Backhand Control

Part of the Route 67 series

Ok, let's start by looking at the characteristics shared by backhand swings. Remember, a backhand swing is:

• A swing that a right-hander controls with his or her left hand, or
• A swing that a left-hander controls with his or her right hand.

A backhand swing is the classic way of controlling a golf swing. Most of the older instructional books automatically assume you're swinging this way. Some of the new ones will as well, but it's often not clear. Here is an incomplete list of things that characterize a backhand swing.

• Softer shafts: This is an equipment difference. Since the backhand swing doesn’t load the shaft the way a forehand swing does, you use shafts that are more flexible. This can actually make you hit the ball farther, even if you aren’t a particularly strong person.
• Pushing the club back: Obviously, the backswing moves away from the control side of the body, which meant the player had to push the club away from the ball.
• Stronger grip: This may be a little less obvious, but pushing the club away puts more stress on the wrist of the pushing hand. As a result, strengthening the grip (turning the hand on the grip in the direction of the backswing) made the club feel lighter to the player, and therefore easier to swing. The typical grip would have the “V’s” formed by the thumb and forefinger of each hand pointed toward the support shoulder, but a very strong grip with the back of the hand almost on top of the grip wasn’t unusual.
• Straight control arm: The “straight left arm” is a standard of right-handed golf teaching that has been argued quite a bit, but it’s a necessity in the backhanded swing. After all, if you’re going to push the club away and try to make as big an arc with it as possible, it only makes sense that you would keep the pushing arm straight. In fact, it’s hard not to keep it straight with a backhand swing.
• Upright swing plane: Again, this is simple mechanics. You’re pushing the club away from you, you’ve got a strong grip, and the weight of the club is out at the very end of your arm. Your arm is turned so that your elbow points almost straight down toward the ground. The natural thing to do is lift the club; however, you’re turning your body as you do it, so it doesn’t go exactly straight up. However, it’s still going to be a steeper plane.
• Starting the downswing by pulling the club down: “Tolling the bell” is a phrase I’ve seen used for this move. If your arm is straight and holding the club in a high, upright position, you’re in a perfect position to spin your body and fling that club “over the top” when your hips start to turn. As a result, many backhand teachers teach their students to pull the club down to start the downswing. This also causes the loopy “two-plane” swing that you’ve heard about. There’s nothing wrong with a loopy swing – Jim Furyk plays very well with one – but just recognize that it’s generally the result of a backhand swing, not a forehand one.
• Pulling the club around: The arm that holds the club is stretched straight out; that’s not exactly a strong position. The most natural way to get that club back down is to pull that club around with your control shoulder.
• High control shoulder at contact: The club is high in the air, and your control shoulder is pulling your arm around. Again, simple mechanics: That shoulder is going to have to move up as your hips and shoulders pull the club through.
• Belly moves toward target: Hips are moving toward the target and the shoulder is moving up and even back a little to resist the momentum of the club. Of course the area between is going to flex toward the target!
• Head moves slightly backward: As the hips and shoulders swing around and the belly arches out, the head moves back a bit to help overcome all the momentum threatening to make you fall toward the target.
• Reverse-C finish: There are some other things that effect just how much of a “C” you get, but the combination of the last few tendencies mean you’re going to end up with your belly closer to the target than your head and feet.

When you see these things, there's a good chance you're looking at a backhand swing.

Tomorrow I'll give you a similar list on forehand swings, and you'll be able to see some important differences.