Turning versus loading

In the vast online universe of golf instruction, I come across so many concepts, varying philosophies and countless drills that supposedly, cure a myriad of swing faults.

To say it can get pretty confusing is a huge understatement.

The golf swing has evolved so much through the decades, at least based on the available literature, from the reverse C swing of the 70s and 80s to the super-fast hips of the Tiger era 90s and 2000s.

Today, with the advent of social media and platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, you can easily fall into a rabbit hole of conflicting instruction, exaggerated motions that have you squat on the downswing, hooded clubfaces on the takeaway, bowed wrists at the top, and so much more.

While the quest to make the swing repeatable, efficient and powerful will never end and the ways to achieve it are endless, there are a few concepts that make absolute sense and should benefit everyone without changing the golf swing much.

Turning and loading are two movements in the backswing that aim to harness power.

Turning in the backswing creates resistance in our hips and torso, resistance that after completing the backswing, should then uncoil and “pull” the arms, hands, and our entire upper body into the ball. That seems simple enough.

Coiling and uncoiling should create repeatable force in our swing.

But in reality, turning is easier said than done. Many of us barely turn in our backswings, choosing to lift our arms into position rather than coiling around our torso. I am guilty of this tendency to lift my arms, including my chest in the backswing instead of rotating to get to the top.

Loading, on the other hand, has more to do with weight transfer.

Done properly, loading and unloading our body weight into the ball should create massive power.

The common misconception though is that loading and swaying are the same.

Swaying causes inconsistent swing paths and contact while loading harnesses what we already possess, our mass, to effectively use it to hit the ball further.

The potential of the combination of loading and turning is something we should all take advantage of.

But how do we do it properly when the concept of turning seems like it should be done on a static vertical axis, while the concept of loading and unloading seems like it is on a horizontal axis?

To explain it in simpler terms, imagine a can of Pringles.

Turning seems to require rotating the can in place, while loading and unloading involve shifting weight from side to side, causing the can to move slightly off its axis.

It may seem complicated at first, but it becomes clearer when explained through an actual swing with corresponding data. The turning aspect is simple enough to understand.

The turning is simple enough to see. However, the loading and unloading require a recent device used by some professionals that measures weight movement through the feet.

These golf “platforms” can show where our weight (load) is during the address, in the backswing, and throughout the swing.

Understanding where and how we load and unload, along with effectively using the ground to generate power, are key elements we can leverage.

Modern swings produce incredible distance by maintaining balance throughout the motion. Proper mechanics beats brute strength. Even for “seasoned” weekend hackers like us, having better mechanics should ensure better golf and fewer injuries.

To see this concept at work, search GRF Golf on YouTube.

In my countless hours of browsing through golf-related channels, I think the concept GRF is teaching makes a lot of sense.

They explain and show the effects of proper turning and loading, how to do it together effectively and see the results from students who’ve gained from it.

There may be other channels or instructors teaching this, so try searching keywords like using the ground, turning vs twisting, or loading and unloading the golf swing.

Unlike concepts I grew up with like coiling and firing the hips as fast as possible, the latest technology and simple concepts from good teachers can explain the swing better and hopefully, get us swinging more efficiently and with more power.

Who wouldn’t want an extra 10 yards with less effort? I know I need it.