Hip rotation in the golf swing is one of the most misunderstood sources of power — and getting it right can be the difference between weak contact and explosive distance. But only when you understand how to use your hips in the golf swing properly will you start seeing real results.
Find out how to use your hips properly.
Some golfers rip their hips aggressively through impact, while others arrive at the ball with their hips nearly square — both extremes rob you of the lower body power you need for consistent, long drives.
Want to feel this in YOUR swing? Try a free AI-powered golf lesson → — GOATY gives you real-time voice coaching, pose tracking, and instant feedback on every rep.
Related: Golf hip rotation — what AI coaching reveals →
In this video, you'll learn how to find the right balance in your hip movement through impact and when it actually makes sense to feel a push from your trail side versus a pull from the lead side.
Stop reading about it — feel it in your swing today
GOATY watches your swing live and coaches you between every rep. Free. No signup.
Start Your FREE Live Lesson →(Yes, the RotarySwing method has long emphasized pulling — but some golfers genuinely need to feel a push. Watch the video to find out which camp you fall into and why.)
Whether your hips are too active and spinning out, or too quiet and stuck, you'll walk away with a clear picture of what needs to change to unlock more golf swing distance. You can also get a free AI swing analysis to instantly identify whether your hip mechanics are limiting your power.
BONUS: Get expert advice you can lean on when you really need to smack one hard — the kind of reliable, high-pressure technique that holds up on the course when it counts most.
Watch this video now to find the right hip rotation balance in your lower body and start hitting with more speed and power today. Then reinforce what you learn with the GOAT Drill video lesson to build the movement pattern from the ground up.
How to Use Your Hips in the Golf Swing
Learn to properly use your hips for more distance in your golf swing.
-
1
Understand Hip Rotation
Recognize that hip rotation is crucial for generating power in your golf swing. Misunderstanding this can lead to weak shots.
-
2
Find Balance in Movement
Aim for a balanced hip movement through impact. Avoid extremes of spinning out or being too quiet to maximize distance.
-
3
Practice Push and Pull
Work on coordinating the push from your trail leg with the pull from your lead side. Both movements should work together.
-
4
Use Video Analysis
Consider using AI-powered swing analysis to identify if your hip mechanics are limiting your power. This can provide instant feedback.
-
5
Reinforce with Drills
Implement the GOAT Drill to build the correct movement pattern from the ground up, ensuring consistent practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get more hip turn in my backswing?
If restricted by flexibility, allow the trail knee to flex and the trail heel to rise slightly — this frees the hip socket to rotate. If you're limiting hip turn too much for control reasons, focus on lead knee flex moving toward the ball, which opens the hip naturally. More hip turn is not always the goal — the right amount of turn with proper torque is more valuable than maximum rotation.
What is the correct hip sequence in the golf downswing?
Hips lead the downswing with a pressure shift toward the lead heel first, immediately followed by rotation. The full sequence is hips → torso → arms → club. Firing the shoulders before the hips is the single most common swing fault. GOATY's ENGINE score measures whether your sequencing is correct on every rep — try the free lesson at rotaryswing.com/goaty/landing/goat_drill_video.
What is the difference between hip sway and hip turn in golf?
A sway is lateral movement of the hips toward the target during the backswing — it unloads pressure from the trail side and kills coil. A proper turn moves the trail hip back and around the body's axis while maintaining spine angle. Sway is one of the most power-destroying mistakes in amateur golf. Many golfers are surprised to find that their 'big turn' is actually a sway rather than a true rotation.
Can restricted hip mobility hurt your golf swing?
Yes — limited hip mobility forces compensation through the lower back and shoulders, reducing both speed and consistency. Targeted hip mobility exercises (hip circles, figure-4 stretches, 90/90 hip work) before practice can unlock 5–10 mph of swing speed that is currently being blocked structurally. Rotary Swing covers injury-safe mobility training in depth.
Watch part 2 now to see how you're moving your body in the opposite direction of the pros!
