It may sound silly, but it’s true: during the golf swing, the ball effectively “moves” in relation to your body, even though it never changes position on the ground.
At the address, everything is calm and organized. You aim the clubface at the target starting line, then position your feet, knees, hips and shoulders parallel to that target. In this static position, the ball appears fixed in space relative to your body.
This is the calm before the storm.
Backward return it changes everything. As the club moves back, up and along an inclined plane, your body begins to roll. Your body turns against your lower body, pressure is applied to the side of the track, and torque is conserved. This wrapping action is what allows you to build speed later – but only if you break it down properly.
This decomposition begins in transition. Instead of immediately throwing their arms or club toward the ball, elite players shift the pressure to their leading arm first. This subtle yet athletic movement refocuses the body and lays the foundation for a powerful and efficient landing. Think about stepping on your lead before you jump. You are creating a stable foundation from which to pivot and expand.
As your center of mass moves forward toward the target, something important happens: the ball, in conjunction with your advancing lower body, effectively moves. backward. While the ball has not actually changed places on the ground, the position of your body has. This relative movement is critical to getting the club out of the way and with the right sequence.
Golfers who struggle with their pull often miss this step. When the arms are “catapulted” or thrown from the top too early, the body stalls, the club moves out and across, and the ball starts to the left. This, combined with an open balcony, results in the dreaded pull-slice.
Instead, focus on driving pressure aggressively to your side of the lead while allowing your arms to fall naturally. When the forward movement of the body is accompanied by spin, the club approaches the ball on the inside, launching shots a little more to the right and eliminating those quick misses to the left.
Mastering this relationship between forward pressure shift and arm delivery doesn’t just reduce pulled shots—it improves contact, increases velocity, and leads to much more consistent hitting of the ball through the bag.
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