by Jeff Mount

Created on: May 20, 2010

All shots in golf require a shoulder turn. Putting and chipping call for a small shoulder turn with little to no other body movement (no breaking of the wrists, leg action, hip turn, or weight transfer). Pitch shots, punch shots, flop shots, and greenside bunker shots incorporate a bit of body movement in addition to the shoulder turn. When making a full swing, however, the shoulders should turn enough (ideally) so that the golfer's back faces the target at the top of the backswing and the left shoulder is directly under the chin (for a right handed golfer).

Many golfers are unable to make a full shoulder turn because they have been told to "keep their head down" when they swing. When someone hears this they almost always tilt their head forward so that their chin almost touches their chest. Then when they swing the club back, the chin restricts a full shoulder turn. At this point they are forced to do one of three things: lift their head up out of the way to allow for the shoulders to continue to rotate; slide their head laterally away from the target; or stop the shoulder turn short and complete the backswing by bending the left arm and attempting to control the swing with the arms and hands rather than the turning of the shoulders.

Instead of the disastrous, age-old "keep your head down" advice that many have been practicing, a golfer should keep their head up a bit more, but keep the *eyes* down. When the head is tilted up a bit at address, the golfer can easily allow for the left shoulder to turn under the chin as they swing the club back, without the head moving up, sliding backwards, or restricting the backswing.

Since the head must remain almost perfectly still during the backswing, downswing, and release, the chin must be raised a bit if the golfer hopes to make the appropriate shoulder turn. The head should stay still as the left shoulder nestles under it at the top of the backswing, then remain still as the clubhead contacts the ball and releases towards its intended target. Only when the right shoulder rotates enough so that it is now under the chin should the golfer allow for the head to come up and turn towards the target.

Making a full shoulder turn during the full swing will translate to more accuracy, because it will be easier for the left arm to stay extended through the backswing and downswing rather than excessively bending (thereby making it easier to return the clubhead to the ball, as the golfer will not have to worry about 'un-bending' the left arm at the precise moment of contact). The head will also stay much more still during the swing, which is a must for accurate timing and solid contact.

A full shoulder turn will also equate to more power, because when one makes a full shoulder turn during the backswing they are using their biggest upper body muscles to guide the club rather than their arms or hands; winding up their torso and storing, or 'loading up' energy to be powerfully released on the downswing.

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