Do the hips start the downswing in golf?
John Thompson
Updated on January 07, 2026
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.What part of the body starts the golf downswing?
The transition from backswing to downswing is crucial to generating power and accuracy. The key is to start the downswing with the lower body. In the best swings the lower body starts forward while the upper body is still turning back. The left hip turns toward the target as the shoulders continue to coil.Should hips or arms first in downswing?
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 moves first in the 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 hips and shoulders turn together in golf swing?
The hips control the shoulders both on the backswing and the downswing. Constricting the hip turn will also constrict the shoulder turn. With a restricted shoulder turn, the golfer is likely to stat the downswing with the shoulders unwinding ahead of the hips. This will produce pulls or pull slices.HOW TO GET THE PERFECT HIP ROTATION IN THE DOWNSWING
Do the hips start the backswing?
Initiating the backswingThe 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.