You’re probably looking at the wrong part of your golf swing.
It’s only natural when you watch a golf swing – either your own, or a pro’s – to look at what the club is doing. That’s the most important thing, after all. It’s the club that hits the golf ball.
But the hands control the club. So instead, next time you watch a swing, take note of the hands:
- Where do they start?
- What route do they take?
- Where do they return to?
Think of the journey your hands take, which coaches call a hand path, as a swing within a swing. If you don’t get that part right, the club won’t do what you want it to, and neither will the golf ball.
Understand the two loops: it’s really hard to move your hands on exactly the same hand path on the backswing and downswing – and many coaches don’t even want you to try. It is utterly beautiful when a player manages to do it, though. So let’s take a moment to appreciate Robert Rock’s golf swing.
Here’s an image of Rock I shared during the US Open…
Yes Tiger’s playing but how about this top of the backswing position from Robert Rock pic.twitter.com/kzYnIWEqZ5
— LKD (@LukeKerrDineen) June 13, 2024
Anyway, Rock’s golf swing is nice, but probably not one the rest of us can feasibly replicate. So let’s talk about the two more common types of loops, how to use them, and their various pitfalls.
Out-and-Under Loopers
Some golfers like taking their hands more outside on their backswing, then loop them so they swing under the path they took on the backswing. This loopy swing is pretty well-known, but it’s actually something of a minority. You mostly see it from junior golfers, who tour players who take their arms out on the backswing. They loop it under because it’s the only route back to the ball.
A few examples: Fred Couples, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, Lee Trevino, Rory McIlroy.
The “stuck” mistake: When you loop your hands too far under from where they started they can get stuck behind your body. It can cost you speed, and relies a lot on timing because you need to flip your wrists to get the club back in front of you. Getting stuck is a big problem in my swing. Here’s a tip that can help.
In-and-Over Loopers
This is when golfers move their arms deep and around their body on the backswing, then out towards the golf ball on the downswing. This move means the golfer’s hands track down over from where they moved on the backswing. Most tour players start as out-to-under loopers in their junior years, then transition to in-then-over loopers as they build upper body strength.
A few examples: Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Viktor Hovland, Arnold Palmer.
The “over the top” mistake: Coming over-the-top is one of the most common problems in golf, and happens when golfers over-do this move. It causes slices and pulls, and all sorts of other issues. Usually, it can be solved by better sequencing.
