Is Your Backswing Too Long? Three Warning Signs and a 24-Ball Test

How long is too long? Check control, not shaft parallel

A dramatic backswing is not necessarily a useful one. One player can swing past parallel while keeping the grip and body organised; another must reach for the last part of the motion. A photograph at the top cannot tell you whether the golfer has quietly lost control of the handle, over-folded the arms, or drifted off balance.

In an October 21, 2026 MyGolfSpy lesson, PGA professional Brendon Elliott identified three practical clues that a backswing may have extended beyond a player's comfortable range. These are coaching observations, not a universal backswing-length standard or results from a controlled research trial. Here is how to check them and how to test a small adjustment without drawing premature conclusions.

Check 1: The grip changes right at the top

Take an 8-iron and rehearse slowly without a ball. Pay particular attention to your fingers during the final part of the backswing. Does the handle remain supported, or do your fingers open, the handle move in your hands, or your grip need resetting as the downswing begins?

Some wrist hinge is expected; losing your actual hold is different. Try stopping slightly before the slip occurs. Avoid compensating by squeezing so hard that your forearms become rigid. Also inspect the physical grip: worn, wet or slick rubber can slip even during a short swing, and a shorter backswing will not fix that equipment issue.

Check 2: The torso has finished turning but the arms collapse farther

Record a few swings from a face-on view, with the phone safely outside the swing arc. Look at the final portion of the backswing, not just the final frame. Has the chest nearly finished turning while the hands move sharply toward the head and the elbows fold substantially further?

The arms and torso do not need to stop together at exactly the same instant. Some arm travel and normal trail-elbow flex are part of many effective swings. The clue is a pronounced last-second collapse undertaken primarily to add length. Rehearse stopping just before that extra fold. Do not force the lead arm rigidly straight or trap both elbows against the ribs.

Check 3: The last reach sends you off balance

Pressure shifts between the feet, the pelvis turns and the head can move in a normal golf swing. Trying to freeze these motions is not the solution. Look instead for a late, unnecessary reach: tipping toward the ball, drifting excessively beyond the trail foot or straightening abruptly only to move the club farther back.

During a slow rehearsal, stop just before that extra reach. Can you remain comfortably supported and begin changing direction without taking a recovery step? It is a useful clue, not proof that backswing length explains your miss. Setup, mobility, fatigue and tempo can also affect balance.

The GOLFTWITT 24-ball comparison

The following is an editorial self-assessment routine, not a clinically validated training protocol.

1. Warm up and choose one 8-iron, level turf, a consistent type of ball and a clearly visible target.
2. Hit six shots using your usual backswing. For each, record strike quality (clean, thin or heavy), starting direction (left, on target or right) and carry distance if you have a trustworthy way to measure it.
3. Rehearse three slow swings without a ball, stopping slightly before the first sign of lost grip, excessive arm fold or tipping. There is no prescribed top position or angle to copy.
4. Hit six shots with the modestly shorter backswing. Keep the target and intended effort similar; do not compare full swings with soft pitches.
5. Repeat both six-shot sets once more for 24 shots in total: 12 usual and 12 shorter. On another day, consider reversing the order to reduce warm-up and fatigue effects.

Compare the proportion of acceptable strikes, the width of your start-line pattern and median carry if measured reliably. A single flush shot proves very little. Even 24 balls are a small sample, and perceived distance is not equivalent to a launch-monitor measurement. Repeat before deciding to change your stock swing.

What counts as a useful change?

If the shorter version repeatedly produces more solid contact and a manageable shot pattern without materially sacrificing useful carry, it may be worth developing with a coach. If strike quality worsens, you lose significant carry or feel forced to rush the transition, do not treat a shorter swing as a rule. Reconsider the adjustment.

Bottom line: there is no universal point at which a backswing becomes too long. A repeatable, comfortable turn with a secure grip and stable support is more useful than matching a particular shaft angle. Stop if the motion causes pain and seek professional advice.

Source: Brendon Elliott, MyGolfSpy, October 21, 2026 — 3 Signs Your Backswing Is Too Long. The 24-ball comparison is GOLFTWITT's own editorial exercise, not a protocol attributed to Elliott.

Image: John F. Gallagher at the top of his backswing; photo by Pl wb, Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Used unmodified for illustration only; neither the photographed player nor the photographer is presented as endorsing this article.