Steep vs. Shallow Golf Swing (Differences, Pros, Cons, and Fixes)

Britt Olizarowicz

Sep 12, 2024 . 8 mins read

Like this post

99,218 subscribers

Share Post

Every golfer has a natural swing. It’s a way they swing the club that may or may not be correct, but it occurs naturally due to their physical features.

For taller golfers, this swing is generally steeper, while for shorter golfers, it tends to be a shallower golf swing.

Whether you have a steep or shallow golf swing, it’s important to know the pros and cons and ensure you can produce consistent golf shots.

Steep vs. Shallow Golf Swing (Key Takeaways)

Don’t have time to read our entire article on the steep vs. shallow golf swing? Take a look at some of the key points you should know:

• A steep golf swing can be useful when hitting bunker shots or trying to get the ball out of the rough. However, when used with the driver or other longer clubs, it often creates a left-to-right ball flight.
• A shallow golf swing is a good option for generating additional power and distance in the golf swing.
• Your lead wrist position should be flat at the top of the backswing to help get the golf club on plane. If the wrist is too flexed, your club may be shallow; if it’s too extended, the club may be steep.

Steep Golf Swing

The steep swing has a golfer swinging above the plane. With a steep golf swing, you’ll feel like the club is higher up and away from the ground. It will also not feel as though the club swings around as much as it swings up and down.

Most of the time, any golf swing not on plane (steep or shallow) creates an issue in the game. However, there are times when a steep golf swing can lead to effective golf shots.

Pros

• Most golfers consider a steep swing a negative. However, when your swing is a bit steeper, you can experience increased control from a tight lie and higher ball flight on the wedges and short irons.
• A steep swing is often effective in the rough and out of the bunker, where you can cut through the sand or thick grass more effectively.
• You’ll notice higher spin rates and the ability to stop the ball when your swing is more steep.

Cons

• A steep swing increases the risk of slicing the golf ball. We notice that most golfers who have a steep swing have too much extension in their lead wrist in the backswing. This wrist action leaves them with an open clubface at impact.
• The results typically include reduced distance and sometimes a golf club that digs too deeply into the ground. The steep backswing often leads to a golfer feeling as though they need to flip their wrists right before impact to square the face.

Essentially a steeper swing can be beneficial at times but it’s not a solution for all of your golf shots.

Drills to Fix

The steep swing has some benefits but if you find that you are experiencing more negative than positive, here are two drills to help shallow out your steep golf swing.

Hit Hard Stop Fast

The hit-hard stop-fast drill has you attempt to stop your golf swing just after impact. This hard stop of the golf club can only happen if you are swinging on the proper plane with a flat or even slightly flexed lead wrist.

If your swing is too upright or steep, you’ll leave the club in the ground. Try this drill to shallow out your swing a big.

Two Club Drill

Sometimes golfers get too steep on the backswing and downswing because they have the wrong idea of where the club should go.

In this video, you will see how swinging with two clubs can help you feel how the club moves both down and behind you on the downswing to shallow it out.

Shallow Golf Swing

The shallow golf swing is a goal for many golfers. Shallow golf swings are great for hitting longer clubs like the driver and fairway woods, but they can get you into some trouble when it comes to shorter irons.

Pros

• The shallow golf swing will help you increase your distance on the longer clubs. It provides more of a sweeping motion, leading to increased clubhead speed and greater total distance.
• In addition, you’ll have a much lower chance of digging the club into the dirt.
• Golfers who struggle with wrist, elbow, and even shoulder pain often find the shallower swing easier on their bodies.
• Most golfers with a shallow swing are able to get their wrist into a more flexed position through impact, which provides a lower, more penetrating ball flight.

Cons

• The danger of the shallow swing is the risk of a hook. If your timing is a little off, or the clubface is just slightly closed, the chance of hitting a hook with a shallow swing is much higher.
• In addition, as great as that extra distance is, you may have a hard time controlling your golf shots when you have a shallow golf swing.
• Backspin can be limited with short irons and wedges.
• In addition, when your golf ball is in a tight spot, such as a sand trap or thick rough, sometimes your angle of attack isn’t steep enough to lift the ball off the ground.

Drills to Fix

If you find your golf swing is just a bit too shallow, here are two drills you can use to help bring it to the proper angle.

Alignment Stick Along the Toes

For most golfers who get too shallow or flat in the backswing, the issues start right from setup. If that sounds like you, take a look at this drill, where you will put an alignment stick in the end of your golf grip (you can also use a stick or shaft).

When you get the club about halfway back, ensure the alignment stick is lined up with your toe line.

Rotate the Shoulders Drill

If your club is getting too shallow because the hands and arms are taking over, consider this drill, which teaches you to rotate your shoulders in pieces.

You take the club halfway back with just the lead hand in place. As you rotate past this point, just continue to turn the shoulders.

Drills for Getting Your Swing on Plane

If you knew you had a consistently shallow or steep golf swing, you could quickly and easily fix it.

However, most golfers find their swing varies somewhere between too steep and too shallow on any given day.

Here are some swing plane drills to help you find the middle.

Alignment Stick Drill

Place an alignment stick in the ground and have it match the angle of your desired swing plane. Take some swings back, check your plane and then focus on matching this when you hit your full swing shots.

Lead Hand Only Drill

At times it can be easier to focus on positions in your golf swing when only one hand is on the club. This video from Kerrod Gray will show you how to work on a drill where the lead hand can only get your golf club on the proper plane.

You’ll learn how wrist hinge plays into this, so wearing your HackMotion as you practice this drill is a great way to improve its effectiveness.

Position 1 and 3 Drill

This video from Rob Cheney helps you learn the proper movement of the trail arm in the golf swing.

Having the trail arm in the correct position from the start of the swing and knowing where it goes in the backswing will ensure your club stays on the plane.

Give this one a try, and wear your HackMotion simultaneously.

Conclusion

Both steep and shallow swings have their place in the game of golf. The great players know how to take a slightly steeper or more shallow golf swing.

Remember that your swing plane is very much impacted by the angle of your wrists in the golf swing.

Don’t forget to wear HackMotion (your coach on your wrist) while you are practicing to shallow or steepen your swing. You’ll notice the positions are easier to get to, and your awareness of the clubface will increase quickly.