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What is the importance of the left heel?

Author

Daniel Moore

Published Jan 23, 2026

In summary then, the left heel controls the initial movement of the hips in both the backswing and the downswing.

Should I raise left heel in backswing?

Lifting your left heel up will help you rotate your hips for a bigger turn in your backswing. So if you're struggling with power and clubhead speed, then let your left heel lift up a bit. Just keep in mind that there may be a slight trade off.

Why does Bubba Watson lift his heel when putting?

Instead, the two-time Masters champion admits lifting the heel off the ground during the swing helps him maximise his distance, and gives him a bigger move to enter the back of the ball. Why not put some of this drills into play the next time you're out on the course or practice area?

How do you finish the left heel of a golf swing?

Press The Left Heel

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. The best players in the world actually do this slightly before they finish their backswing.

What do you do with your left foot in golf?

Flare The Left Foot

Many golfers are taught to keep their toes turned-in more so their toes are pointed perpendicular to the target line. But by turning his left foot out more, Molinari said it created more speed by freeing-up his hips and allowing them to move more freely through the ball.

44 related questions found

Should I open my left foot in golf swing?

By opening the left foot slightly you are in effect making more room for the body rotation to occur past the moment of impact. This in turn will lead to a fuller – and easier to perform – follow through.

Should the left foot move in golf swing?

Newell advises flexible players who have no difficulty completing a full backswing turn to leave the left heel planted on the ground. A firm left foot supplies resistance to counter the backswing's motion, which adds speed to your downswing when the upper body springs forward.

How much weight do you gain on the left foot of impact?

At impact, you ought to have about 75% of your weight onto your front foot.

Why is the follow through an important part of the swing?

It's a great image, but they aren't just pausing for the cameras. That follow-through tells the story of that golf swing. It tells the player what went right or what went wrong. More often than not, a follow-through that can be held for a fairly long time means that the swing was executed properly.

Does Bubba Watson putt right handed?

Gerry Lester "Bubba" Watson Jr. (born November 5, 1978) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. One of the few left-handed golfers on tour, he is a multiple major champion, with victories at the Masters Tournament in 2012 and 2014.

Who has the shortest backswing in golf?

Jon Rahm has one of the shortest backswings in golf. Every golf swing has some unique flair. Like the grooves and curves of a fingerprint, no two swings are alike.

What triggers the downswing in golf?

This relates to the most effective way of triggering the downswing. By simply bumping your hips towards the target, you create the lag in your arms that creates power and keeps the club working on a good plane. This starts the ideal sequence as you transition from backswing to downswing.

How important is hip turn in golf swing?

Correct hip turn is one of the most important components to a good golf swing. When making your backswing, you should focus on turning around the centre of your hips as this will help keep your buttocks back, prevent early extending into the ball, and improve the consistency of your ball-striking.

What happens if you don't follow through on golf swing?

It's a fact that nine out of 10 golfers have little to no follow-through in their golf swing. By not finishing your golf swing, you will never get your hands turned over and this will almost inevitably lead to the clubface being left open at impact - causing a fade or more likely, a slice.

How important is the finish in the golf swing?

A complete finish helps your balance, and forces you to relax the big muscles of your hands and arms. You can practice your finish with the following drill: Start your swing at the finish position. Now take a complete backswing, and go back to the finish and see if you can hold your finish for five seconds.

What happens when you don't follow through in golf?

What happens if you don't get all the way there? It puts the bottom of your swing arc farther back, probably behind the ball. Unless you make some other compensation in your swing, you're going to mis-hit the shot.

Should weight be on balls of feet in golf swing?

Your weight should be 50-50 on your left and right legs and between the balls of your feet (those cushioned pads just below your toes) and your heels.

What is the lead foot in golf?

The leaad foot pushing helps to create axis tilt, helps to shallow out the swing, and helps to create the space for the arms to swing past the body.

Should you flare your right foot in golf swing?

Turning your right foot out “unlocks” your hips, fueling a bigger turn. The more you flare, the longer your windup will be. (Flare your left foot to free up your downswing turn.)

What is the correct stance for golf?

Your rear foot should be at right angles to the target line. Your front foot can be angled outwards but only slightly. Knees should be lightly flexed but not bent. Your body weight should be spread 50/50 between your toes and heels as well as 50/50 between your left and right foot for most shots.

What is the magic move in golf?

What is the “Magic Move” you say? It is simply returning your right elbow to your side on the downswing. Once the right elbow returns to the body on the downswing, the entire dynamics of the golf swing become much more efficient.

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.

What is the first move on the downswing in golf?

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.

Why does Jon Rahm take a short backswing?

Back to Rahm: “He loads his system with more force and that creates more speed,” Novosel says. “Even though he has a short backswing, he's able to produce a ton of speed and part of that is because of his fast backswing.”