Instruction
Stickney: Fixing the Spin Out
Over the years, we have seen a resurgence of the argument regarding the bumping or turning of the hips to begin the downswing; however, with the advent of force plates technologies such as BodiTrack and Swing Catalyst, we are finally able to understand more about what happens during the transition.
Over time, using these force plates with the same people helps teachers develop the best and most efficient way their students should move weight transitionally during the swing. Sadly, there is still a ton of poor information floating around regarding how the weight moves and the role it plays on the downswing transition.
As we know from studies, the weight tends to move into the right side during the backswing for most golfers. Because of this action on the backswing, weight has to return to the forward leg or “post” so golfers can control where they impact the ground. This action/reaction of moving weight around does much more than help golfers control their low point, or where the club “bottoms out,” however. It also sets up the downswing chain of events so golfers can hit the ball with effortless power and swing on the correct downswing plane.
What is happening for most golfers who struggle from the top of their backswing? They make some type of rotation into their rear foot, and their weight moves into their right side to some degree.
For the sake of this article, it is not important how much weight moves. From the position shown above, it is important for golfers to move back into their forward post. If not, they will spin-out too early and look like the golfer the photo below. This position can cause several things to occur.
- The low point can move rearward, resulting in weak shots that are rarely hit on the center of the face.
- The path can also shift too much leftward (or rightward, for a left-handed golfer), which creates a problem with face control.
As you can see from the yellow line above, this player didn’t return all his weight to his forward foot quick enough during his transition. For that reason, he is spinning over a spot that is behind his zipper. When the hips don’t bump enough toward “right field” (or left field for a lefty) before they begin spinning, it sets up a throw-out action of the right shoulder from the top shifting the path way to the left.
Above, you can see a down-the-line portion of a golfer’s swing. His hips spun in the transitional phase of the downswing, so his path (the blue line) was shifted -12.2 degrees from out-to-in. When golfers do this, they will also tend to hit down too much on the ball as well, and this is the reason why this golfer’s Angle of Attack (AoA) was -7.6 degrees — way too high for a seven-iron.
So what’s the best way to make sure you bump enough into right field during the transition?
- Put a stick a fist-distance off your left hip socket and practice bumping the stick as you hold your hands at the “top” position of your backswing. This will cause the rear shoulder to fall more downward, rather than outward, to begin the transition.
- From this point it is OK to rotate everything through and into impact pivoting, around your forward post.
This photo above is a great example of how to bump into your left toe during the transition. You can see that the golfer has bumped into the stick (the yellow line I drew), and his hips are pointed into right field. This helps the rear shoulder to move down and to the inside, a key to delivering the club to the ball on plane.
The photo above shows what the golfer would look like from the down-the-line view, and it’s a perfect inside path for this player.
Remember that you must bump your hips a touch before you start the downswing so you can move into and rotate around your forward post. It allows the right shoulder to lower the club down to the inside, and will help gain more consistency through the bag.
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Bob Keane
Jul 25, 2015 at 7:53 pm
Transferring weight left is difficult if the weight gets to the outside of right foot. Nothing to push off. Sway, and then try not to “spin out” or come “over the top”, very difficult.
Ron
Jul 25, 2015 at 2:24 pm
As an engineer and physician, I COMMENT that most golf tips one sees seem to leave out the fact that in the DYNAMIC golf swing(backswing) enough momentum must be produced in the backswing for the lower body(legs and hips) to pull against on the downswing. If enough momentum is produced in the backswing it is much more difficult to overshift onto the left side, but this shift occurs naturally as the momentum of the club tries to hold the (coiled) body back. If one STARTS the backswing almost from the FINISH position, and allows the club swing back and load up the right side, then a very natural and instinctive weight shift occurs to the left side to initiate the downswing. I believe Jack N. has written that he wishes he could start the golf swing from the left side instead of from the static position at address. Unfortunately the ball is in the way! But this makes an excellent pre shot “swing” before hitting the shot and reminds one of the proper timing(synchronization) of the swing just before hitting the shot. I believe I see Jordan Spieth doing this as part of his preshot ritual.(?)
I suggest this ” swing” should done forcefully with the eyes closed(which produces great awareness of body movement and position), as if one actually meant to hit a shot. Then the shot must be hit within 8 seconds! Otherwise the “feel” will be lost. We humans cannot remember the “feel” any longer than 8 seconds.
Your mileage may vary
JMaron
Jul 23, 2015 at 10:54 am
Hi Tom,
Really enjoy your articles.
Worked on this last night and it really helped. I’m a decent golfer (1 handicap). My bad shots are mostly left hooks that start at the target or even left, and the odd shot a little fat. Not sure if this tip was meant to help those problems – but it sure seemed to help. The hook disappeared and I was really flushing it.
Walter Pendleton
Jul 22, 2015 at 3:47 pm
Elementary dear Watson…you are presuming the transfer of energy into the heel or hip or left side will somehow magically square the club face through impact. That my friend is called drinking the Kool-Aid i.e. what happens when you take your bump and post hypothesis to anything but the flat lies you practice religiously? Don’t know? Lets just say the S*% hits the fan because of timing changes, caused by variations in ball positions at address! I’d like to tell you the answer to solve your problem but then I’d have to kill you! FYI – Hogan was a great player…but he didn’t let the cat out of the bag through impact! He let us work that piece of the puzzle out, regarding face repetition, where he found it…on the range! ” If you didn’t bring it with you… you won’t find it out here!” – Ben Hogan
ca1879
Jul 22, 2015 at 2:51 pm
Thanks Tom. That’s the clearest explanation of the “bump”, and how much and when to bump, that I’ve come across yet.
Steve
Jul 22, 2015 at 2:38 pm
Damn, wish i posted this
shabby
Jul 22, 2015 at 1:20 pm
That’s a hack lesson-
Joe
Jul 22, 2015 at 9:32 am
I always worry about “bump” advice, because it can cause some to exaggerate a lateral shift of the hips, and when the lower body goes laterally left (right hander), the upper body has a tendency to hang back on the right and you have to start flipping to save shots or hit a lot of chunks. I understand you account for this by making sure the hip is “going to right field”, but that’s still more of a rotating move than a lateral one. I think the key with this “bump” teaching is to make sure your student doesn’t have some 70’s disco bump image in their mind. For me personally, “clearing” the left hip has been much more useful than “bumping” it.
Steve
Jul 21, 2015 at 8:38 am
This article could be more hurtful then helpful. Bump to far and back shoulder drops to far and you get pops up to the right. This is old news anyway, bump a stick, chair, stool, table. Better off thinking of putting your weight on front heal to start the downswing, the way Jack played. Has teaching runs it’s course? There is nothing new just reruns.
Jack
Jul 20, 2015 at 11:13 pm
I just keep the right knee flexed while rotating back. My legs are pretty stable until impact and follow through where the left knee will straighten to allow for the finish, and the weight is on the left leg. If I can’t go further that’s fine. Don’t need a super long backswing. Then make sure to utilize my core when I am initiating the downswing. A fast rotation of the body generates speed much easier than when I was concentrating on whacking it with my arms.
other paul
Jul 20, 2015 at 9:24 pm
I used to bump that far but it slowed me down a lot. I just rotate hard now and make sure my hips move properly. I was taught that putting weight on a foot doesn’t have to mean posting up on it but simply pushing on the forward leg to get the desired rotation. Many very rotational swingers have a lot of weight on their front foot half way through the downswing that still have their body in the center of their stance (Bubba Watson? I think…) I could be wrong as I am a new student of the golf swing but have played for a few years. I saw a young guy who had 90% of his weight on his front foot when his club was half way back to the ball but looked like he was 50/50.
CD
Jul 20, 2015 at 3:05 pm
A bit more detail would help, easy to get stuck if you overdo it, could shift the baseline way right and get ahead of it if your left shoulder doesn’t separate from your chin, and easy to overdo it. What’s a good shoulder move? Presumably people can only lack enough ‘down’, ‘out’ or forward with the right shoulder and vice versa with left as the pelvis moves laterally initially?