3 Drills To Stop Swaying In The Golf Swing For Better Ball Striking

Do you keep catching your irons heavy or struggling to compress the ball? There is a good chance your hips are swaying away from the target in the backswing, and it is one of the most common ball striking faults I see.

In this post I'll break down exactly what a sway is, why it makes ball first, ground second contact so hard, and my three favourite drills to stop swaying and stay centred over the ball. Watch the video first, then use this post as your practice guide.

What Swaying In The Golf Swing Actually Is

A sway is when the centre of your pelvis moves further away from the target by the time you reach the top of the swing.

From there, it becomes very difficult to get far enough forward in the downswing to strike the ball first and the ground second. That costs you compression, and it costs you a lot of distance off the clubface.

Professional golfers look very different. Their pelvis turns in a relatively circular fashion in the backswing, then starts moving towards the target in transition and finishes forward and tall.

Most players who sway are trying to help the golf ball up into the air. The fix is to get comfortable with more pressure on the lead side and a hip turn that rotates instead of sliding.

If you want to go deeper on how your setup feeds into a sway, read How To Stop Swaying In The Golf Swing And Strike Your Irons Ball First.

Key Points To Stop A Sway

1. Turn, don't slide. Your pelvis should rotate in a circle in the backswing. If it moves away from the target as a whole, that is a sway.

2. It is okay to have weight on your front foot. At impact and through the rest of the swing, you want a lot of pressure on that lead foot.

3. Stop trying to help the ball up. Hanging back to lift the ball is what drives many sways.

4. Keep pressure off the outside of your trail foot. Your weight can move back towards your trail heel, but it should never roll to the outside of that foot. When the trail knee drifts over the outside of the foot, contact suffers.

5. Use feedback. Each drill below gives you something to feel or see, so you know straight away whether your hips turned or swayed.

Drills To Stop Swaying And Strike It Ball First

Drill 1: Lead Foot Pressure Drill

Setup: Set up normally, then drop your back foot behind you and place it up on its toe.

Execution: Shift so you feel about 80% of your weight on your front foot. Hit a few shots from this position, feeling like you stay on that front side for as long as you can.

Follow Through: Pay attention to how far the ball goes. You'll be pleasantly surprised how much distance you get without moving excessively away from the target.

Tip: This drill builds the concept that it is okay to have a lot of weight on your front foot at impact.

Drill 2: Ball Under The Back Foot Drill

Setup: Get set up normally to the ball, then place a golf ball under the outstep of your back foot, around the midsection of the foot.

Execution: Swing to the top without applying excessive force onto that ball. Your weight can still shift back towards your heel, but it should never move to the outside of the foot.

Finish: Hit some shots and check that your hips turned in a circle rather than moving away from the target.

Tip: Watch for the rolling out motion that swayers make, where the trail knee moves over the outside of the foot. The ball under your foot gives you instant feedback when that happens.

Drill 3: Wedge On The Back Hip Drill

Setup: In your normal setup position, grab a wedge or a similar club and stand it up against your back hip. Keep it pretty well in line so it touches around the midsection of your leg.

Execution: Make a practice backswing, feeling like your back hip pocket turns behind you and towards the target. When you turn correctly, the club should drop and fall at roughly a 45 degree angle behind you.

Follow Through: Once you have the feel, put the club back against your hip and hit a shot. Feel the hips turn instead of sway, then strike the ball first and the ground second.

Tip: If you sway, the club often won't hit the ground at all, or it falls forward or at an odd angle. Lay an alignment stick on the ground so you hear the club hit it as it drops.

Want another way to feel a centred turn? Try The Trick to Stop Swaying in the Backswing!

Swaying FAQs

What is a sway in the golf swing?
A sway is when the centre of your pelvis moves further away from the target at the top of the swing. It makes it very hard to get forward enough to hit the ball first and the ground second.

How do I know if I am swaying?
Use the wedge on the back hip drill. If you turn correctly, the club drops behind you at about 45 degrees. If it doesn't hit the ground, falls forward, or drops at a strange angle, you are likely swaying.

Should my weight go to the outside of my back foot in the backswing?
No. Your weight can shift back towards your trail heel, but it should never roll to the outside of the foot. That rolling out motion is a classic sign of a sway.

Conclusion

If you are struggling with heavy contact and a lack of compression, stop trying to help the ball into the air. Get comfortable with pressure on your lead foot and let your pelvis turn in a circle instead of sliding away from the target.

These three drills look simple, but they give you clear feedback every rep. Start with small shots and build up. Ball first, ground second will start to feel natural.

If you want instant feedback on where your pressure is going, check out the Downshift Golf Pressure Board in my Pro Shop and use code KG10. Or start with my free training.

Watch the full lesson on YouTube: This Looks Too EASY to Improve Your Ball Striking (But I Promise It Works!) Leave a comment with your biggest ball striking struggle and subscribe to the channel for new lessons every week.