Real people. Real data. Real results.
the truth about lag in the golf swing
Why Trying to “Hold Lag” Is Ruining Your Distance and Direction
If you search online for ways to increase distance in golf, one instruction appears again and again.
“Create more lag.”
You are told to hold the angle between your arm and the club.
You are shown slow-motion swings of tour professionals.
You are promised effortless power.
But for the vast majority of golfers, trying to create lag is one of the fastest ways to:
• Lose distance
• Hit the ball high and right
• Increase tension in the swing
• Reduce clubhead speed
• Destroy confidence
At ProperGolfing we analyse real golf swings every day through our Transformation Vault, a database of real lessons and real outcomes.
And the evidence shows something very clear.
Most golfers who try to force lag actually make their swing slower, tighter and less efficient.
What Is Lag in the Golf Swing?
Lag refers to the angle between the lead arm and the golf shaft during the downswing.
When watching professional golfers in slow motion, this angle appears pronounced just before impact.
Because elite players display this feature, many golfers assume:
More lag equals more distance.
But this assumption is misleading.
Lag is not something great players hold deliberately.
It is something that appears naturally when the swing sequence is efficient and relaxed.
Why Lag Advice Became So Popular
Lag became popular in golf instruction for a simple reason.
It looks powerful.
Slow-motion videos of professional golfers show the club “trailing” behind the hands during the downswing.
When this happens naturally it can increase clubhead speed.
But elite players develop this movement through:
• efficient body sequencing
• relaxed movement patterns
• thousands of hours of practice
They are not consciously trying to hold an angle.
The angle appears as a result of correct movement.
What Happens When Golfers Try to Hold Lag
In real coaching sessions we consistently see the same problems when golfers attempt to manufacture lag.
Tension Increases
Grip pressure rises.
Forearms tighten.
Shoulders restrict movement.
Tight muscles move slower than relaxed muscles.
The Clubface Stays Open
Because the club cannot release naturally, the clubface often arrives open at impact.
This produces:
• pushes
• weak fades
• high right shots
• excessive side spin
Clubhead Speed Drops
Paradoxically, golfers chasing lag often swing slower.
They are trying to control angles rather than allow the club to move freely.
The Real Issue: Clubface Control
Across thousands of lessons inside the ProperGolfing Transformation Vault we see one consistent pattern.
The biggest difference between lower handicap golfers and higher handicap golfers is clubface control.
The clubface acts like the steering wheel of the golf swing.
If the clubface is open at impact:
• the ball starts right
• the ball curves right
• distance drops
Trying to hold lag often prevents the clubface from releasing properly.
A Real Lesson Example
A golfer called Derek recently came to see us after struggling with his iron play.
He had been working hard to increase lag after watching various online golf tips.
The results were not good.
His numbers looked like this:
Confidence level: 1 out of 10
7-iron swing speed: 54 mph
Side spin: 845 rpm
Ball flight: high and right
Derek wasn’t weak.
He wasn’t incapable.
He was simply tight and over-controlling the golf club.
Once we asked him to stop trying to hold lag and instead focus on:
• relaxed movement
• natural release
• clubface awareness
Everything changed.
Within minutes:
• clubhead speed increased by 5–8 mph
• distance improved significantly
• side spin reduced
• confidence increased to 6 out of 10
Lag reappeared naturally once the tension was removed.
Why Your Golf Shots Go Right
If your shots regularly go right, the most common causes are:
• an open clubface at impact
• restricted release of the club
• excessive tension in the swing
• trying to hold lag
The ball curves because of face angle relative to swing path, not because of lag.
Correcting the release and clubface control often improves direction immediately.
The Proper Role of the Release
Instead of focusing on lag, golfers should understand the release.
The release is the natural unhinging and rotation of the clubhead through impact.
When the release works correctly:
• clubhead speed increases
• strike improves
• the clubface squares naturally
Lag then becomes a result of movement, not something that needs to be forced.
The ProperGolfing Method
At ProperGolfing we teach the swing using three simple disciplines.
These make the golf swing simpler and more efficient.
Free-Flowing Motion
Relaxing the body and mind so the swing can move naturally.
Coordinated Movement
Allowing the body, arms and club to move together through impact.
The Six-Second Finish
Holding your finish until the ball lands to reinforce balance and sequencing.
When these are present, speed appears naturally and lag occurs automatically.
Want to Improve Your Golf the Smarter Way?
If you would like structured coaching based on real lesson evidence rather than random tips, you can access the full ProperGolfing training library through our online golf school.
Inside the membership you will find:
• structured swing training
• step-by-step practice plans
• detailed video lessons
• coaching insights from the Transformation Vault
• a global community of golfers improving the same way
👉 Join the ProperGolfing Online Golf School
https://www.propergolfing.com
Interested to read more? Senior golf lessons: Golfers Deserve Better. This Is Where It Begins – Proper Golfing
More here How to Create a STABLE Club Face Every Time – Golf Tip
.
See our real transformations here
To book our personalised golf coaching experience, go here Proper Golfing
To listen to more podcasts on Apple – go here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-proper-golfing-podcast-with-author-pga/id1614221973
See you on the tee,
Julian and Jo – Co-Creators of Proper Golfing and The Timeless Golf Swing Method
Proper Golfing
The leaders in real-world golf transformation for golfers over 50. No fluff. Just results
