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Waggle All clubs Intermediate ⏱ 2 min 🇫🇷 Video in French

Why Waggle: Flow and Checkpoints, Nicolas Allain

Does standing still at the address for too long make you stiff? Nicolas Allain, writing for PlayingGolf, outlines the three benefits of the waggle—that small club movement before the swing used by Ben Hogan and still used by Jason Dufner. It takes just a minute and a half to set yourself up for a good start.

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Nicolas Allain
Nicolas Allain · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

8 minSame problemWhy Do We Do the "Waggle" in Golf? Les GolfiteursMa Chun Teng Chan · Intermediate1 minSame problemAxial or Radial Waggle: Joël Bernard's Two FamiliesJoël Bernard · Intermediate / Expert4 minFrom the same proPlaying Golf on Slopes with Nicolas AllainNicolas Allain · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

Nicolas Allain points out that many great players, from Ben Hogan to Jason Dufner, place particular importance on the waggle. First benefit: fluidity and relaxation. The swing needs it, and staying still for too long at address makes it disappear quickly. Second benefit: practicing your technique. The waggle provides cues for club alignment: the club is positioned on the correct plane, with the clubface square, in the position you want to maintain during the swing to release the club without altering the clubface.

Third benefit: staying in the running. Before a drive, the waggle is faster and has a more energetic rhythm; before hitting an iron or an approach shot, it requires more finesse and a gentler motion. In practice, when taking his stance, he waggles a few times, relax your hands and the clubhead, finds his stance and establishes his balance. When he positions the club behind the ball, he is ready: this makes the takeaway—the crucial moment of the swing—easier.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Take your stance in front of the ball without freezing up.
  2. Do a few club waggles by relaxing your hands and the clubhead.
  3. Take this opportunity to check out the facilities: a great spot, right across from the square.
  4. Adjust your swing tempo: faster before hitting a drive, slower before hitting an iron or making an approach shot.
  5. Find your points of support during these small movements.
  6. Place the club behind the ball and start your swing.

Key Takeaways

The waggle helps maintain the fluidity and relaxation that are lost when standing still at address.
It serves as a practice session: a club on the right side of the court, facing the square.
He is preparing a club throw without adjusting the clubface.
Its swing adapts to the shot: powerful on the drive, smooth with the irons, and on approach shots.
It marks the transition from the static position to the start of the swing.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Staying motionless at the address for too long and losing your relaxation.
  • Waggler with clenched hands.
  • Maintain the same waggle rhythm for both a drive and an approach shot.
  • Move the clubface during the waggle instead of keeping it square.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. A few waggles before each shot, with relaxed hands
  2. A vigorous waggle before drives, a gentle one before approach shots
  3. Checking the plane and the square face during the waggle

Your Questions

What is the purpose of the waggle in golf?

Nicolas Allain sees three benefits to this: maintaining fluidity and a relaxed stance at address, practicing the setup positions for a square shot, and getting into the rhythm of the shot you’re about to take.

Does the waggle have to be the same for every shot?

No. Before a drive, it’s faster, with an active rhythm. Before an iron shot or an approach shot, it requires more finesse and a softer touch.

Which top players use the waggle?

The video specifically mentions Ben Hogan and, in more recent times, Jason Dufner, among the many champions who consider it very important.

Learn More

All “Waggle” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you The 4 Common Mistakes in the Pre-Shot Routine That Cause TensionFour preparation mistakes: taking the practice swing off-target, taking the practice swing with just the arms, keeping your eyes fixed on the ball, and standing motionless at address. Why Do We Do the "Waggle" in Golf? Les GolfiteursGood golfers never stand completely still in front of the ball: waggles, shuffling, and subtle movements get the body moving before the swing. Axial or Radial Waggle: Joël Bernard's Two FamiliesGood players all do a waggle, but not all in the same way: some use their hands to feel the clubhead, while others waggle the club as a whole to feel the shaft. Nicolas AllainAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Nicolas Allain). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.

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