Shoulder tilt in the follow-through is key to good ball striking. Here’s why and how to get more
At GolfTEC, our unprecedented SwingTRU Motion Study and exclusive series on Golf Channel’s The Golf Fix and School of Golf featuring the study’s findings, have brought a spotlight to data-driven swing analysis more than ever before.
As narrated by GolfTEC Senior Director of Teaching Quality, Nick Clearwater, our final feature of the summer series on Golf Channel focuses on creating more shoulder tilt in your follow-through. This key move in golf swing can go a long way toward helping you hit the ball better.
Now, you may be questioning — the ball is already out of my control after impact, so why is my follow-through so important?
The data confirmed in the SwingTRU Motion Study proved many facets about how a golfer’s body moves, and should move, throughout the golf swing. By looking at the six specific movements we’ve highlighted for purposes of the study’s initial launch — including positions after impact — we can know how various pieces of the whole puzzle translate into creating solid golf shots from a solid swing.
Tour pros have more shoulder tilt than amateurs
When comparing various levels of golfers to a tour player, SwingTRU found increased shoulder tilt at impact and in the follow-through is a big contributor to better players hitting the ball solidly.
Higher handicap golfers, in this regard, tend to shallow out their shoulders in the downswing and follow-through, which often leads to an “over-the-top” move and club approaching the ball too steeply. In many cases, this results in low pull hooks or slices.
Tour-level golfers conversely have a shoulder tilt measurement more than 10 degrees steeper at impact, and almost 30 degrees steeper in the follow-through! This drastic difference enables these better players to shallow out the golf club much more in the downswing — a big key to launching towering, consistent golf shots at their intended target.
The underlying theme is increased shoulder tilt in the downswing and follow-through plays a big role in allowing for an inside-to-out swing path, square clubface and crisp, exploding ball flight.
As featured on Golf Channel’s School of Golf in the video below, Clearwater illustrates key differences between the shoulder tilt of better golfers in the follow-through compared to less-skilled ones. He also provides a simple, yet effective drill to help increase shoulder tilt in your own golf swing.
So, take a look, put more shoulder tilt in your follow-through and start playing better golf today!
VIDEO: Increased shoulder tilt leads to better golf shots
For more tips and all the latest instruction, news and equipment information, check out the GolfTEC Scramble daily and find a GolfTEC Improvement Center near you to start playing better golf today!
