The Correct Downswing Sequence: How to Start the Downswing from the Top

One of the biggest challenges golfers face is knowing how to start the downswing correctly. Many players understand they need to rotate their body through the ball, but the timing and sequence of that movement are often misunderstood. The downswing is not simply about turning your body as hard as you can towards the target. Instead, it is about creating the correct sequence, which allows the club to approach the ball on a consistent path and produce solid, accurate shots.

For a right-handed golfer, the correct sequence begins with a small bump of the left hip towards the target. This movement is subtle, but it is extremely important. Rather than immediately spinning your shoulders and hips open, you should first feel a slight shift of pressure into your lead side. Once this small bump has occurred, your body can then begin rotating powerfully to the left. Left-handed golfers should simply reverse these movements.

Getting this sequence right allows the club to shallow naturally and approach the ball from a neutral position. It also helps create better weight transfer, improves strike quality, and allows the body and arms to work together instead of competing against each other. Although the movement happens in a fraction of a second, the order of these movements has a huge influence on the quality of your golf swing.

One of the most common mistakes is sliding the hips too far towards the target before rotating. While the downswing should begin with a small lateral movement, excessive sliding causes the lower body to outrun the upper body. This often leaves the shoulders too closed for too long, encouraging the club to approach the ball too far from the inside. The result is frequently a push to the right or a hook as the club travels excessively in-to-out through impact.

The opposite mistake is rotating too early from the top of the backswing without first making that small bump towards the target. When the body spins open immediately, the club is often thrown outside the ideal swing plane. This creates an out-to-in swing path, which commonly produces slices, pulls, and even toe strikes. Although many golfers believe they are generating more power by turning aggressively from the top, rotating too soon usually creates the opposite effect by making the swing less efficient and far less consistent.

The key is finding the correct balance. Feel a slight bump of your lead hip towards the target to begin the downswing, then rotate your body aggressively through to the finish. This simple sequence allows the club to fall into a much better position, improves your swing path, and helps you strike the ball more consistently.

If you're struggling with pushes, hooks, slices, or inconsistent contact, the issue may not be your grip or your backswing—it could simply be the order in which you start the downswing. Learning the correct sequence can dramatically improve both your ball striking and your overall consistency.

If you would like help improving your downswing sequence and building a more consistent golf swing, feel free to get in touch with David Waters Golf Coaching at the Emerald Lakes Golf Coaching Centre.