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What's the turn in golf?

Author

James Craig

Published Jan 08, 2026

"The turn" is an expression golfers use to denote the part of the golf course where the front nine turns into the back nine. When you've reached "the turn," you've reached the halfway point of an 18-hole golf course. So "making the turn" means leaving the front nine and moving on to the back nine.

How do you properly turn in golf?

Using your lead hand, push your trail shoulder back and rotate until the alignment stick across your chest is at a 90-degree angle to the stick on the ground. At the top, you should feel like your trail shoulder has rotated behind your head.

Why do golfers start on back 9?

By starting half the group on the 10th hole, the field finishes in roughly half the time. Depending on the event, half the group might begin play on the back nine because an earlier round was suspended by inclement weather.

How important is shoulder turn in golf?

The importance of this move cannot be overstated. A full turn of the shoulders can have a positive chain reaction throughout the rest of your golf swing – it will keep your chest and arms connected, and you'll also generate greater width in your backswing.

How do you get a bigger turn in golf?

A few keys to help you to start getting more out of your body and your backswing:

  1. Work towards turning your hips as far back as you can.
  2. Free up your feet by allowing the lead heel to lift off the ground.
  3. Allow the trail leg to straighten significantly.
  4. Any amount of improvement in flexibility will help in this department.
45 related questions found

How far should you turn in golf swing?

In the backswing, your shoulders ought to turn 90 degrees away from the ball and away from the target.

Can you have too much shoulder turn in golf?

When the shoulders get too much angled toward the ground, it can cause the club to also be steep and result in early extension, fat shots, slices and more erratic shots.

Why more turn on backswing is important?

Turning your shoulders sufficiently in the backswing allows your arms to swing into the position required to swing the club on plane in the downswing and, therefore, on the proper path through impact.

Do the arms rotate in golf swing?

Rotation in the golf swing isn't limited to the shoulders and hips. The arms must rotate correctly, too, in order to produce long, accurate shots. This is especially important during the downswing. If you fail to rotate (aka release) the arms and hands through the shot, you'll invariably slice or push the ball.

What is 9 holes of golf called?

A "9-hole course", typically the type referred to as an "executive course", has only 9 holes instead of 18, but with the otherwise normal mix of par-3, par-4 and par-5 holes (typically producing a par score of between 34 and 36), and the course can be played through once for a short game, or twice for a full round.

What does +9 mean in golf?

The first nine holes are referred to as the "front nine," and the last nine holes (holes 10 through 18) are called the "back nine." Golfers tend to think of a regulation, 18-hole golf course as two sets of nines.

What is the front nine in golf?

n. The first half of an 18-hole golf course.

Does the left shoulder go down in the backswing?

The left shoulder resists while the right shoulder continues to move. Many amateurs turn the shoulders together in the backswing and downswing, leading to swing-path issues that cause them to hit slices and pulls.

How do I stop swinging my arms 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.

Do the hips start the backswing?

Initiating the backswing

The initial move should come with your hips. If you are right-handed, start the swing by turning your hips to the right. This will help you shift your weight from a neutral position to your right side.

How far should the club be from your body?

The ideal distance you should stand from the golf ball is one where the butt of the club is pointing at your belt buckle and is about 6 inches away from your thighs. This should be the same for all clubs in the bag.

How much should you turn your shoulders in the golf swing?

Professional golfers, who work hard to develop extra flexibility, often get their shoulders turned as much as 100 to 105 degrees from their address position. However, the goal for most golfers should be a more modest 90-degree turn.

Should shoulders be back in golf swing?

Push Back the Shoulders

Next, you want to take your shoulders and push them back. A lot of times, the tendency is to hunch over the golf ball.

What is rotation in golf swing?

In the downswing, your belt buckle should rotate towards the target, with the grip end of the club moving down and then up to the finish position shown here. The turn away is just a turn – no swaying or movement of the upper body other than around its axis of the belt buckle.

How do you get a body rotation in the golf swing?

Moving first at the start of our backswing, shoulders rotate away from the ball until a golfer's hands reach their waistline. As shoulder rotation begins very early on during the backswing, we move into a one piece takeaway immediately after.

Why can't golf swings rotate?

This happens when you have a wrist into a cupped position at the top and you increase it even more when starting the downswing, creating a steep plane. To correct it, golfers tend to early extend the body to get the club back on the ball and it makes it impossible to rotate properly.