How To Start The Backswing In Golf (Plus One Bonus Hack To Revitalize Your Ball-Striking)

Improving your ball-striking is a key factor in the pursuit of progress on the course, but consistency can be elusive. This simple hack could be the answer...

Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau during their backswing with driver
Nailing your backswing in golf can eliminate plenty of common faults...
(Image credit: Getty Images)

There are plenty of factors to consider when learning how to start the backswing in golf, especially as these crucial initial movements will ultimately dictate the outcome of your shot.

Understanding subtle aspects such as how long your backswing should be, how to avoid an overswing and how to get a straight left arm in your golf swing will help you to strike the ball better, but this deeper understanding can also help you to eliminate some of the most common swing faults at source.

In this article, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Joshua Mayo walks us through a complete guide to the backswing, while also sharing a simple hack that could transform the quality of your ball-striking...

How To Start The Backswing In Golf

A common mistake among club golfers, particularly high- handicappers and beginners, is a lot of moving parts in the backswing. Sometimes it’s because they want to be positive and make a nice, committed swing; other times it’s because they don’t know how best to initiate the takeaway.

I like to feel as though my hands get the clubhead moving first. A good wrist set should be the priority. Start to create a 90 ̊ angle between shaft and forearm as the hands gently begin to push the club away from the target.

Joshua Mayo demonstrating how to start the backswing

(Image credit: Olly Curtis)

The shoulders follow the hands, then the torso and finally the hips and lower body. Swing slowly to the top and stop. Have your shoulders turned 90 ̊ so you’re looking over the lead shoulder? Have your hips turned around 45 ̊? If I were observing you, I’d want to see that the knees and feet haven’t turned much at all.

If the lower body goes at the same rate as the upper body, it’s hard to build up energy so you’ll be very limited on power and efficiency. Imagine a spring being wound up ready to be released. There’s also much more chance of swaying off the ball if the lower body gets too active early in the backswing.

Joshua Mayo demonstrating the correct position at the top of the backswing

(Image credit: Olly Curtis)

Bonus Hack - 'Tap' Into Your Full Potential

To prevent the lower body rotating too soon, try ‘isolating’ it by tapping a foot. Tapping the lead foot throughout the swing will help keep your lower body separated from the upper body.

Joshua Mayo demonstrating how tapping your lead foot can help with separating lower and upper body in the swing

(Image credit: Olly Curtis)

Work on starting the swing with the hands, then shoulders, then hips. You should get a full shoulder turn with much less hip turn. Give it a go – a rhythmical tap of the lead foot as you work to the top of the backswing and then give it a rip.

Joshua Mayo
Top 50 Coach

Location: Windmill Leisure

Joshua has been playing golf pretty much his entire life with his dad, Paul, being a former Amateur champion and Walker Cup player. He brings a holistic approach to coaching for all ages and abilities and he will use a combination of modern teaching methods as well as the traditional methods. Is an all-round sports fanatic.

Teaching philosophy: 

As a whole I like to consider my teaching to be holistic. With qualifications in sports psychology and strength and conditioning I like to consider myself able to deal with any scenario. On a daily basis I see people need to improve their physical well-being just by watching them swing a club. Some other people have issues that can’t be seen physically and can only be found when you dig a bit deeper into their mindset. Some people just want to have a friendly chat and the smallest of improvements in their golf can make their day. Everyone needs specific and individual attention but from a golf coaching perspective having good posture and trusting your own swing from that point is crucial. 

Assessing a student's needs:

Ask them how they learn best. People learn in different ways. Asking them what job they do can often be a good indicator of how they learn. Some people love seeing video analysis with trackman data whereas other people like to feel the movements and learn from the feedback of the strike and ball flight. Others like to see explanation demonstrations so showing and explaining can be useful. 

Greatest teacher:

My dad, Paul Mayo. He was fortunate enough to play in the Masters with Jack Nicklaus so that alone means he has plenty of experience and stories to tell. His lessons are always engaging and he keeps things extremely simple. He coaches by eye and has an amazing understanding of people's needs. He has developed young golfers as well as elite and lady golfers. His attitude towards the game is inspiring and contagious. 

With contributions from