likely outcomes –

#1 Loss of Speed

The way to build speed in your golf swing is to rotate as quickly as possible in the downswing. It really is that simple.

Rotational forces are going to create far more speed than any kind of lateral slide. If you hope to hit the ball farther – and who doesn’t – look to rotation to make that happen.

#2 Poor Contact Quality

Another problem with a swing that moves significantly from side to side is difficulty making solid contact. Since your center of gravity is moving dramatically during the swing, it will be hard to match up the bottom of your swing arc with the position of the ball.

This job is made much easier if you keep your center of gravity relatively stationary and just rotate around that point. That way, you always know where the bottom of your swing is going to be, and you can deliver the club into the ball accurately on a regular basis.

#3 Weak Trajectory

Even if you do manage to make good contact on a swing where you sway from side to side, you probably won’t be happy with the ball flight that swing produces. Your lateral movement is going to lead to a scooping action at impact, which can create a floating, high spinning shot that never really has a chance to hold its line or carry a significant distance.

By improving your rotation and staying on top of the ball, you’ll improve your launch conditions and have better control over your shots.

The Critical Mistake

If you are currently struggling with a side to side move in your swing, it’s likely that the root of the problem can be found as soon as you put the club in motion. The takeaway is often overlooked as an important component of the swing, but plenty of mistakes take place at this early stage.

For those who are swaying off the ball to the right (for a right-handed golfer), the takeaway probably includes a lateral shift away from the target. Instead of starting the swing by turning your shoulders, you may be starting by leaning to the right and dragging the club back with you. This can feel like a natural move, but it has the potential to ruin your swing.

Image via GolfDistillery.com

The best way to get rid of this move is simply to practice your takeaway over and over again!

Don’t even do this at the range – just spend time at home rehearsing your takeaway move without making a full swing.

Simply take your stance, perform a proper takeaway, and start over. The more reps you can perform of a balanced, steady takeaway action, the better.

As you practice your takeaway, pay close attention to the very first move that you make. Your first move should not be to sway away from the target – it should be to turn your shoulders to start the backswing. Your shoulders should initiate the action while your center of gravity stays right where it was at address.

If you can nail this first move, you may be surprised to find how much easier everything else falls into place.

A Matter of Time

For the purposes of this last section, we are going to assume you have done the work necessary to get rid of the lateral move at the start of your swing. That’s great progress, and you may already be hitting the ball better. But getting rid of your sway is only half the battle – you need to be sure that you are rotating properly to unlock your full ball striking potential.

As long as you are starting your swing with a rotational move, you are on the right path. From there, it’s a matter of giving yourself enough time to finish that turn all the way to the top of your backswing.

Countless players struggle with this point. Even if they get the swing off to a good start, they get impatient and cut off the backswing before it has a chance to be completed.

You might want to try counting out loud during your practice swings to remind yourself to take enough time to rotate away from the target. Even counting to three out loud from the takeaway up to the top will help you avoid rushing. If you are tempted to rush, you’ll notice that your counting was cut short, and you’ll be reminded to slow down.

Remember, speed and power and produced in the downswing, not the backswing, so take all the time you need to get up to the top in a balanced position.

There is no “one secret” that is going to unlock your golf game and lead to great results. That’s not how this game works. However, rotating properly is an important fundamental, and working on this part of your performance can go a long way toward elevating your play.