Mastering the Downswing: How to Swing Like a Pro Golfer

"Keep your right elbow close to your body during the downswing and make an underhand motion." _ Ben Hogan

 

In golf, the downswing is the decisive segment that leads to impact. No matter how great your backswing is, if your downswing falls apart, everything else—direction, distance, and timing—collapses as well.

 

Today, we will focus on analyzing the downswing, which amateur golfers find the most difficult, and introduce how to make it accurate and powerful like a professional.

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What is the Downswing?

"Just starting the downswing with your hips will improve your score and open the door to an entirely new level of swing and shot quality. During the downswing, start swinging with the arms while keeping the weight on the right side. Hold the right leg steady and keep your right foot grounded as much as possible." _ Isao Matsui

 

The downswing begins at the top of the backswing and continues until the clubhead reaches the point of impact. This movement determines power transfer, swing path, and impact accuracy, making it the most dynamic and error-prone phase of the golf swing.

Key Roles of the Downswing:

• Accelerates clubhead speed for maximum power
• Aligns body rotation and club path for accurate impact
• Stores and releases swing energy efficiently

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Top 5 Common Downswing Mistakes

One of the most common mistakes across all levels of golfers—from full swings to chip shots—is the collapse of the left wrist. When the left wrist breaks down before or after impact, it results in a loss of power.

 

1. Using Only the Arms

• Pulling the club down with just the arms causes the upper body to lunge forward, pushing the club off the inside-out path and resulting in a slice.

2. Opening the Upper Body First

• When the upper body opens too early, the club comes over the top, leading to hooks or slices.

3. Casting the Wrists

• Releasing the wrists too early during the transition leads to power loss, fat shots, or topped shots.

4. Lack of Lower Body Lead

• The lower body must initiate the downswing. If it’s slow or stagnant, the upper body takes over, disrupting the swing path.

5. Overpowering the Swing

• Trying to hit too hard ruins timing and prevents smooth rotation due to muscle tension.

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Downswing Sequence: Nail It Like a Pro

"Your ability to drag the clubhead down with your body while keeping the wrists cocked from the top determines how well you swing. Don’t release the wrist hinge until your hands reach your waist. Begin the downswing by pulling the grip end of the club toward the ball. This delay increases clubhead lag, resulting in more distance." _ Gary Player

 

A proper downswing follows the sequence: Lower body → Torso → Arms → Wrists → Club. This order is the very foundation of textbook golf.

Ideal Downswing Transition Steps:

• Lower Body Lead: Open the left hip and shift weight forward
• Torso Rotation: Rotate the core and chest to generate energy
• Arm and Wrist Release: Maintain wrist cock, then release just before impact
• Clubhead Speed Boost: The clubhead catches up last with max speed

This sequencing creates a lagging motion, a crucial element for increasing distance.

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3 Drills to Fix Your Downswing

Keep your right elbow tucked near your body during the downswing. Let your left elbow point downward and bend slightly to help extend the right elbow naturally for a proper wrist turn. Squeeze both armpits and keep your hands close to your body. Like skipping stones, a shallower downswing angle helps your elbow stay close and improves your follow-through.

1. Weight Transfer Drill

• Practice natural weight shift from right to left foot.
• Try the Step Drill: Step with your left foot after the backswing to feel rhythm and flow.

2. Slow Motion Practice

• Swing slowly to feel the correct sequence, especially ensuring the lower body leads the movement.

3. Impact Bag Training

• Focus on an inside-out path and strike the bag in front of the ball with square clubface.

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Pro Golfer Downswing Examples

1. Tiger Woods

• Known for powerful hip rotation and lateral slide during the downswing.
• His lag maintenance leads to explosive power at impact.

2. Jin Young Ko

• Perfect weight transfer and balance.
• Her smooth, effortless release provides both precision and distance.

3. Sungjae Im

• Textbook tempo and lower-body lead.
• His ideal torso-lower body separation ensures consistent driver accuracy.

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What Downswing Fixes Can Do for You

• Increase Distance: Club speed and impact efficiency improve, boosting average drive by 10–20 meters.
• Better Accuracy: Maintaining inside-out path reduces hooks and slices.
• Improved Rhythm: Reduced tension enables smooth rotation and lowers injury risk.

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Conclusion: Downswing Is All About "Sequence & Timing"

Many amateurs focus on the backswing or impact, but the downswing—the bridge between the two—is often neglected. However, it is the core of the swing and the key to distance, accuracy, and better scores.

 

With proper lower-body initiation, torso rotation, and wrist release timing, anyone can build a solid, pro-level swing. From now on, check whether your downswing is in the correct order with every shot to refine your swing routine.