The biggest swing mistake amateurs make, according to data

There are many different ways to swing a golf club, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t trends among the masses. In fact, there are certain moves that we see quite frequently — from the good things that all pros and elite players do, to common flaws we see among weekend hackers. Every golf swing might appear unique, but when we look under the hood there are lots of commonalitites.

With the advent of modern technology, these moves can be identified easier than ever before. In just a few swings, coaches can get a good sense for what you do in your swing and how to fix it.

GOLFTEC’s OptiMotion technology is one such tool that can be used to do just that. Every day, hundreds of GOLFTEC coaches across the country use the tech to diagnose flaws in their students’ swings and put them on the path to improvement.

With the thousands upon thousands of swings in their library — that are all analyzed using OptiMotion — the company has a pretty good idea of which moves work and which moves don’t. In the text below, Nick Clearwater, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher and GOLFTEC’s Senior Vice President of Player Development, breaks down a swing move that almost all high-handicappers tend to struggle with.

The biggest swing mistake amateurs make

I’ve been working for GOLFTEC for over a decade, and in that time there’s a big move that I always see amateur golfers struggle with — a misunderstanding on how to properly shift their weight.

With our OptiMotion technology, we have a measurement we refer to as “weight distribution.” This data point combines several key points in your body that summarizes how much weight you have on either of your feet.

Why is this important? Well, the way you distribute and shift your weight throughout the swing plays a key role in generating clubhead speed and also controlling your low point. To get the most out of your swing, you need to understand the proper pattern of motion that distributes your weight in the correct spots throughout your swing.

When we look at amateur golfers compared to Tour pros, we notice that high handicaps tend to shift away from the target for too long in the backswing. Don’t get me wrong, you want to shift your weight away from the target during the backswing, but amateurs tend to do so incorrectly.

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When we look at Tour pros, 75 percent of their weight is on their trail foot at some point in the backswing (it varies from player to player). However, they stop shifting their weight away from the target before the backswing ends and moves more toward center when their lead arm is just past parallel to the ground. Watch a stud ball striker like like Scottie Scheffler and you’ll see what I mean.

When we look at amateur golfers — particularly those who struggle to generate consistent contact — we notice they do not follow this same pattern. Instead of shifting up to 20 percent of their weight toward the target by the top of the swing like the pros do, they typically shift only a fraction of that percentage.

How can you check this on your own? Start by filming your swing (the GOLFTEC app is great for this) and draw a line on the outside of your trail leg and hip down to your ankle. At the top of your swing, you should have begun moving slightly toward the target relative to where you began at setup. The movement toward doesn’t need to be much, but it can’t be more away from the target than from where you started. If it is, you’re breaking the norm from a Tour pro’s swing.

For many, this movement will feel awkward. It might even feel like you’re shifting your weight toward the target when your shaft is only parallel to the ground in the backswing — but that’s ok. It might feel early, but it’s a key move for generating solid contact and tons of clubhead speed.

If you want to learn how to do so from a coach, book a swing evaluation with GOLFTEC here.