Mastering the backswing is a challenge that has humbled even the most decorated legends of the game. Sir Nick Faldo, Lee Trevino, Jim Furyk, John Daly, and even the greatest, Tiger Woods, have all struggled to varying degrees with their backswing. So, it’s only natural for us to struggle with our backswings. However, some of these common mistakes can easily be avoided by following a few moves that improve your backswing and help you stay on the plane.

1. Hand Path Drill

The key advice here for all the golfers is “Keep it low.” Most golfers often keep their hands too quickly and steeply during the initial takeaway. This instant upward movement causes the lead arm and shoulder plane to disconnect at the top. Because of this motion, the club comes down too steeply and feels very jerky, and you likely stand up tall just to make solid contact.

The swing plane should be aligned with the shoulders, but the hands should travel slightly underneath the shoulders rather than over the top. To achieve that, the hands should stay low to the ground for as long as possible during the initial move-away. Ideally, they should remain below the level of the belt through the first half of the backswing.

2. Arm Connection Drill: Split Hand Grip

What many do wrong is that they move our arms independently of our torso. This results in the hands lifting over the shoulders too early, causing the chest to get “out in front” of the hands at the top and leaving the club stuck behind the body. 

Instead, your arms should feel as though they are moving solely because the body is turning. The goal is to synchronize the rotation of the humerus (upper arm) 1:1 with the spinal rotation. You can try the “Giving Blood” drill to improve your technique.

Rotate your trail arm (right arm for right-handers) as if you were “giving blood” (palm up) and place your left hand on top. From this position, simply turn your body. Rehearse the motion in a mirror to ensure the arms are moving only in the direction of the shoulder turn.

This setup forces the trail arm into external rotation, and it eliminates unnecessary independent arm movement and forces the body’s rotation to square the clubface.

3. Lead Arm: Trail Under Lead

The lead arm often collapses across the chest during the backswing turn. This “stuck” position ruins the swing plane and forces the golfer to throw the club at the ball, usually resulting in an over-the-top move.

But in general, the lead arm must stay in front of the center of the chest throughout the entire backswing. This maintains the width of the swing and keeps the club on the intended inclined plane.

To practice this motion, place your back hand behind your front arm near the elbow or tricep. Push your hands to the top using the back of your front shoulder for a turn. Your backhand acts like a wall to stop your arm from falling across your chest. This simple block keeps the swing wide and puts the club on a beautiful path.

4. Creating Leverage: Wrist Hinge Feel (The Beach Ball)

Amateur golfers try to create a wrist hinge by picking the club up with their fingers. This pulls the club away from the body and ruins the whole swing plane. You lose almost all your power and leverage when you lift the club this way.

The wrist hinge should be a product of slight downward pressure on the handle. This sets the club naturally into a preset “L” angle without independent hand lifting. The solution is to think about pushing a beach ball under the water to feel the right kind of pressure. This downward push sets the club into a comfortable “L” shape without any extra arm lifting. It creates a short and compact swing that feels powerful and ready to strike. This “down and away” move is the secret to building real speed and control.

5. Transition sync: The ‘Hideki’ Pause

Many golfers rush the transition from backswing to downswing. They start the downswing with their shoulders and hands instead of using their strong lower body. This move “shatters the glass” by throwing the club outside the correct path. It leads to a “V-shaped” swing that hits the ground too early or slices the ball.

You should try the “Hideki Drill” by stopping completely for two seconds at the very top. From this dead stop, start your downswing by moving your front hip toward the target area. Let your arms fall naturally into the slot while your legs and hips start to turn. This pause helps all the moving parts work together in a smooth and pretty rhythm. Hideki Matsuyama has utilized this pause to improve his game.