Is the golf swing a circle?
James Craig
Published Jan 18, 2026
One of the most common faults among amateur golfers is not realising that the correct swing path is actually a circle around the body. When golfers don't follow this circular motion we can see something know as the 'reverse pivot' where the golf club comes straight up too steeply - often resulting in a slice.
Is the golf swing circular?
The golf swing is a circle. You need to rotate your body and swing your arms up while hinging your wrists. Your body motion is incorrect if your clubhead does not travel in a circle. You first need to grip the club so your hands hinge up and down, not sideways.
What type of movement is a golf swing?
The dynamics of the golf swing is important to every golfer's game. To hit a golf ball, the golfer swings a club while standing at the side of a motionless ball positioned on the ground. Such a swing involves angular motion. In physics, angular motion is defined as the movement of a body about a fixed point, or axis.
What is a golf swing called?
The golf swing is the action by which players hit the ball in the sport of golf. The golf swing is a complex motion involving the whole body; the technicalities of the swing are known as golf stroke mechanics.
What muscles are used in a golf swing?
Muscles Used in the Golf Swing
- External Abdominal Obliques. These muscles help rotate the torso. ...
- Gluteus Maximus. ...
- Pectroalis Major. ...
- Latissimus Dorsi. ...
- Forearm.
Why is my golf swing flat?
This can occur in a flat swing simply because you run out of room between your club and the ground before you ever get to impact. Flat swings use a shallow angle of attack to hit the ball, which is normally not a problem, but that shallow angle can lead to fat contact if your swing dips a bit from its normal position.
What does a flat golf swing mean?
“Flat” describes a swing plane that is more horizontal than the norm. For a right-handed player, this means the left arm forms an angle of less than 45° with the ground at the top of the backswing. PGA Tour standout Matt Kuchar is an extreme example of a golfer whose swing is flat.
What does swing round mean?
Meaning of swing around/round – Learner's Dictionary
to turn around quickly: She suddenly heard a voice behind her and swung round.
How do I stop swinging my body in golf?
Perform a mock backswing and make sure that the end of your club points at the ball when you reach what would be your top of the swing. Reaching this position will only be possible if you are indeed rotating your upper body on top of your hips, with your shoulders – not your arms – doing most of the work.
Is the left arm dominant in the golf swing?
The left hand and arm must play the dominant role in the swing at all times. If it does not, you have no alternative but to over employ the right hand, The right hand can only dominate if the left hand and arm fails to play its controlling role.
What happens if a golf club is too flat?
If your club is too flat for your swing then it means that during your swing, the toe of the club will be lower than the heel (normally you want them level at impact). That can result in the ball slicing (curving to the right for a right-handed golfer).
Can golf swing be too shallow?
“If you're a player who comes in too shallow, you're probably keeping your shoulders closed and sliding too much,” Sprecher says. “So I want you to feel like you're rotating your shoulders and upper body a little bit earlier in the downswing.”
What happens if backswing is too steep?
When the shaft works too steep in the backswing, it causes the player to excessively tilt their shoulder plane. A steep shoulder plane often results in a reverse pivot. It also requires excessive shallowing of the golf club to make solid contact.
Should arms be close to body in golf swing?
PGA Tour player Jonathan Byrd always keeps his upper arms close to his body, which keeps his swing more compact.
What is the U shaped golf swing?
The golfer who tries to reach the walls of the room develops a “U” shaped swing rather than a “V” shaped swing. The U shape allows the club to accelerate through the ball all the way to the target, maximizing clubhead speed through the ball and therefore increasing distance.
How do you hit a golf ball with your body?
Proper Posture
The stance sets the base of your golf posture. Start by setting and bending your knees slightly and putting most of your weight on the balls of your feet. Once you've done that, hold the club in front of you and begin to hinge at the hips, until the club reaches the ground.
How far should you hit a 7 iron?
A standard amateur golfer can hit a 7 iron from 128 yards to 158 yards. The lower range will be for women and senior golfers. To hit the ball over 150 yards in total distance with a 7 iron club, an amateur golfer will have to have a good swing and be physically fit.
What exercises help your golf swing?
Here are five at-home exercises to improve your golf game
- Split Squat: This is a lower-body exercise that works on mobility, stability and strength. ...
- Deadbug: Deadbugs are a great exercise for strengthening your core. ...
- Push-ups: ...
- Pelvic Rotation: ...
- Full Body Turn:
What part of the body starts the backswing in golf?
HOW TO START BACK. The motion you want off the ball is a pushing back movement by the left hand (pictured above). This creates a basically straight start to the swing and wide extension. It also gets the left shoulder turning back so the upper body starts to coil against a stable lower body.
What do you call a poor golfer?
"Duffer" is a term golfers apply to poor golfers — those among us who score the highest. The term is descriptive if applied to higher-handicappers and recreational golfers, but will be insulting if misapplied to a good golfer. "Duffer" and "hacker" are synonymous, although hacker is the slightly more negative term.
What do you call someone who loves golf?
1. golfer - someone who plays the game of golf. golf player, linksman.