Backswing

Golf Glossary

Backswing

In short

The backswing is the first moving part of the golf swing. It starts when the club moves away from the ball and ends at the top, where the direction changes. In the backswing you load body and club for the downswing. Its quality has a strong influence on direction, tempo and the moment of impact.

The backswing in golf: meaning and sequence

The golf swing has several phases: address, backswing, downswing, impact and finish. The backswing is the first moving phase after address. It begins with the first movement away from the ball and ends at the transition, the top of the backswing. Some coaches also call it the upswing.

What happens in the backswing? The shoulders turn away from the target, the hips turn too but less, the club rises, and the weight shifts slightly to the side away from the target. For right-handers that is the right side. Everything in this entry is written for right-handers; left-handers mirror it.

The backswing is not a power phase. It prepares the strike. If it is too fast, too high or too crooked, you have to compensate in the downswing, and in a fraction of a second that rarely works reliably. That is why many coaches start with the backswing when the ball flight is inconsistent.

The aim of the backswing is a position from which the downswing is simple and repeatable.

Takeaway: the first inches of the backswing

The takeaway is the start of the backswing, the first section as the club moves away from the ball, roughly up to hip height. It is regarded as an important moment because it sets the path for everything that follows.

A commonly used checkpoint is the point where the club is about hip high and the shaft is parallel to the ground. There the shaft should point roughly parallel to the target line, and the toe of the club should point up. That way the clubface is neither strongly open nor strongly closed.

During the takeaway, arms, shoulders and chest move together as far as possible. The hands do not lift the club on their own. The feeling is more that the club is carried back by the turn of the chest.

Too much hand action at the start often leads to a path that is too steep. Too much shoulder turn without the arms can pull the club too far inside. Both are easy to check with a mirror or a video from behind.

The top position: top of the backswing

At the end of the backswing the club reaches its highest point. As a rough guide for the full swing, many coaches name these features:

These are guideline values, not laws. Players with limited mobility swing shorter and still play very well. Some tour players swing well past horizontal, others stay short of it. What matters is that the backswing fits your mobility and your own downswing.

The difference between shoulder and hip turn builds tension in the body. It is often called the X-factor and is seen as one source of club head speed.

Practical example: a backswing with a 7-iron

Imagine you are on a hole with 140 metres to the green and take a 7-iron.

You stand with a shoulder-width stance and the ball in the middle. In the takeaway, arms and chest move together and the club stays low to the ground at first. At hip height the shaft is parallel to the target line. The upper body keeps turning, the left arm stays extended and the hands lift the club gently.

At the top your back faces the target and most of your weight is on the right leg. The head stays quiet. As a rough guide, many good players take about three times as long for the backswing as for the downswing. Figures often quoted are just under a second for the backswing and around a quarter of a second for the downswing.

From this position the downswing almost starts by itself, because hips and legs lead the movement. The club does not have to be thrown down actively. This interplay is why a good backswing looks simple.

Typical backswing mistakes

Beginners make the same mistakes in the backswing again and again.

Moving too fast: snatching the club away destroys the order of the movement. The downswing then often starts too early. The club should rise slowly and smoothly.

Lifting with the arms only: if the body does not turn, the shoulder turn stays small. The club goes up steeply and the downswing lacks power from the body.

Sliding sideways: the body shifts sideways instead of turning. This is called a sway. It often leads to mishits such as the fat shot or the topped ball.

Reverse weight shift: the weight stays forward in the backswing and moves back in the downswing. This is another known pattern called a reverse pivot.

Swinging too long: taking the club far past horizontal often costs control of the clubface. Length is not a requirement for distance.

Bent lead arm: a strongly bent arm shortens the swing arc. One note: extended does not mean stiff.

Drills: how to improve your backswing

These drills are simple and can be done on the range or at home.

Drill 1, the fence: stand with your back close to a wall or fence. If the takeaway touches it early, the club is being pulled too far inside.

Drill 2, the towel: tuck a small towel under both upper arms. Practise slow backswings without letting the towel fall. This keeps arms and chest connected.

Drill 3, the half swing: hit balls only with swings up to hip height. This makes the takeaway especially noticeable. There is more on this under half swing and three-quarter swing.

Drill 4, counting: count to three in your head for the backswing and one for the downswing. This ratio of about 3 to 1 is seen as a guide value for many good players. More on this in the entry on swing tempo.

Drill 5, video check: film yourself from behind and from the side and compare your takeaway with the checkpoints.

Comparison: backswing, downswing and impact

The backswing is only one part of the whole swing. The terms can be separated like this:

In terms of time the backswing is the longest phase. Impact lasts less than a millisecond, and as a guide the downswing takes about a third of the time of the backswing.

A frequent confusion concerns the word takeaway. Some use it for the whole backswing, others only for the start. In this entry the takeaway is the beginning of the backswing.

A second question is whether the backswing is the same with every club. Basically yes, but it is smaller with shorter clubs: a short pitch often needs only a backswing to hip or chest height.

Try it at Golf Lounge

At Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg you can look at your own backswing in a private lesson with a PGA professional. The lesson lasts 60 minutes, is available daily by appointment and can be booked online. The coach analyses your swing with TrackMan data, supported by V1 Pro video analysis, so you can see your takeaway and top position on screen. Short sessions on a single detail of the movement are also possible, and a club fitting is available on request.

Book a lesson

Frequently asked questions

What is the backswing in golf?

The backswing is the phase from the start of the swing to the top, where the direction reverses. Shoulders and hips turn away from the target, the club rises and the weight moves back. It prepares the downswing and decides the position from which the ball will be struck.

What does takeaway mean in golf?

The takeaway is the start of the backswing, the first section as the club moves away from the ball, roughly up to hip height. A commonly used checkpoint is hip height: the shaft is parallel to the ground and the target line, and the toe of the club points up. The takeaway sets the path for the rest of the swing.

How far should the backswing go?

That depends on the club and your mobility. For the full swing a shoulder turn of about 90 degrees is given as a guideline, and shorter shots need a smaller backswing. What matters is that you can control the swing. A very long backswing does not necessarily add distance and often costs control.

How long does a backswing take?

As a rough guide, just under a second is often quoted for the backswing and about a third of that for the downswing. This ratio of roughly 3 to 1 became known through the Tour Tempo training concept. Overall speed differs from player to player. What matters more is that the ratio between the two phases stays the same.

What are typical backswing mistakes?

Common ones are a hasty start, lifting with the arms alone, the body sliding sideways (a sway) and a wrong weight shift. A swing that is too long also often costs control. A video from behind and from the side lets you spot most of these patterns yourself. A coach can show you which mistake to fix first.

As of: October 2026

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