Once you have mastered the golf setup, the weight transfer, and Move 1, it is time to start working on Move 2. Typically, in our clinics and individual lessons, we focus primarily on setup, weight transfer, and Moves 1 and 3.
Move 2 is literally an inch or two of movement. It is a tiny motion, but it is how you complete the backswing and arrive at the top.
As you are learning this, be sure to continue practicing the 9 to 3 Drills, rather than worrying about getting all the way to the top of the swing. If you can execute the 9 to 3 correctly using your body, the rest of it is simply details.
So let us take a few minutes to examine Move 2.
The motion you initiated in Move 1 continues in Move 2 — that pulling of the trail shoulder blade, moving it behind your head and down into the box.
Just Keep Pulling
Continue the pulling motion begun in Move 1. By the end of Move 1, you have turned your shoulders about as far as you can without involving your hips. Now, as you continue to pull the trail shoulder blade back, you will pull the hips along.
By the time you have completed your 90-degree shoulder turn, your hips will have rotated 45 degrees or less.
You are not actively turning your hips — the rotation simply occurs because you pull the hips along as you continue pulling your trail shoulder back.
By the end of Move 2, you are fully coiled. You can feel it in your core. Your hips are fully loaded, and your upper body is fully coiled against the lower body. If you pause at this point in your golf swing, you will find that your breathing is restricted from having all those muscles compressed and ready to fire.
Focus on the Shoulder Blade and Lats
You want to focus on two things at the top:
- Continuing to pull the trail shoulder blade back
- Feeling that the trail lat is engaged when you reach the top
If your trail arm stays down and in the box, the trail lat will remain engaged. If you hike your shoulder up, the trail lat is completely released, disconnecting you from two of the largest muscles in your body and leaving you with no choice but to swing from the rectangle.
Keep your shoulder blade down and in. Your focal point at the top of the swing is to make sure you can still feel that trail lat.
It's All About the Trail Side
You have two checkpoints: the trail lat, and the trail heel and glute. Your trail side is what matters at this point in the golf swing.
Can you feel the trail lat still engaged so you know you are connected to your body with your arms? Can you feel yourself pushing your trail heel into the ground, and feel your trail glute engaged? If so, you are in a great position.
If your lats, shoulder, glute, and heel are all working at this point, you may be wondering what the arms do. The answer is very little. The arms' only job in the swing is to stay in the box, get a small amount of shoulder elevation — just moving your arms up in front of your chest slightly — and fold your trail arm.
Elevation, Flexion, Rotation
- Elevation — Extend your arms with your hands facing each other at about belt level, then raise them a few inches so your hands are level with the bottom of your chest.
- Trail elbow flexion — Fold your trail arm; simply bend your trail elbow so your hand points up.
- Rotation — Rotate your trail upper arm to turn your forearm and hand away from center, like the hand of a clock. (See photo)
Practice the elevation, trail elbow flexion, and upper arm rotation sequence a few times with your hands apart.
Once you can perform those movements — which are quite straightforward — you are going to combine them.
Grab your lead thumb in your trail hand. This keeps your hands together, joining them as if you were holding a golf club.
Go through the elevation, flexion, and rotation movements again with your hands linked. You will notice that this is the first time in the swing that your hands cross the center line.
You are still not swinging your arms across your body; your arms stay in front of you even as your hands move across.
Perform the exercise a few times with your hands linked — elevation, trail elbow flexion, rotation. Once you are comfortable with that, go ahead and get into your golf posture and add in the shoulder turn as you do the moves.
Finally, add the club back in. Pull the trail shoulder blade back, elevate your arms, fold your trail elbow, add a small amount of rotation. To see how your backswing positions compare to elite standards, try a free AI swing analysis.
If you struggle with this, you can take the rotation out for now. Just elevate your arms and fold your trail elbow.
Put It All Together
Now, holding the club, let us put it all together.
Start with Move 1, adding a small amount of shoulder elevation during the move. Get a bit more elevation in Move 2, fold your trail elbow, add a small amount of rotation, and now the club is on plane.
That is it. That is how you stay connected to the box.
Keeping your arms in front of your body makes it dramatically easier to bring them down into impact.
Your checkpoints are, again, trail heel, trail glute, trail lat. When you look in the mirror, make sure your trail arm is still right in front of your chest. You want to keep it as close as possible to a 90-degree angle to your chest.
Nail that, and you will have a top-of-swing position as good as any tour professional. For real-time coaching on your backswing mechanics, try a free AI golf lesson.
Watch part 2 now to see how you're moving your body in the opposite direction of the pros!
The shoulders pull the hips
Right shoulder back
Elevation, flexion, rotation
Grab your thumb to join the hands
Keep your arms in front of your chest
