The Key to Great Ball Striking Is Sequencing

If you want to become a great ball striker, one of the most important things you need to learn is how to sequence your body correctly during the golf swing.

A lot of golfers focus heavily on what their arms and hands are doing, but good ball striking is not just about the position of the club. It is also about how your body moves and, importantly, the order in which it moves.

One of the biggest things I look at when analysing a golf swing is how a golfer starts their downswing.

Start the Downswing With Your Lower Half

As you reach the top of your backswing, you want to feel like you start the downswing by bumping your left hip approximately one inch to the left.

The important thing to understand is that this movement is straight to the left.

It is not a movement towards the target.

Think of it as a small lateral bump of your left hip to initiate the downswing.

Once you have made that initial movement, you can then begin to rotate your body and bring your whole body through the golf ball.

So the sequence is:

Bump → Rotate → Bring the Body Through

This simple sequence can help you create a much more efficient downswing and improve the way you deliver the club into the golf ball.

Rotation Comes After the Bump

After the initial lateral movement, you want to start turning your body.

This means rotating your hips and then continuing to bring the rest of your body through, including your upper half.

The goal is not to make these movements completely separate. They should flow together naturally.

The important thing is that the initial movement comes from the lower half before you aggressively rotate your upper body.

When the sequence is correct, you are able to move through the golf ball rather than simply throwing your upper body at it.

A Common Cause of Slicing

One of the most common mistakes I see with golfers who slice the ball is starting the downswing with their upper half.

They reach the top of the backswing and immediately start turning their shoulders and upper body towards the target.

This can cause the club to come down too steeply and can make it difficult to deliver the club on the correct path.

Another mistake is using the lower half but turning too quickly to the left.

This can cause the body to spin open before the club has had a chance to work into the correct position.

Instead, focus on that small lateral bump to the left first.

Approximately one inch is all you need.

From there, allow the body to rotate and continue moving through the golf ball.

Finish in Balance

A good way to check whether you have sequenced your body correctly is to look at your finish position.

At the end of the swing, you should have your chest, hips and back foot pointing towards the target, with your weight transferred onto your front foot.

You should also be able to hold this finish comfortably for a few seconds.

If you are falling backwards, finishing with your weight on your back foot, or struggling to get your body through the golf ball, it may be a sign that your sequencing needs some work.

Focus on the Sequence

Great ball striking is not about trying to make your swing more complicated.

It is about getting the right movements to happen in the right order.

For a right-handed golfer, think:

Left hip bump → Rotation → Bring the body through → Balanced finish

If you can learn to sequence your body correctly, you can create a much more efficient golf swing and give yourself a better opportunity to strike the ball consistently.

If you're looking to improve your ball striking and would like help with your golf swing, contact me at David Waters Golf Coaching, located at Emerald Lakes Golf Coaching Centre.