Your Backswing Length - Too Long? Probably.

[iacas]

This post exists for the poll and a discussion about the poll and the topic of the poll: backswing length.

It's easily one of the top five things I see in golfers.

[Darkfrog]

I voted shorter, but my backswing vacillates between too long and too short. When I first started lessons, it was way too long, and my teacher shortened it to a spot where it felt like I wouldn't be able to hit more than a half shot (I was way wrong). Now my tendency is to shorten it too much. I've figured out a pretty good physical indicator of correct length backswing by a specific stretch in my hips and side that tell me when to stop (luckily, I am not the most flexible person, so it's easy to feel). My main problem now (with backswing length) is getting too excited to hit the ball, and stopping too soon.

[boogielicious]

I voted right length. I’ve worked on this with my Evolvr instructors for quite a while. I wish it was longer, but it’s working for me.

[woodzie264]

Mine is perfect 🙃

seriously, I think my length is prob pretty good. 6 months ago it was too long, but more manageable now.  If I’m wrong, it’s prob a little longer than it should be. Now as to how pretty it is....?

 

[phillyk]

I’m not sure how long is considered  “MUCH longer” but I definitely have a longer back swing than I could. It’s something that’s on the to do list. 

[Double Mocha Man]

  On 1/28/2021 at 1:31 AM, phillyk said:

I’m not sure how long is considered  “MUCH longer” but I definitely have a longer back swing than I could. It’s something that’s on the to do list. 

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Phil... your current backswing length produces multiple sub-par rounds.  If you shorten your backswing it had better move you to a +4. 

[dennyjones]

I have arthritis in my left shoulder and it keeps me from a longer back swing.   There are times though when it is too long and it leads to trouble.

[Dwall4017]

Spent most of last year working on flexibility and increasing my backswing length cause I thought it was short. Started taking lessons in November, just to find out that I was turning to 140 degrees give or take and I’m suppose to stop at~90.......who knew a solid struck ball could fly that far feeling like I’m barely swinging....

[Rkrider99]

Everyone says my backswing looks like I'm John Daly. I wrap that club all the way back around behind me. Our Pro asked me if I could actually see the ball at the end of my backswing. I never realized, that in fact, no, I don't see the ball. I've tried to shorten the backswing, but it throws my timing off.

[boogielicious]

  On 1/28/2021 at 1:06 PM, Rkrider99 said:

Everyone says my backswing looks like I'm John Daly

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Hopefully, that is the only resemblance.😀

[iacas]

  On 1/28/2021 at 1:06 PM, Rkrider99 said:

Everyone says my backswing looks like I'm John Daly. I wrap that club all the way back around behind me. Our Pro asked me if I could actually see the ball at the end of my backswing. I never realized, that in fact, no, I don't see the ball. I've tried to shorten the backswing, but it throws my timing off.

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Might be a case of one step backward for several steps forward if you fix that.

I’d give it serious consideration.

One other question: how do you hit partial shots?

[djake]

I voted to long.  Honestly I have no idea if my back swing is to long, just right or to short.

I had neck surgery and that did not allow a big back swing for a long time.  I had one Fitter tell me that I had a compact swing but managed to get a lot of efficiency out of it.

Then last summer one of the guys I was playing with told me my back swing was getting huge.

I watch videos on this site, PGA players swings in slow motion, some videos on line and to be honest I have no idea on how big a back swing should be.

This off season I have been doing drills to work on 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 back swings with the realization that what I think those are may very well be much longer.

 

[Dwall4017]

  On 1/28/2021 at 2:17 PM, djake said:

I voted to long.  Honestly I have no idea if my back swing is to long, just right or to short.

I had neck surgery and that did not allow a big back swing for a long time.  I had one Fitter tell me that I had a compact swing but managed to get a lot of efficiency out of it.

Then last summer one of the guys I was playing with told me my back swing was getting huge.

I watch videos on this site, PGA players swings in slow motion, some videos on line and to be honest I have no idea on how big a back swing should be.

This off season I have been doing drills to work on 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 back swings with the realization that what I think those are may very well be much longer.

 

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Watching pros is what got me too long I think, I’d watch them then watch where their arms and club stopped in the back swing and tried to feel like I was close to that. when my instructor pointed out my shoulders turned well past theirs, and showed how going that far made it close to impossible to get in sync in my down swing it made slot of sense.....still is hard to feel like I’m hitting a full shot when 50% is a full swing now if that makes sense 

[djake]

  On 1/28/2021 at 2:25 PM, Dwall4017 said:

Watching pros is what got me too long I think, I’d watch them then watch where their arms and club stopped in the back swing and tried to feel like I was close to that. when my instructor pointed out my shoulders turned well past theirs, and showed how going that far made it close to impossible to get in sync in my down swing it made slot of sense.....still is hard to feel like I’m hitting a full shot when 50% is a full swing now if that makes sense 

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When I watch a Pro and slow mo their swing I keep reminding myself they are Professional Athletes I am not.  They can do more with a swing then I can.  So I do worry about what you said, am I getting to long because of watching them

Crazy how the ball goes just as far with what one thinks is a 1/2 or 3/4 type swing compared to a full swing.  I just need to trust it more.  

Thank you for your response @Dwall4017

[nevets88]

On the range, feels like it's the right length, try and make a little longer BS w/the driver. But playing on course, gets long, know this from video. And more across the line. Also noticed the longer the backswing, the more the tendency to tip out, not lay down the shaft, at least for me.

For short game shots, I think the BS is too long. Tend to hinge it a lot, if that counts as a backswing.

[SEMI_Duffer]

I voted "much longer than it should be" because my instructor last summer told me I had more backswing than I needed, and as a result of the swing analysis feedback I got for my off-season training program.  I will of course be working on correcting that.

I fight the tendency of too much backswing in my putting game, too.

[Rkrider99]

  On 1/28/2021 at 1:51 PM, iacas said:

Might be a case of one step backward for several steps forward if you fix that.

I’d give it serious consideration.

One other question: how do you hit partial shots?

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I can hit a 1/4, 1/2, 1/2, 3/4 shots, but I'm probably taking longer backswings with those as well. I've talked to a number of people about it, and the consensus was that if I was that flexible, then don't try changing it. At almost 71 years old, I consider it an advantage that I can swing that far back.

 

[Keep It Simple]

I voted right length.  For me if the backswing gets too long it's because my arms and hence my width is collapsing at the top.  When I practice I focus on maintaining width throughout the swing and this keeps my backswing from getting too long.