6 Proven Hip Rotation Drills to Improve Your Golf Swing and Add Speed
Proper hip rotation in golf can be responsible for increased distance on your driver, more accuracy with your irons, and better ball striking.
The problem with hip rotation in golf is that most players don’t know what it feels like.
One of the best ways to work on hip rotation is to practice drills. You need drills to feel what the correct hip motion is and then learn to repeat it.
Combining proper hip rotation with the correct club path, a square clubface, and a little speed will help you reach your goals.
Here are our six favorite hip rotation drills and the exact steps it takes to get them done.
Contents
The Secret to a More Accurate Golf Swing Starts with Your Wrists!
Your clubface angle at impact controls over 80% of your shot’s direction—and it all comes down to your wrists. Click here for the best drills to master your wrist action and improve your accuracy.
6 Proven Golf Drills to Master Hip Rotation
Alignment Stick Belt-Loop Check
The alignment stick belt loop check is the perfect place to start if you are struggling with proper hip rotation in your swing. This drill helps you visually understand how your pelvis moves throughout the golf swing.
You’ll find this drill helpful if you tend to sway or your hip rotation is not enough to generate power.
- Video Timestamp: 0:20-0:55
Alignment Stick Belt-Loop Check – Step by Step
- Insert an alignment stick through your belt loops.
- Set up in golf posture as you normally would.
- Make a slow backswing, noting how the stick shows your pelvis turning roughly 45°.
- Observe any excessive sway (the stick moving too far laterally instead of rotating).
- Repeat for multiple slow swings before adding speed, ensuring you see a proper turn instead of a pure sway.
Knee-Flex Backswing Drill
The knees are a part of the body that golfers tend to have an easier time focusing on when it comes to swing movements.
Changing the knee flex in the backswing allows the pelvis to turn more freely, it improves upper body turn, and prevents arms from collapsing.
- Video Timestamp: 0:58-1:35
Knee-Flex Backswing Drill – Step by Step
- Set up with a club or alignment stick across your pelvis.
- Begin your backswing, focusing on letting your trail knee lose some flex (right knee for right-handed golfers) while your lead knee gains flex.
- Feel your hips turn to about 45°; your shoulders will naturally follow with a fuller rotation.
- Pause at the top check that you haven’t stayed “locked” in the knees.
- Repeat slowly to ingrain the feeling, then progress into normal-speed swings.
Sway-Then-Turn (Downswing Sequence)
It isn’t wrong if your instinct is to fire the hips from the top of the backswing. You want your lower body to initiate and get that weight transitioned to the lead side.
However, this “fire away” concept sometimes leads to throwing the club off plane.
A better option is this Sway Then Turn drill. You’ll feel a small lateral shift before the rotation starts. You should notice better contact and an easier time controlling your ball flight.
- Video Timestamp: 2:00-4:00
Sway-Then-Turn Drill – Step by Step
- Make a normal backswing, hips turned ~45°.
- Begin your downswing by feeling your pelvis shift toward the target while keeping the hips mostly “closed” initially.
- Delay the full rotation until your hands/club are about waist high.
- Then rotate, bringing your hips around to face the target as you strike the ball.
- Rehearse in slow motion, focusing on the slight lateral shift first, then the turn.
Belt Buckle Over Lead Ankle Drill
How do you know when your hips have rotated, and you are in the right position?
This belt buckle over the lead ankle drill is a simple one. In fact, some players even implement a part of it into their pre-shot routine to ensure they get the proper hip turn and shift.
If you are looking for crisp contact, this is one to try.
- Video Timestamp: 6:25-7:10
Belt Buckle Over Drill – Step by Step
- Stand in golf posture, with the alignment stick in your belt loops or a club across your hips.
- From a small backswing, shift your pelvis so that your belt buckle moves directly over your lead ankle.
- Keep the hips ‘closed’ momentarily as you shift—avoid quick rotation.
- Finish by turning your hips fully through the shot, ending with ~90° rotation.
- Repeat slowly, building the muscle memory of “sway first, then turn” to get the belt buckle forward.
Extended Club Rotation Drill
Some golfers get hung up on the impact position, and they stall instead of rotating through the golf ball.
The Extended Club Rotation Drill encourages the body, especially the hips, to rotate through impact instead of stalling.
With the extended club rotation drill, your arms and hips must stay in sync, and your wrists will be less likely to flip at impact.
- Video Timestamp: 5:59-7:10
Extended Club Rotation Drill – Step by Step
- Place an alignment stick so it runs along the grip of your iron, extending out behind you.
- Set up so that the exposed end of the stick is just off your lead hip (for right-handers, your left hip).
- Make small half swings, trying to keep the stick from striking your side by rotating your pelvis and chest together.
- Feel your hips turn to square (or slightly open) at impact—do not simply throw your hands/arms forward.
- Progress from half to three-quarter swings, maintaining that connected rotation.
Feet Flare Drill
Sometimes, you must learn to flare your feet to get a deeper hip rotation. The Feet Flare Drill maximizes hip rotation for more power and speed.
If you are struggling with a restricted backswing and feel like you can’t get enough turn, try changing the position of your feet a bit to see if it helps.
- Video Timestamp: 0:28-1:10
Feet Flare Drill – Step by Step
- Flare both feet outward slightly at the address (the trail foot, especially), giving your hips more freedom to turn.
- If needed, stagger or pull your trail foot back an inch or two (right foot for righties), opening your stance just a bit.
- Allow the trail knee to straighten (lose flex) as you swing back, increasing your turn angle.
- Feel a full 90° turn in your shoulders and ~45° in your hips by the top of the swing.
- Rehearse several times at half-speed, then move to normal-speed swings to feel that deeper hip rotation carry over into your full motion.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes, all it takes is one good hip rotation drill to feel like you understand the movement and what it takes to get your body moving correctly.
Wearing your HackMotion while you work on hip rotation will help ensure that your clubface stays square and you make clean ball first contact.
One of the best things about hip rotation is that you don’t need a club to work on it; simply start turning and rotating in your living room, and you’ll see what a difference it can make in your game!
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