One of the most common trends I see among mid-handicap golfers is a tendency to slide through the downswing rather than rotate. This can create several seemingly unrelated problems such as poor driver performance, inconsistent iron compression, a steep angle of attack, and an excessively inside-out club path that produces blocks and over-hooks.
The golf swing is a blend of three forces: vertical, lateral, and rotational. Every golfer uses all three, but problems arise when those forces become unbalanced. For this type of player, there is often too much lateral movement and not enough rotation.
Here’s a simple drill I use to help golfers feel the difference, which you can also see in the video below.
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How to fix your slide
Place an alignment stick through your belt loops, with most of the stick extending out from your lead side. Then place a second alignment stick vertically in the ground about a foot behind you, aligned with your lead heel.
Without a club, make a backswing and then rotate through as if you’re making a downswing. Your goal is to have the alignment stick through your belt loops contact the stick in the ground.
For golfers who slide excessively, this can be an eye-opening experience. They’re often surprised by how open the pelvis needs to feel through impact.
As you rotate, pay attention to your lead leg. Allowing the lead leg to extend helps the pelvis work up and around rather than continuing to move laterally toward the target. That upward movement can also help shallow your angle of attack — an often-overlooked benefit of proper lead-leg action.
The goal isn’t to eliminate lateral movement from your golf swing. It’s to create a better balance between lateral and rotational forces.
If you’re sliding excessively, replacing some of that lateral motion with rotation can improve your club path, angle of attack, and contact throughout the bag.
