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Downswing and TransitionRhythm and Tempo All clubs Beginner / Intermediate ⏱ 8 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Rushed Downswing in Golf: The Step Drill

Do you feel like you’re rushing your downswing? Chris Ryan shows that the problem starts with the backswing: if your arms finish ahead of your body, they’ll start moving first. Two exercises with a step, feet together, restore the proper sequence.

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Chris Ryan
Chris Ryan · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

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What the lesson shows

Chris Ryan starts with a test: hold a club by the grip and swing it. The grip leads, the club head follows, and the movement is never rushed. In the swing, the grip is the body. With Tiger Woods, the The body finishes its rotation before the arms do during the backswing. For a golfer who rushes the swing, the clubhead moves on its own, the arms tighten, and pull the body upward: since they finish first, they start moving again first.

First exercise: feet together, with the club positioned slightly ahead; keep the clubhead still and... one step before she moves, then the club rises. Second exercise, for the downswing: hold the club very lightly in your right hand; take a step toward the front foot, and the club moves in the opposite direction—it lags behind. By linking “step, rotation, step,” you regain rhythm and fluidity. Lowering with the arms, on the other hand, pushes upward and backward, onto the back foot.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Hold a club by the grip and swing it: the grip leads, the head follows.
  2. Stand with your feet together, and hold the club slightly in front of you.
  3. Take a side step before the clubhead moves, then let the club rise.
  4. Stand with your feet together and hold the club very lightly in your right hand only.
  5. Take a step toward your front foot and watch the club move in the opposite direction.
  6. Do both in sequence: step, lift the club, step, and rotate forward.
  7. Recreate that same feeling when hitting balls.

Key Takeaways

The grip leads, the clubhead follows: that's the swing model.
During the backswing, the body should finish before the arms.
If the arms finish first, they leave first.
When going downhill, the pressure shifts toward the front first.
This transfer is causing the club to fall behind and is sapping its energy.
Lowering yourself with your arms pushes your body backward.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Start the backswing with just the clubhead.
  • Tighten your arms and pull your body toward the top.
  • Start the downswing using your arms.
  • Ending up on your back foot while going downhill.
  • Confusing the sensation of speed with efficiency.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Club swing controlled by the grip
  2. Feet Together: Not Until the Club Makes a Move
  3. Right hand only: step toward the front foot
  4. Sequence: step, turn, step

Your Questions

Why does the problem with the downswing start during the backswing?

Because if the clubhead and arms finish the backswing first, they tend to start the downswing first. Chris Ryan wants the body to finish before the arms.

How do you do the step exercise?

Stand with your feet together, holding the club slightly in front of you. Keep the clubhead still, take a step, and only then let the club rise.

What happens when I take a step forward while going downhill?

With the club held loosely in his right hand, he swings in the opposite direction: he falls behind. It is this lag that stores energy for impact.

Why does a rushed swing seem faster?

It gives you a sense of speed, but you lose your rhythm and timing. When you let your body take the lead, the swing feels slower but remains powerful.

Learn More

All “Downhill and Transition” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Rhythm and Tempo” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Chris RyanAll of his lessons

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

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