There are 5 main types of golf swing, I would say the majority of swings fall into the Traditional swing, as this is the easiest style to do.
Below I break down each style and give you the pros and cons of each.
The 5 Different Types of Golf Swings
- Stack and Tilt
- Hands & Arms Swing
- Hold Off Swing
- Rotational/Traditional Swing
- One Plane Swing
1. Stack and Tilt
The Stack and Tilt golf swing is a technique developed by Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer who are both PGA Professionals. The Stack and Tilt swing is designed to help players that struggle to transfer their weight onto their trail side on the backswing.
They believe that it is more consistent and effective. I actually tried this method out for a few years, it worked really well. I almost have a mix between a Stack and Tilt swing and a Traditional Swing.
One of the key components of the Stack and Tilt swing is the “stacking” of your weight on the lead foot during the backswing instead of transferring your weight, according to Mike and Andy this creates a more stable base and allows for a more powerful downswing.
Another key element of the Stack and Tilt swing is the use of the upper body to initiate the downswing, rather than the lower body, which is common in traditional swing methods.
They also believe it will create a more centered and powerful strike on the ball, as well as better control of the clubhead.
This is true to an extent. If you are not physically strong enough it will be hard to generate power, because you don’t have much weight transfer.
Some golfers have found success using the Stack and Tilt swing method, but it’s not universally accepted and like any swing method it’s not suitable for everyone.
It’s important to work with a professional instructor to assess if this swing method is appropriate for you and to learn the proper technique.
Pros
- More consistent strike
- Less movement
- Great for someone that struggles to transfer their weight on the backswing as well as the downswing
Cons
- Difficult to generate power
- It is difficult to grasp the consent straight away
- Very little tour players use this technique
2. Hands and Arms Swing
The Hands and Arms swing is popular with high handicappers, beginners and elderly golfers. To put it plainly this is not a good way to swing the club.
For elderly golfers and potentially people with rotational issues this could be the only effective way to swing the club as your body might be restricting you to rotate.
High handicap and beginners swing this way as they don’t understand how to actually rotate during the swing, or don’t realize that you have to.
This can be fixed by going to a PGA Professional and getting some instruction on how to move correctly.
The reason why I don’t like this way of swing is that it provides no power and promotes inconsistencies with regards to strike.
These are two extremely important factors when it comes to having a good swing and shooting good scores.
Pros
- If you have rotational issues then this technique could work for you
Cons
- Lack of power
- Power consistency
- Difficult to make solid contact with the ball
3. Hold Off Swing
This swing technique I like to call the ‘Hold of Swing’, made popular by Dustin Johnson. This swing requires you to be quite strong and flexible. It creates a load of power because you hold the face angle for long creating a lot of lag.
This late release is your power source. When in slow motion it almost looks like you are holding off the face.
To master this technique you need to take the club face back in a closed position (the toe of the club should be at a 45 degree angle when the club is parallel with the ground on your backswing).
This is where your strength and flexibility kicks in, from there you need to rotate and have a bowed wrist at the top of your backswing.
To initiate your downswing you need to start with your hips, this is where the rotation starts again.
You need to rotate your hips extremely fast, while holding the clubface off, this is possible because of the bowed wrist at the top of the swing. At the very last second you release the club.
This swing technique does require strength, flexibility and a lot of practice. I would only recommend someone to try this if they are willing to put the time in.
It can be detrimental to your game if you don’t get it right. But if you get it right it can be extremely beneficial.
Pros
- Can be extremely consistent
- Promotes power
- Takes the draw and hook out of your game
Cons
- Requires loads of strength and flexibility
- Can go very wrong if you don’t get it right
- Takes a lot of practice to master
4. Rotational/Traditional Swing
The Traditional swing is the swing you see most golfers use, especially professional golfers. Now, they might all have their own slight differences, but the fundamentals are the same. To me this is the most effective way to swing, as well as the easiest to grasp.
To start off with you need to have a solid base, have a good grip and set up is the key to any good golf swing.
Where the slight variances come in will be due to personal feel, ability, physical attributes/limitations and preferences. But, all in all the technique is the same
To perfect this swing technique you will need to have a one piece takeaway with your shoulders, arms and hands.
From about two/three feet from the ball you will start rotating your hips and start to hinge your wrists, having the toe of your club pointing straight up or slightly downward is great.
You will need to transfer your weight towards your trail side on the backswing, once at the top your wrist should be in a neutral position.
Starting the downswing with your hips, you will transfer your weight back onto your lead side and release the club at the bottom. Sounds simple right? Easier said than done, but I guess that’s what makes golf so hard.
Pros
- It is the “easiest” way to swing the golf club
- Creates a lot of power
- Promotes consistency
- Used by most professionals
Cons
- Like all golf swings it does take a lot of practice
4. One Plane Swing
This swing has been made famous by Bryson DeChambeau. This is not a popular swing technique as you need to be quite strong to create power. This is due to there being less leavers in the swing.
It also requires you to have a specific set of clubs. Your irons all need to be the same length. Most golfers don’t realize this and try to swing like this with standard clubs.
The only mainstream golf brand to do this is Cobra Golf. The One Plane swing is supposed to promote consistency as there are less moving parts.
To start off your posture needs to be slightly more upright than normal. Your hands also need to be in a slightly higher position. Your full backswing needs to be on ‘one plane’, meaning you don’t need to hinge your wrists.
This keeps the clubhead on the same path or ‘plane’. You need to have a lot of power on your downswing to maintain a square clubface, and you need to rotate hard to get power.
All in all this is a hard swing to master, and isn’t well validated by tour players, making it difficult to understand why any amateur would try to swing like this.
Pros
- More consistency
- Less parts to go wrong
Cons
- Requires a specific set of irons
- Very difficult to get used to
- You need to be strong to create power
- Takes a lot a practice to perfect the technique
To sum it up
At the end of the day you need to find what swing works best for you. No matter how you swing you need to have the correct fundamentals to have any chance of having a powerful and consistent swing.
I always recommend the Traditional swing, this will suit most golfers and is the easiest to get right. If you are struggling with your swing, you could try some of the other techniques, but be cautious if you don’t do it correctly it could be more detrimental than anything else.
I suggest seeing your nearest PGA Professional, they can give you the correct advice and guide you through the process.
