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What body part should start the golf swing?

Author

Noah Mitchell

Published Jan 11, 2026

The golf swing starts from the ground up. Even as the upper body and arms are still going back, the lower body is starting the downswing. Putting pressure into the lead foot early in the transition is a big key to setting up the rest of the downswing.

What part of the body moves first in the golf swing?

So when you're standing over that ball, the club head moves first, then it's the hands and the arms, the shoulders begin to rotate, the core also begins to turn, the hips open slightly, the knees brace and the feet become just a little bit active.

What muscles start the golf swing?

The most active muscle during the forward swing phase in the lower body are the upper and lower gluteus maximus (100% MMT and 98% MM) on the right side along with the biceps femoris (78% MMT). On the left side, the most active muscles are the vastus lateralis (88% MMT) and the adductor magnus (63% MMT).

What starts first in the golf swing?

The club and arms swing first, before the body. Shoulder turn comes from the club's momentum.

Do hips or hands go first on golf swing?

The first move in golf is your backswing. You don't have to move your arms or hands -- at least not first. The initial move should come with your hips. If you are right-handed, start the swing by turning your hips to the right.

22 related questions found

When should hips turn in golf swing?

Ideally, you want your hips to be around 45 degrees open in the backswing, and 40 degrees open at impact. Too much hip turn in the takeaway will make it difficult to get your hips open enough when it comes to striking the ball, which can hurt your swing.

How do you start your hip 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.

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.

Which arm is dominant in golf swing?

The solution to this problem is simple. 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.

Do push-ups help golf swing?

For golfers, the true benefits of push-ups are that they strengthen the pectoral (chest) muscles and improve stability of soft tissue in the shoulders. The rotator cuff muscles and deltoids play a key role in controlling the positions of the club as you swing, but also in safely stopping the club.

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 muscles make you hit the golf ball farther?

Deltoids, forearms, legs, back, chest, and core muscles all have a considerable effect on how far you can hit a ball. Focus on these muscles and flexibility to add power and provide consistency to your game.

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.

What is the most important move in the golf swing?

The first move down from the top is one of the most important in the golf swing. No matter how you take the club back, the transition into the downswing has to be smooth, and the club needs to come into the ball from inside the target line. And the overall downswing has to start from the ground up.

How do you start the left knee with downswing?

HOW TO DO IT: Pausing your arms and hands at the top, begin the downswing by releasing your left knee toward the target (above). The arms fall onto an inside path. After the knee moves, let your left leg straighten. If the knee moves outside the left foot, you've overdone it.

What is a golf trigger?

A golf swing trigger, in a nutshell, is a small movement designed to start your release of nervous tension and begin your swing.

Should you pull down with your left arm in the golf swing?

Golfers who can play the game every day and who start off by having exceptional control of their body action—which the average golfer doesn't—can inaugurate the downswing with their hips. For the average player, though, the best way to launch the downswing is to pull down with your left arm.

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.

How close should hands be to body in golf swing?

Arms and Hands

The hands-to-body distance varies depending on the club you are hitting. A good rule of thumb is to have the hands a palm's width from the body for short and middle irons (4 to 6 inches) and a palm's length—from the bottom of the wrist to the tip of your middle finger—for long irons and woods.

Should the hips start the downswing?

The hips initiate the downswing.

This will allow you to create more distance and use your lower body to generate power. Remember, power comes from the ground up! At the top of the backswing, the hips have turned back, away from the ball and the target. On the way down, they will turn back and face the target directly.

Where should your hips be at impact in golf?

As GOLFTEC's Nick Clearwater says in the video above, average PGA Tour players turn their hips between 30 and 40 degrees, based on where they started, by the time they get to impact. “There aren't many who fall outside of that range,” Clearwater says. “Though it does happen on occasion.”

Do hips turn in backswing?

At set-up, it is crucial to have you hips and posture in the proper position to make a full turn in the backswing. Being too close/far from the ball makes it much harder to rotate your hips during the backswing. However, getting your set-up down is easier than you might think.