How To Shorten Your Backswing: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Struggling to find the center of the clubface consistently? If you’re battling slices, hooks, or just a general lack of control, the answer might not be a new driver, but a simple change to the length of your swing. This guide breaks down exactly how to shorten your backswing in golf, not by sacrificing power, but by adding precision and repeatability to your game. Leveraging analysis from top coaches and the habits of elite professionals, we’ll unpack the proven steps to build a more efficient and reliable golf swing.

This guide provides a complete roadmap. We’ll start by helping you diagnose the real cause of your overswing, provide targeted drills used by players like Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els to fix it, and show you how to use feedback to ensure your changes stick. By the end, you’ll understand how to shorten your backswing consistently and build a more powerful, controlled motion.

Key Facts

Improved Consistency is the Primary Benefit: Shortening a golf backswing significantly improves consistency by reducing the number of moving parts, which minimizes the potential for error and creates a more repeatable motion.

Top Professionals Use This Technique: Elite players like Jon Rahm are famous for their shorter, powerful backswings, while others like Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els have actively worked on shortening their swings to improve control, as noted by coach Butch Harmon.

There Are Two Main Overswing Faults: An overswing is typically caused by either the arms swinging too long after the body stops turning (leading to slices) or the body overturning from the hips (leading to pushes and hooks).

Power Comes from Efficiency, Not Length: A shorter backswing can actually increase power. By focusing on a wider arc, a quick wrist hinge, and proper core rotation, golfers can generate significant clubhead speed without a long, uncontrolled swing.

‘Feel’ Isn’t Real Without Verification: Many golfers who feel like they’ve shortened their swing are often surprised when video analysis shows it’s still too long. Using video to confirm the club stops short of parallel is essential for making the change permanent.

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Why a Shorter Backswing is Your Key to Consistency

A shorter backswing is not about losing power; it’s about gaining control. By reducing excess motion, you create a more repeatable swing, leading to better contact and improved consistency—the same principle used by many top professionals. Ever wonder how pros like Jon Rahm generate so much power with such a compact swing? The answer lies in efficiency, not length. An overly long backswing, often described as going “past parallel,” introduces too many “moving parts.” In the context of a golf swing, this means your arms, wrists, hips, and shoulders can get out of sync, making it incredibly difficult to return the club to the ball on the correct path consistently.

By learning how to shorten your backswing in golf, you are simplifying the entire motion. This single change can lead to a cascade of positive effects that transform your game. Top professionals from Phil Mickelson to Ernie Els have recognized the benefits of a more controlled backswing at various points in their careers. They understand that a repeatable motion is the foundation of great golf.

Here’s why a shorter, more efficient backswing move is a game-changer:

✅ Improved Consistency: With fewer moving parts, there are fewer opportunities for something to go wrong. Your swing becomes easier to repeat, shot after shot, leading to tighter dispersion and more predictable results.
✅ Better Feel and Awareness: A more compact swing allows you to better sense the position of your body, wrists, and the club itself. This heightened awareness translates directly into more control over the clubface.
✅ Easier Solid Contact: A shorter swing arc makes it fundamentally easier to find the center of the clubface. This is the secret to pure strikes that feel effortless and fly farther than you’d expect.

The goal isn’t to have a robotic, stiff swing. It’s to eliminate the unnecessary, inefficient movements at the top that cause inconsistency, giving you a powerful and repeatable swing you can trust under pressure.

Step 1: Diagnose Your Overswing: Are You an ‘Arm Swinger’ or an ‘Over-Turner’?

Before you can fix your overswing, you must identify its source. Determine if your arms are swinging too long past your body’s turn (causing slices) or if your body is overturning (causing hooks and pushes). According to renowned coach Butch Harmon’s analysis, not all overswings are created equal. Trying to fix the problem without knowing the cause is like guessing in the dark. The two primary faults require different solutions. As you read these descriptions, which one sounds more like your typical miss? Identifying the root cause is the first step to a real fix.

An “Arm Swinger” lets their arms keep going long after their body turn is complete. This disconnect leads to the arms collapsing at the top and the club getting “thrown from the top” on an outside path. Conversely, an “Over-Turner,” often a more flexible golfer, lets their hips and torso rotate too much, causing the club to get too “deep” behind their body. This leads to a narrow downswing path and reliance on timing to save the shot.

Here is a breakdown of the two common overswing faults in golf:

Fault Type	Common Symptom	Resulting Shot
The Arm Swinger	Arms continue to lift and swing after the body stops turning; arms collapse at the top.	Weak Slices, Pulls
The Over-Turner	Back knee straightens, allowing hips and shoulders to rotate too far; club gets “deep” behind the body.	Pushes, Hooks

Understanding which category you fall into is the most critical step. If your bad shots are weak slices, you’re likely an arm swinger. If you battle hooks and pushes, you might be an over-turner. Once you know your tendency, you can apply the correct drill to build a shorter, more connected backswing.

Step 2: Master Three Drills to Shorten and Control Your Backswing

Implement these targeted drills to fix your specific overswing fault. Focus on creating a wider arc to control your arms and maintaining knee flex to control your body’s rotation for a more compact, powerful swing. Now that you’ve diagnosed your specific issue, it’s time for the solution. Instead of a generic tip, these drills are designed to correct the root cause of your long backswing. The key is to connect your arm swing with your body turn, ensuring they work together rather than independently. This synchronization is what creates a powerful, efficient, and shorter backswing.

These exercises focus on both mechanics and feel, helping you ingrain the proper wrist action and body position. Whether you’re an “Arm Swinger” who needs to learn width like Ernie Els or an “Over-Turner” who needs lower body stability like Phil Mickelson, there is a specific drill here for you.

Drill 1: The ‘Stay Wide’ Drill for Arm Control (The Ernie Els Method)

Push your hands away from your head on the backswing to create a wide arc. This keeps the club in front of you and prevents your arms from collapsing at the top.

This drill is the perfect antidote for the “Arm Swinger.” When your arms swing too long and collapse, it’s often because they are moving up instead of wide and around. Ernie Els, known for his beautiful tempo, improved his game by focusing on this exact feeling of width. A wider backswing arc naturally shortens the swing and keeps your arms in front of your chest, preventing them from running off on their own.

Follow these steps to feel the proper width:

Take your normal setup.
As you begin your takeaway, focus on the sensation of pushing your hands as far away from your head as possible.
Feel your right arm (for a right-handed golfer) staying extended and wide, which will keep your left arm straight and wide as well.
Stop your backswing when your shoulders stop turning. Because your arms are wide, they won’t be able to continue lifting and collapsing.
From this wider, shorter position, simply turn your chest through to the finish.

Pro Tip: Feel as though your right arm (for a righty) stays wide and away from your body. This will naturally keep your left arm wide and the club on the correct path, making it much easier to shallow the club in the downswing.

Drill 2: The ‘Quiet Legs’ Drill for Rotation Control (The Phil Mickelson Fix)

Maintain the flex in your back knee throughout the backswing. This will naturally limit your hip turn and prevent your arms and club from getting too deep behind your body.

This drill is designed specifically for the “Over-Turner.” The number one cause of over-rotation is when the back knee straightens during the backswing, which unlocks the hips and allows them to turn excessively. By keeping your lower body stable, or “quiet,” you create a firm base that your upper body can turn against. This creates resistance and power while automatically shortening the backswing. Phil Mickelson successfully used this concept to control his tendency to overturn.

Focus on these key feels to quiet your legs:

✅ Anchor Your Back Knee: At address (your setup position), establish a nice athletic flex in your knees. Your primary thought during the backswing should be to maintain the flex in your back knee. Don’t let it straighten.
✅ Feel the Resistance: As you turn your upper body, you should feel tension building in your glutes and hips. This is a sign that you are creating powerful torque against a stable lower body.
✅ Use the Mickelson Feel: Phil Mickelson’s swing thought was to feel his “back heel leading the toes” on the downswing and his back knee gently moving toward his front knee. This promotes the correct lower body sequence and prevents the legs from outracing the upper body.

Quick Fact: For highly flexible golfers, the tendency to straighten the back knee is the number one cause of over-rotation. Maintaining that flex is your anchor for a controlled and powerful swing.

Drill 3: The ‘¾ Swing’ Feel Rehearsal

Practice making swings that stop at a three-quarter position. Focus on hinging your wrists early and rotating your body to generate power, then try to replicate this compact feel when hitting balls.

This is a universal, feel-based drill that helps any golfer ingrain the sensation of a shorter backswing. It retrains your muscle memory to accept a more compact position as the new normal. By removing the long, flowing finish of your backswing, you are forced to generate power more efficiently through better body mechanics.

Think of it like learning to drive a manual car. First you practice the motions slowly, then you gradually add speed. This drill does the same for your swing.

Here’s how to do it:

Rehearse Slowly: Without a ball, make slow-motion swings, consciously stopping when your lead arm is parallel to the ground (a three-quarter position). Feel how your wrists hinge and your core turns to get the club to this position.
Add Speed: Gradually increase the speed of your rehearsal swings, always stopping at that same ¾ checkpoint.
Hit Shots at 70%: Take a mid-iron, like a 7-iron, and hit shots trying to replicate this shorter backswing feel. Don’t try to kill the ball. The goal is solid contact.
Focus on Power Sources: To avoid losing distance, concentrate on creating speed with a strong core, good body rotation, and a quick wrist hinge early in the backswing. Power comes from sequencing, not from a long, loose swing.

Step 3: Use Feedback to Make Your Change Stick

Your ‘feel’ can be misleading. You must verify your swing changes by recording your swing. Check that your club stops short of parallel and that you’re maintaining good tempo and body rotation.

This is the step where most golfers fail when trying to make a swing change. You can do drills for hours, but if you don’t have accurate feedback, you may not be changing anything at all. The concept of “feel vs. real” is critical in golf. What feels like a short, compact backswing might look exactly the same as your old long one on camera.

Pro Tip: “Don’t just trust the feeling! Many golfers are shocked when they see video of their ‘shortened’ swing. Video is your honest coach.”

Recording your swing is non-negotiable for making a permanent change. Set up your phone on a tripod or golf bag to capture two key angles:

Down-the-line: This view is from behind you, looking down the target line. It’s the best way to see the length of your backswing and whether the club is on the correct plane.
Face-on: This view is from in front of you, looking at your chest. It’s perfect for checking your body rotation, hip sway, and knee flex.

When you review the video, look for these specific checkpoints:

✔ Top Position: Does the club shaft stop before it reaches parallel to the ground? This is your primary goal.
✔ Body Rotation: Are your hips and shoulders turning correctly without swaying off the ball?
✔ Wrist Hinge: Are you setting your wrists early in the backswing? A late hinge often leads to a longer swing as you search for power.
✔ Tempo: Is your transition from backswing to downswing smooth, or are you rushing because the swing feels shorter?

For golfers who want to get serious, technology aids like HackMotion can provide real-time data on your wrist angles, helping you use drills like the “Combined Top Drill” to train the perfect top-of-swing position at full speed. But for most, a simple smartphone video is all you need to bridge the gap between feel and real.

How to Shorten Your Backswing Without Destroying Your Game

A shorter backswing doesn’t have to mean less power or bad rhythm. To avoid this, maintain your normal tempo, ensure you hinge your wrists earlier in the backswing, and be patient with clubface control as you adapt.

The biggest fear golfers have when they try to shorten their backswing is that they will ruin their tempo and lose distance. This is a valid concern, but it only happens when the change is made incorrectly. A shorter backswing is an efficiency upgrade, not a power downgrade. By understanding and avoiding the common pitfalls, you can make this change smoothly and unlock even more power and consistency.

Think of your tempo as the beat of a song. Changing the length of a note doesn’t mean you have to speed up the whole song. Your tempo should remain the same, just over a shorter distance.

Here’s a breakdown of the potential problems and their simple solutions:

Potential Problem	Why It Happens	The Solution
Rushing the Swing / Bad Rhythm	The shorter motion feels quicker, causing an instinct to rush the transition from backswing to downswing.	Maintain Your Tempo. Consciously try to use your normal, regular tempo. Hum a tune or count “one-two” to keep your rhythm smooth. A shorter distance does not mean a faster pace.
Loss of Distance	The golfer relied on a long swing and a late wrist hinge to create speed. A shorter swing without an adjustment cuts the power source.	Hinge Your Wrists Earlier. Power in a modern, shorter swing comes from a quick and early wrist hinge combined with body rotation. Practice feeling the wrists fully set by the time your left arm is parallel to the ground.
Poor Clubface Control	The extra length in the old swing gave the golfer more time to manipulate the clubface and square it at impact. A shorter swing exposes flaws in clubface control.	Be Patient and Practice. This is a temporary issue. As you get used to the shorter motion, your hands will learn the new timing required to square the clubface. Start with slow, small swings and gradually build speed.

Making a significant swing change takes time. Don’t get discouraged if your ball striking is a little off at first. By focusing on maintaining your tempo and incorporating a proper wrist hinge, you will quickly find that your new, compact swing is not only more consistent but also surprisingly powerful.

To get instant feedback on your wrist angles and ensure you’re making the right changes, a dedicated training aid can be a massive help. These tools provide the data you need to turn “feel” into “real” and shorten your swing the right way.

FAQs About how to shorten backswing golf

Here are answers to some of the most common questions golfers have when learning how to shorten their backswing.

How do I shorten my backswing in golf consistently?

Consistency comes from drills and feedback. Pick one drill that targets your specific fault (arm control or rotation control) and practice it regularly. Most importantly, record your swing on video. You must see the change to make it permanent, as your “feel” can be deceiving. A shorter swing will only become consistent when it’s your new, ingrained normal.

Should I shorten my driver’s backswing too?

Yes, but the principle is about control, not restriction. While you want a full shoulder turn with the driver for maximum power, the arms and club should not continue going long after your turn is complete. A more controlled, wider backswing with the driver will often lead to more center-face contact, which creates more ball speed and distance than a long, out-of-control swing.

How can I keep from taking too long of a backswing?

The key is to connect your arm swing to your body turn. A great thought is to feel that your arms stop swinging when your shoulders stop turning. Drills like placing a towel under your armpits force this connection. When your arms and body are synced up, it’s very difficult to have an overly long backswing.

Will I lose power if I shorten my backswing?

No, not if you do it correctly. Power in a golf swing comes from proper sequencing, core rotation, ground forces, and a timely wrist hinge—not from a long, floppy arm swing. Professionals like Jon Rahm prove that immense power can be generated from a very short backswing. By focusing on these other power sources, you may even gain distance due to more solid contact.

What is the best swing thought to shorten my backswing?

For arm-driven overswings, the best thought is “stay wide” or “push hands away from your head.” This promotes a wide arc. For body-driven overswings, the best thought is “keep your back knee flexed.” This provides lower body stability and restricts excessive hip turn. Choose the thought that addresses your specific fault.

Final Takeaway: A Shorter, More Efficient Swing Awaits

Learning how to shorten your backswing in golf is one of the most effective changes an amateur player can make to find greater consistency and control. It’s not about a quick fix, but a fundamental shift towards a more efficient, repeatable motion. By moving away from a long, disconnected swing, you simplify the entire process, making solid contact easier and more frequent.

The path to a better backswing is clear and achievable when you follow a structured approach. Remember the core steps that unlock a more compact and powerful swing:

❖ Diagnose First: Understand whether you are an “Arm Swinger” or an “Over-Turner.” Applying the wrong fix won’t work.
❖ Use Targeted Drills: Implement drills specifically designed for your fault, focusing on width for arm control and lower body stability for rotation control.
❖ Verify with Feedback: Trust video, not just your feel. Seeing your swing is the only way to confirm you are truly making the change you want.

Now it’s time to head to the range. Take one drill from this guide, record your swing, and start building the consistent, controlled motion you’re looking for. A more reliable golf game is just a shorter backswing away.

Last update on 2025-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How to Shorten Your Backswing: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide