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Pre-shot routineWaggle All clubs Intermediate ⏱ 8 min 🇫🇷 Video in French

Why Do We Do the "Waggle" in Golf? Les Golfiteurs

Tiger Woods, Jon Rahm, and Sergio Garcia are constantly moving before the ball, while beginners tend to freeze for several seconds. In the latest video in his series on the pre-shot routine, Ma from Les Golfiteurs explains why these waggles are useful: movement begets movement.

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Ma Chun Teng Chan
Ma Chun Teng Chan · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

4 minSame problemJustin Rose's Focus on PuttingJustin Rose · Intermediate / Expert4 minSame problemJordan Spieth's Apex Point in PuttingJordan Spieth · Intermediate5 minFrom the same proHalf-series or full series: When Should You Make the Leap?Ma Chun Teng Chan · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

At the Forges-les-Bains golf course, Ma watches what the best players do when they're up to the ball: waggles—those little wrist movements, such as Tiger Woods, who stomps his feet, or Sergio Garcia, who can grab his club with his right hand as many as eight or nine times. Conversely, The beginner takes his position and remains motionless four or five seconds, then starts his swing from that stationary position, and all sorts of things happen.

How it works: Movement leads to movement. He gives the example of the drums, where he would keep time before coming in on the beat, and table tennis, where he never served from a stationary position. For him, The swing doesn't start with the backswing: It begins with practice swings and continues as the player approaches the ball, and the swing itself is simply the continuation of that movement. One might worry about losing alignment or posture while moving; he believes, on the contrary, that the body responds better if it is already in motion. Preparation, visualization, reflection, and action are all integral parts of the shot.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Choose your shot and take a few practice swings to get your body moving.
  2. Visualize the shot you want to play.
  3. Position yourself in front of the ball without freezing up.
  4. Waggle your wrists a few times, stamp your feet lightly, and relax your hips and shoulders.
  5. Look at your target, then initiate the swing as a natural continuation of that movement.

Key Takeaways

The waggle is a small movement of the wrists in front of the ball.
Good players move toward the ball; beginners stand still.
Movement leads to movement: starting from a static position hinders the swing.
The swing begins with the practice swings and continues at address.
Moving toward the ball does not cause you to lose your alignment or posture.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Stay completely still for several seconds while facing the ball.
  • Initiate the swing from a stationary position.
  • Believing that the swing begins at the start of the backswing.
  • Stopping movement out of fear of losing alignment or posture.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Complete pre-shot routine: practice swings, visualization, waggles
  2. Waggles and a slight shuffle before initiating the swing
  3. Comparison Between a Standing Start and a Moving Start

Your Questions

What is a waggle in golf?

According to Ma, this is a wrist movement seen in players who set up in front of the ball: they move the club slightly before initiating their swing.

Why do good players move so much when the ball is coming their way?

Because movement leads to movement: the body responds better to a task when it is already in motion than when it starts from a static position.

Doesn't moving in front of the ball risk throwing off the alignment?

He acknowledges that this is a common fear, but believes that's not the case: when in motion, the body responds better than when stationary.

When does the swing really begin?

For him, it starts well before the backswing: right from the practice swings, and then as he stands over the ball. The final motion is simply a continuation of what was established earlier.

Learn More

All “Pre-shot routine” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Waggle” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Justin Rose's Focus on PuttingHis attention and eyes move from the target to the ball, then Rose strikes as his attention goes back to the target: nothing stays frozen over the ball. Jordan Spieth's Apex Point in PuttingOn long putts, Spieth finds the highest point on the line, then reads from the high side to see where the ball rolls on its own. Reverse-Grip Chipping: Matthieu Pavon's RoutineTo regain his confidence in chipping, Pavon switches to the reverse grip he uses for putting, then follows a pre-shot routine: slope, grain, lie, landing spot, visualization. Ma Chun Teng ChanAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Ma Chun Teng Chan). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.

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