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Should hips go first in golf swing?

Author

Emma Payne

Published Jan 15, 2026

Rotate the Hips

The first element that starts this sequence on the way down is the hips. If you're too quick on the way down, usually it's the upper body that starts first which makes it nearly impossible to rotate your hips fast enough.

Should hips move first in golf swing?

Golf instructor Hank Haney says golfers who tend to slice should begin the downswing by rotating their arms first, to extend the club in front of their body, then should rotate their hips.

What should move first in a golf swing?

To start the swing, it's important to remember to use your “big” muscles at first, instead of the “small” muscles. This means that the first movement is with the shoulders and arms, not the wrists. The shoulders and arms draw the club directly back along the target line until the hands reach waist-high.

What moves first in golf downswing?

The correct golf downswing sequence starts with a pressure shift to the lead leg, followed by an externally rotated trail arm to shallow the angle of the club, before rotating the torso through to impact.

Do you swing with your hips in golf?

Correctly using your hips generates energy in your golf swing. Being in your core area makes them useful when providing power to both the bottom and upper parts of your body. They are a source of power, precision, and direction. The key is timing when to use them.

38 related questions found

How do you initiate your hips in golf swing?

Don't just slide — try to get your hips square to the ball by the time your left arm reaches parallel to the ground (above right). Keep the width in your stance, too. Simply sliding your hips negates needed rotation — you'll never get where you need to be at impact.

How much should hips turn in golf swing?

How much Should the Hips turn on the Backswing? In a perfect swing, the hips should rotate from the setup position, 45-degrees away from the ball on the backswing. The shoulders ideally turn at 90-degrees to the top of the swing.

What should the downswing feel like?

Just remember that you can't stay in a squatted position. If you do, the club will crash into the ground behind the ball. To improve your downswing, feel like you squat and then push upward. The front leg has to straighten.

What is the correct golf swing sequence?

The clubhead has the furthest distance to travel from the ground up to the top of the golf swing, therefore it must move first. The arms will follow in the sequence, then the torso, and lastly the hips.

What does the right hip do in the downswing?

As the downswing progresses your right hip should stay back while your left hip (or butt cheek if you prefer) goes back to meet it. As you reach impact your left hip should then pull back as your left leg straightens (without the knee locking)

Do hips move first in downswing?

Once the slight pause at the top has been completed, it's time to start the downswing. The first element that starts this sequence on the way down is the hips. If you're too quick on the way down, usually it's the upper body that starts first which makes it nearly impossible to rotate your hips fast enough.

Do hips or arms start downswing?

To maximize your swing speed and unlock 15 to 20 extra yards, you need to engage your hips more on the downswing. If you can get them to “lead” the arms and shoulders in your downswing, you'll bomb it past your big-hitting pals.

Should hips be open at impact?

While your hips should absolutely be open at impact, they should certainly start the swing in a square position. Starting with your hips square to the line will enable you to make a better backswing, and it will position you at the top of the swing to use your hips aggressively coming forward.

How do you start downswing with lower body?

To initiate the downswing, Arnie would press his left heel back down into the ground. The key takeaway from the left heel in Arnie's swing is that you should feel a stomping down of the left heel or a pushing into the ground of the left heel to start your downswing.

How can I improve my hips in golf?

Use your hips to sit up tall over your front leg, using your hand for support as needed. Sit back down and rotate to the other side, so that the leg that was out to the side to start is now in front. Repeat this 10-12 times. The 90/90 stretch is an excellent exercise to do if you want to improve your hip mobility.

When should I clear my hips in golf swing?

As you swing through, you want your hips to rotate so they are pointed to the left of the target at impact (if you're right-handed). This is what we mean by “opening the hips.” Clearing your hips is simply about rotating early in the golf swing and getting your hips out of the way.

Do you pull down on the golf swing?

Pull Down. As your arms and hands start into the downswing, it is important to imagine pulling the butt of the club straight down toward the ground. This keeps your hands ahead of the clubhead – often referred to as "lag" – and keeps the power you've built up on the right side of the ball.

What is the most important part of golf swing?

What's the most important part of the golf swing? It's a complicated question, considering the variety of factors that can contribute to things going wrong (or right) from backswing to follow-through. But as far as Jack Nicklaus is concerned, the most important thing happening is the first thing—the take-back.