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Downswing and Transition All clubs Intermediate ⏱ 12 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Start the Downswing with Your Legs: Unscrew the Lid

Knowing what to do isn't enough—you have to feel it. Danny Maude asks you to pick up a club and ask yourself one question at the top of your backswing: What do my feet need to do to bring the club back toward the ball? His answer: unscrew a giant lid.

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Danny Maude
Danny Maude · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

7 minSame problemA Stretch Feeling at the Start of the DownswingPadraig Harrington · Intermediate / Expert10 minSame problemPressure on the inside of the lead foot in the downswingSimon Camirand · Intermediate9 minFrom the same proPlaying from Slopes Made Simple: Danny MaudeDanny Maude · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

When it comes to making contact, good hitters have certain things in common: pressure on the front side, with a forward grip and open hips. They don't shift their weight to their back foot, don't add loft, and don't touch the ground behind the ball. The reason: their swing is led from the ground up, the lower body leads the upper body, which lags behind. A poor hitter does the opposite: he initiates the downward motion with his hands, arms, and torso, keeping his legs inactive, and ends up “flipping.”.

The drill: Take a good backswing, with your left arm behind you, then figure out what your feet need to do to bring the club back. The feel: unscrew the lid off a giant jar under his feet, with the weight shifting from the ball of his right foot to his left heel. Unwinding the upper body causes the club to swing over the ball, resulting in a slice; not unwinding at all and letting the club slide results in a hook. For speed, the legs stretch out, like a jump, to fling the left arm away from the chest.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Grab a club and swing it all the way up with a proper swing: left arm behind you, step up.
  2. Ask yourself how your feet need to move to bring the club back toward the ball—without using your arms.
  3. Feel the pressure move from the ball of your right foot to your left heel, as if you were unscrewing a lid.
  4. Let your upper body lag behind: it follows the lower body.
  5. Do one-arm swings—left, then right—while extending your legs.
  6. Start with small swings using both hands, then gradually extend your arms.
  7. With the driver, maintain the same feel, but keep your upper body slightly further back and push upward.

Key Takeaways

Good hitters make contact with the front foot under pressure and the grip positioned forward.
The swing is initiated from the ground and moves upward: the torso follows the legs.
A unique experience: unscrewing a giant lid with your feet.
The pressure shifts from the ball of the right foot to the left heel.
Turning your upper body causes a slice; sliding causes a hook.
Extending your legs creates a catapult effect.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Start the downswing using your hands and arms.
  • Unwinding with the upper body: swinging back over and slicing.
  • Slide toward the target without turning: the club gets stuck, and you hook the ball.
  • Stay on your back foot and add loft at impact.
  • Swing hard before you've gotten the hang of the smaller movements.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Empty swings while asking the question with your feet
  2. One-arm swings, left then right
  3. Short two-handed swings, then longer ones
  4. A weighted “orange whip” accessory, if you have one

Your Questions

What does “unscrew the lid” mean?

Imagine a giant lid beneath your feet. On the downswing, you unscrew it with your lower body: the pressure shifts from the ball of your right foot to your left heel, which brings the club back onto the correct path.

Why do I slice if I turn my torso too early?

According to Danny Maude, you're uncoiling the wrong part of your body. The upper body moves too early, and the club swings back over it.

What if I hook?

It often happens that you don't uncoil at all: your legs slide toward the target, the club gets stuck, and it comes back too far to the right.

Where does the power in this exercise come from?

It comes from extending the legs, like a jump, which propels the left arm away from the chest. It lets you find the right moment, just like when you throw a ball.

Learn More

All “Downhill and Transition” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Danny MaudeAll of his lessons

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