Good golfers finish their swing balanced on their lead foot, with almost all their weight forward and their trail heel up. Many club golfers finish with their weight on the back foot, falling backwards, which leads to fat, thin and weak shots. Weight transfer, or more precisely pressure shift, is what moves the low point of the swing forward and lets you strike the ball first. Understanding how it works, and practising the right feeling, can transform your contact.
Directions are for right-handed golfers. Left-handers should reverse them.
How weight moves during the swing
| Stage | Approximate weight distribution | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 50/50 (irons); slightly more on the trail side with driver | Balanced, athletic posture |
| Top of backswing | About 60 to 70% on the trail side | Turn into the trail hip; the trail knee stays flexed |
| Start of downswing | Moving towards the lead side | Shift towards the target as the hips begin to turn |
| Impact | About 70 to 80% on the lead side (irons) | Hips open, hands ahead of the ball |
| Finish | About 90% on the lead side | Trail heel up, chest to target, balanced |
These are approximate. Better players start shifting towards the lead side very early in the downswing, sometimes before the backswing is complete.
Turn, don't sway
In the backswing, your weight should move into your trail side because you rotate around your trail hip, not because you slide sideways.
- Correct: the trail hip turns behind you; the trail knee stays flexed; your head stays fairly centred.
- Sway: the hips slide away from the target beyond the trail foot; the head moves well back. It makes it hard to get back to the ball.
In the downswing, a small lateral bump of the hips towards the target is correct, followed by rotation. Too much slide towards the target (a "slide") with no rotation is also a fault.
Common faults
Hanging back
The weight stays on the trail foot in the downswing. The low point moves behind the ball, causing fat and thin shots, a high and weak flight, and often a flip of the hands. Read how to stop topping the ball.
Reverse pivot
The weight moves towards the target in the backswing and back in the downswing, the opposite of what should happen. It is often caused by trying to keep the head very still or by swaying the shoulders without turning the hips.
Sway
Sliding away from the target in the backswing. It makes timing very difficult.
Slide without rotation
Sliding towards the target in the downswing without turning the hips. It often leads to blocks and pushes. Read how to fix a push and a pull.
Drills
1. Step-through drill
Hit shots and let your trail foot step through towards the target after impact, like a baseball hitter's follow-through. It forces your weight forward.
2. Finish and hold
Hold your finish for three seconds after every shot: weight on the lead foot, trail heel up, chest facing the target. If you can't hold it, your weight shift needs work. Read golf follow-through and finish.
3. Trail-foot-back drill
Pull your trail foot back so only the toe touches the ground. Make swings; you can't hang back because there is little support on the trail side.
4. Feet-together drill
Hit half shots with your feet together. It encourages balance and rotation rather than sliding.
5. Alignment stick by the hip
Place an alignment stick upright in the ground just outside your trail hip. In the backswing, turn without bumping it. It stops the sway.
6. Pump drill
Swing to the top, pump down to hip height while feeling the shift to the lead side, return to the top and repeat, then swing through. Read how to release the golf club.
Weight shift and the different clubs
- Driver: a little more weight on the trail side at address and a slight tilt away from the target help you hit up on the ball. Read how to hit a driver.
- Irons: weight balanced at address, moving firmly to the lead side to hit down on the ball.
- Chips and short pitches: weight favouring the lead side throughout. Read how to chip in golf.
Power and the ground
Shifting and rotating uses the ground to create speed: you push against the ground and turn the hips, which accelerates the torso, arms and club in sequence. Strong legs and good hip mobility help. Read hip rotation for power and golf fitness exercises.
Frequently asked questions
Where should my weight be at impact?
With irons, most of your weight should be on your lead side, around 70 to 80%.
Why do I fall back after I hit the ball?
Usually because you are trying to lift the ball or your weight never moved forward. Use the step-through and finish-and-hold drills.
What is a reverse pivot?
A fault where the weight moves towards the target in the backswing and away from it in the downswing, the opposite of the correct sequence.
Should my head move during the swing?
A little lateral movement is normal, especially with the driver, but your head should stay roughly centred. Large movements usually indicate a sway.
The bottom line
Good weight transfer means turning into your trail side in the backswing, shifting towards the target to start the downswing and finishing balanced on your lead foot. Turn rather than sway, hold your finish and use the step-through and trail-foot-back drills. Your contact, and your distance, will improve. For more on fundamentals, read golf swing fundamentals.