The Five Phases of a Golf Swing

Every effective golf swing shares a common biomechanical foundation: stability through the ground, rotation around the spine, and efficient release through impact. Like the Mobility Assessment, the swing is broken into five phases, each tied directly to physical capacity and movement quality.

Phase	Focus	Key Physical Requirement
1. Setup	Organization, posture, readiness	Center of gravity over mid-foot; neutral spine via hip hinge
2. Backswing	Loading, rotation, stability	Trail hip inside trail foot; ~2:1 shoulder-to-hip rotation
3. Transition & Downswing	Sequencing, change of direction	Stretch-shortening cycle; lower body leads (X-factor stretch)
4. Impact	Stability under force	Glute engagement, hip flexor mobility, rotation around a stable axis
5. Finish	Balance and control	Rotation around a stable center of gravity

Anchoring Principles

• 2:1 rotation benchmark — shoulders rotate roughly twice the hips (e.g. 90° shoulders / 45° hips), creating elastic stretch and sequencing. Inadequate shoulder rotation caps the biomechanical ceiling regardless of intent.
• Mechanics create balance, and balance allows mechanics to function — the finish is diagnostic: poor balance signals inefficiency upstream.

This framework feeds the Body layer of the Body → Club → Ball sequence: the body creates movement and force, the club delivers it, the ball expresses the result.