Golf Tip: The Pivot

The pivot is the body’s motion to the swing. A good pivot supports your ability to swing the club on the correct plane, generate maximum speed and consistently apply the club head squarely to the ball.

The pivot can be broken down into three phases: the load (back swing); shift (transition); and rotate (acceleration through impact to finish). Establishing proper posture is essential for an efficient pivot for the golfers range and direction of motion controlled by the angles created at address.

Load: the goal is to “load” the upper body over a stable right leg (behind the ball) as the club moves to the top of the swing.

Shift: the shift is the transition from back swing to the impact position. At the shift position the player aggressively accelerates through impact by allowing the upper body’s mass to remain coiled, supporting the creation of speed during the downswing. A proper shift allows the left hip to move laterally as initiated by the pelvis “gliding” from right to left.

Rotate: this phase accelerates the body through impact to the finish rotation. This includes two specific actions sequenced together to deliver the clubhead back to the ball.

Todd Sinclair is the Director of Instruction at First Coast Golf Academy. Sinclair gives lessons at both The Orchards at Egg Harbor and Meadow Ridge Lodge at Cherry Hills in Sturgeon Bay. He can be reached at 904-338-7107 or at firstcoastgolfacademy.com.