One of the most common tendencies I see among mid-handicap golfers is a tendency to slide through the downswing instead of rotating. This can create many seemingly unrelated problems, such as poor driver performance, inconsistent iron compression, steep angle of attack, and an excessively internal club path that produces blocks and over-hooks.
The golf swing is a mixture of three forces: vertical, lateral and rotational. Every golfer uses all three, but problems arise when the forces are unbalanced. For this type of player, there is often too much lateral movement and not enough rotation.
Here’s a simple drill I use to help golfers feel the difference, which you can also see in the video below.
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How to fix your slide
Put one alignment rod through your straps, with most of the rod extending from your lead side. Then place a second alignment stick vertically on the ground about a foot behind you, aligned with your lead heel.
Without a club, take a backswing and then rotate as if you were doing a downswing. Your goal is to have the alignment stick through your straps contact the stick on the ground.
For golfers who swing excessively, this can be an eye-opening experience. They are often surprised by how much the pelvis must be opened for the impact.
As you rotate, pay attention to your leading leg. Allowing the lead leg to extend helps the pelvis work around it rather than continuing to move laterally towards the target. That upward motion can also help reduce your angle of attack—an often overlooked benefit of proper leg action.
The goal is not to eliminate lateral movement from your golf swing. It is to create a better balance between lateral and rotational forces.
If you’re sliding excessively, replacing some of that lateral movement with rotation can improve your club path, angle of attack and contact throughout the swing.