The FIRST move to start the downswing (don’t fall for this illusion)

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You've heard it a thousand times... "start the downswing from the ground up."

And yet there's a HUGE difference between what your hips actually do to start the downswing... and what it feels like for most golfers.

And so in today's lesson we're going to sort it out once and for all with the help of Tommy Fleetwood, owner of one of the best golf swings on tour and this week's winner at the Dubai Invitational.

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▶︎ ABOUT ZACH ALLEN ◀︎
Hi I'm Zach, thank you for visiting my channel. My goal here is to help you play the best golf of your life while having as much fun as possible!

I'm a PGA-certified golf instructor and have been coaching since 1997. I've been named a Golf Digest "Best Young Teacher," a GolfTips Magazine "Top 25 Golf Instructor," and Southern California PGA's Teacher of the Year. I've worked with golfers of all ages and levels, from 4-year-old beginners on up through touring professionals. My students have included nationally-ranked juniors, touring pros, celebrities, and CEOs, but wherever you're at on your golfing journey, my goal is always the same... to help YOU play your best golf!

I started playing competitive golf at a young age, ultimately reaching #3 in the California junior golf rankings - just behind another promising young golfer named Tiger Woods. I also played collegiate golf at the University of Southern California and professional golf on the Omega Asian Tour.

[johnhue]

The movement you describe is a hip hinge motion and most people don't hip hinge well in transition, the legs bend from the knees without the knees moving forward and the backside goes back and the upper body tilts forward like a jack knife, all those movements are combined in the hip hinge. Dead lifts are a good way to train it.. It is a difficult pattern to get into the swing and is best done slowly at first and building the pattern and you have to get quite good at it having done a lot of it before you have any real chance of being able to do it when hitting balls.

[underworldevents]

Great video and definitely something that coaches don't really focus on when giving lessons. I like that you show a different way to think about it and will give the medicine ball a try and this concept has always been and continues to be something I work on but can never seem to grasp.

[Slainte-Mhath]

It has been said the downswing in all the elite players starts with the left shoulder moving up (arms waiting) which initiates the lower body move. Those that say this this say the players do not feel this, but are actually doing it. The two moves are closely bound together, the conjecture is which move initiates and which follows so quickly it is imperceptible which is actually first.

[sergiomartin]

Thank you Zach for this video. This is something I have been working on for months now, but you explain it very well. Focus on proper hip movement is by far the swing improvement that has had the biggest impact on my ball striking. A positive side effect is that by doing it properly I have released a lot of tension in my lower back as well.

[DJNYU]

Question coach, I'm going to assume no but for the longer pitch shots, 40+ yarders, would you do the butt move as well?

Thanks

[jasonstewart]

You know what else is great/so important about this move (the squat)? It's the way that every tour player creates the automatic and subconscious requirement of shallowing the angle of attack to the ball. Think about it - from address if you make your backswing and then push your chest 4-5 inches down towards your toes (the result of the squat), if you kept the angle of the attack the same as your takeaway, on your downswing you would plant that club about a foot behind the ball because you are those 4-5 inches closer and your low point would also be 4-5 inches lower. This move takes advantage of the basic ability of even a high handicapper to route the clubhead through space and put it on the back of the ball. As the space between your chest and the ground is reduced, you will unconsciously find a way to do just that, and the only is by getting your hands in front of the clubhead, putting the lead wrist in flexion and automatically creating lag. The angle of attack naturally shallows and you need to use your upper body to swing "around" your lead leg vs using your hands and arms to flip through on a steeper path. So much talk about "shallowing" on the downswing and there are so many ways to get a more shallow shaft angle but unless you match it up with your posture it will end in disaster. Take advantage of a simple, easy to replicate "time after time" move that creates an unconscious necessity to create more difficult moves and takes advantage of the amazing ability of our hand eye to get that clubhead to the back of the ball👍

[harrybutler]

Hi Zach just to let you know that I've tried the doing what you've put on video l found it the drill hard at first but I'm certain with lots of practice I'll get there thanks for sharing your knowledge 😊😊

[vcjjj]

This makes so much sense. Like me, I use CASH. This is my way of being able to at least hit the correctly and stay online most of the time. C- Clear the arms, elbow bend upward. A- Aim the ball, for me see the railroad tracks. S- Stay connected, keep the arms connected to the torso. H- Have a seat in the downswing like sitting on a barstool. My scores dropped considerably and ball striking a little more consistent.

[russquick]

Revelatory Zach. In all my years(88) I've never seen this left hip (both actually) squat. Look forward to trying to effect it. Have a great day-Russ

[relaxedway]

Best video on this topic...appreciate keeping it simple with the feeling of the forward hip going backwards

[charlesmccormick]

Very nice work on critical stage of downswing! Fleetwood = great role model!

[TG-vgqe]

I find this move doesn't have to be thought about, but just happens naturally if I try to pull the club down as hard as I can with my arms. As long as I keep my head behind the ball, allow my right knee to move toward the ball as I pull down, it becomes an athletic move like a pitcher throwing a fast ball. A pitcher doesn't have to think about his lower body, it just responds as needed to throw the ball hard as possible. I think this is why Sergio Garcia says his first move is to pull down or 'ring the bell.'

[bj]

Do you squat straight down from top of back swing or squat into lead led at an angle?

[glennlane]

At the beginning of the video, that amateur on the range. Is that Larry Montplaisir at Mesa Country Club in Arizona?

[DavidHarnishfeger-dqhm]

Appreciate you Zach, have been doing the med ball slam every day since watching. One dumb question, I have lots to learn. If left hip goes back to start downswing, where does weight shift, front foot pressure happen. Wouldn’t hips bump forward first?

[harrybutler]

Absolutely brilliant video I'll definitely be trying that at home and the driving range thanks for sharing

[thomas_eder]

I get the same result if i focus on the trail hip not coming forward. Trail hip goes back in the back swing and stays back in the downswing. Then in the downswing the lead hip goes back like a door opening around a hinge (trail hip).

[jjcampbell]

Hi Zach good video you say Fleetwood looks like first move down is moving the left hip straight back but you also say squatting the button back using the feet should you squat the but back then the left hip back or both at the same time kindly advise thanks for your help Jack

[michaeldasilva]

When you demonstrated the movement with the medicine ball, it became clear how powerful this can be. I'll definitely work on this. Thanks!

[Bigtimeburgers]

Great video. I’m a +3 handicapper and I’ve watched no less than 100 videos online trying to fix early extension. I struggle with getting taller through impact and my right hip always gets closer to the ball coming down stopping me from getting consistent clubface control. I hope this helps me!