The Benefits Of An Inside Out Golf Swing & How You Can Do It!

An inside out golf swing can improve your distance and your accuracy. To put it another way, it can make you a better player.

But what does it mean to have an inside out golf swing? This term is describing the path of your golf club immediately before and after impact with the golf ball.

In other words, you swing out at the ball. If you are a right-handed golfer your clubhead goes slightly to the right after impact.

Below we explore the benefits of an inside out golf swing and provide you with the detailed steps to accomplish this motion.

We believe that it can decrease your golf handicap and help you break 90 for the first time. Let’s get started!

an inside out golf swing.

The 3 Key Benefits of An Inside Out Golf Swing

Before we discuss the how let’s define the why. Why should you work to develop an inside out golf swing?

#1: Power & Distance

An inside out golf swing will produce more distance than one that approaches the golf ball from the outside. The primary reason is the spin.

This type of swing will put an overspin on the ball – this allows your ball to cut through any wind and roll farther once it lands.

An outside-in golf swing cuts across the ball causing it to spin up into the air. It will fly a shorter distance and roll less once it lands.

When done correctly, the inside out golf swing will give you more distance throughout your golf bag.

You will find that your driver goes farther and you will be able to get more yardage out of your irons.

A golfer at the peak of her takeaway.

#2: The Shape

Another benefit of this type of golf swing is the shape of the shots. An inside out golf swing produces a natural draw (curves slightly left for the right-handed player).

Professional golfers hate the hook, but they love to hit a nice tight draw.

There are several advantages to a draw. It will go farther than a cut/fade and it is less impacted by the wind.

Golfers with an inside out golf swing have a distinct advantage in windy and rainy conditions.

Learn to hit a draw and you will immediately see your scorecard start to improve!

#3: Eliminates The Slice

Most amateur golfers struggle with a slice. It curves violently to the right and often ends up out of bounds.

Not only is it difficult to be accurate with a slice, but you also lose distance. Scratch golfers know that you can’t consistently play golf with a slice.

The inside out golf swing will fix your slice. You will gain distance and immediately start shooting lower scores.

a golfer mid-shot.

5 Steps To Create The Perfect Inside Out Golf Swing

It may sound complicated, but you can quickly learn the inside out golf swing.

Go to your local driving range. Buy a bucket of balls and spend an hour practicing these 5 steps.

#1: Tweak Your Alignment

When you fix your swing you will start hitting a different style of shot. It will start to the right and curve slightly to the left (draw).

You will love hitting this shot shape, but you must play for it. The first step is to adjust your alignment to allow for this left curve.

Instead of aiming down the middle of the fairway, aim for the right rough. Instead of aiming at the pin, aim for the left edge of the green.

When done correctly, your inside out golf swing will start the ball where you are aligned and slowly turn toward the middle of the fairway or the green.

It may take a couple of rounds to trust your new alignment, but we promise it will work.

#2: Shoulder Rotation

To state it simply, the majority of casual golfers do not rotate their shoulders enough during their golf swing.

A right-handed golfer should rotate their left shoulder towards the ground during their backswing.

This shoulder rotation will allow you to shallow out your swing, keep the club on plane, and you guessed it, create an inside out golf swing.

A simple swing tip – tuck your shoulder under your chin during your backswing. This will help in a couple different ways.

First, if reinforces the idea of keeping your chin (head) still. Second, you must take a full shoulder rotation to get it under you chin.

A golfer at the peak of his backswing.

#3: Hip Rotation Leads to Weight Transfer

You gain power in your golf swing by transferring your weight. To your right foot during your backswing and back to your left during your downswing.

The best way to accomplish this weight transfer is via hip rotation. Just like “Chubbs” told Happy Gilmore, “It’s all in the hips”!

The hip rotation combined with the shoulder rotation (#2) creates a powerful motion that will give you extra distance.

Your hips clearing out of the way during your downswing will also create the space you need to make an inside out golf swing.

#4: Rotary Swing (One Plane Swing)

The best ball strikers in the world have an inside out move that is created by a one plane or rotary swing.

To accomplish, your swing should be slightly flat – your club moves around your body instead of up and down.

This type of golf swing makes it much easier to present a square clubface to the golf ball. A square clubface at impact promotes straighter and more consistent shots.

This is why an inside out golf swing is what you typically find on professional tours around the world.

A golfer prepares to swing down.

#5: Swing Out At The Ball

This is the final step. You tweak your alignment, rotate your shoulders & hips, make a rotary swing, and at impact, swing the club out to the right.

This should be a gentle movement to the right. If you over do it, you may produce a snap hook.

This outwards motion at impact will start the ball a little to the right and the spin will help it curve slightly to the left.

This is known as a draw. This is the shape you are trying to produce.

How Do You Know If You Are Doing It Right?

Swing changes can be difficult. You try your best to follow the instructions, but are you truly making the correct change?

Here are a few ways to understand if you are properly executing an inside out golf swing.

Get a buddy to film your swing. Take a video of your swing at the beginning of your practice session and another one at the end.

Do you see the change? The camera doesn’t lie! Keep working on it.

Pay attention to the curve on your golf shots. If you are executing an inside out golf swing your ball will curve slightly to the left (draw).

If you ball is curving to the right (slice) you are not doing it correctly.

Finally, you can trust the advice of your divot. You should always hit the ground when hitting iron shots – always glance at your divot.

The direction of your divot tells you everything you need to know. If it pointing to the right, you made an inside out golf swing.

If it is pointing to the left, you need to keep practicing. Buy another bucket of balls.

Be patient and develop an inside out golf swing to start shooting lower scores. It can truly be a game changer!

Up Next: How Can You Save Strokes On The Green?

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Ray has been playing golf for 35+ years, including being part of his High School and College golf teams. While he still enjoys playing in amateur tournaments, Ray now focuses on growing the game of golf through teaching and coaching. He has two sons that both play golf competitively and loves spending time watching them compete. Ray continues to play in local amateur golf events and currently has a +1 handicap.

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