The Secret to a Better Backswing!

Are you finding it hard to generate consistent power and distance in your golf shots? One of the most common culprits is an incomplete backswing. Without a full turn, you’re robbing yourself of the energy and coil needed to strike the ball with authority. In this post, we’ll walk through what a proper backswing looks like, why it's crucial for power and consistency, and give you practical tips to make it happen—every time.

The Importance of a Full Upper Body Turn

A complete backswing sets the foundation for every powerful and consistent golf shot. One of the biggest issues seen in amateur golfers—especially as fatigue sets in during a round—is that they rely too much on their arms and hands, with very little shoulder and torso movement.

This kind of limited motion might feel like a big swing, but without turning the chest and torso, you’re missing out on real power. As simple as it sounds, ensuring that your shoulders turn fully can be a game-changer, particularly if you’re struggling with distance or ball striking.

Understanding the Role of the Chest and Shoulders

To simplify the backswing, think about your shirt logo—yes, really. Whether it’s the left chest pocket or the back of your right shoulder, those visual cues can help you create a complete turn:

Left Shoulder Cue: Focus on turning the logo on your left chest (typically over your heart) behind the ball—or even toward the camera if you’re recording yourself. This helps engage the upper body rather than just lifting the club with your arms.

Right Shoulder Cue: Imagine there’s a logo on the back of your right shoulder. At the top of your backswing, try to get that logo pointing downrange—toward your target. Doing this naturally pulls your lead shoulder across and encourages full shoulder rotation.

Both methods promote the same goal: a strong upper body coil that stores energy and helps you generate clubhead speed through the ball.

Drills to Help You Make a Full Turn

The Shirt Logo Drill

Setup: Address the ball as you normally would.

Execution: Focus on turning the logo on your left chest behind you as you take the club to the top of the backswing.

Tip: Use a mirror or record your swing to check if your torso is actually rotating, not just your arms.

Back Shoulder Turn Drill

Setup: Assume your normal stance.

Execution: As you swing to the top, feel like you're pulling the back of your right shoulder behind you until it’s pointing toward the target.

Tip: This cue helps initiate a full body turn and often leads to a better hip rotation and pressure shift into your trail foot—setting you up for a powerful transition.

Why It Works

The chest and shoulders are the engine of your golf swing. A proper turn allows your body to coil efficiently, engage your core and legs, and store energy that’s released through impact. It also helps with pressure shift—transferring weight onto your trail foot in the backswing and then back to your lead foot during the downswing. Without this full turn, you're essentially swinging with half the power potential.

Conclusion

If you’re struggling with distance or feel like your swing lacks “pop,” take a close look at your backswing. Make sure your upper body—particularly your shoulders and chest—are fully turning. Whether you focus on the logo over your left chest or the back of your right shoulder, these visual cues can guide you to a more powerful and effective swing.

A full backswing might feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you’ve been used to swinging mostly with your arms. But embrace the challenge—different (and better) results come from doing something different.

Try out the drills above, and you’ll likely start seeing better contact, more distance, and more consistent results. And once you’re feeling more confident with your turn, check out our next tip [link or video card suggestion], which could be the key to unlocking even more power in your game.