The P-system

The ten positions of the golf swing

Coaches split the swing into ten checkpoints, P1 at address to P10 at the finish. Freeze a video at each one and you can see exactly where a swing goes wrong, instead of guessing from the ball flight.

1. P1

   Address

   Setup. Club behind the ball, weight balanced, posture athletic. Spine tilt and grip set before the takeaway begins.

2. P2

   Toe-up

   Shaft parallel to the ground in the takeaway. Club toe pointing straight up, hands roughly at trail-hip height.

3. P3

   Lead arm parallel

   Lead arm horizontal to the ground during the backswing. Club shaft pointing roughly up, wrists fully hinged.

4. P4

   Top of backswing

   End of backswing, just before transition. Club at its highest point, lead shoulder under the chin.

5. P5

   Lead arm parallel (down)

   Lead arm parallel to the ground coming down. Lower body has already initiated the downswing, hands dropping.

6. P6

   Delivery

   Club shaft parallel to the ground coming down — the mirror of P2. The last look before the club enters the hitting zone, by which point shaft plane and face orientation are already committed.

7. P7

   Impact

   Club strikes the ball. Hands ahead of the clubhead (for irons), lead leg posting, hips open to target.

8. P8

   Release

   Trail arm parallel to the ground after impact. Club extended down the line, body rotating through.

9. P9

   Lead arm parallel (through)

   Lead arm horizontal to the ground after the release — the mirror of P3. The body is still rotating and the arms are folding as the club swings up and left.

10. P10

    Finish

    Balanced finish position. Weight fully on the lead side, chest facing the target, club over the lead shoulder.