Face-on
Early hip slide.
A slide is excessive movement toward the target during the downswing. Learn to distinguish it from the normal shift that supports rotation and a solid iron strike.
By Dwain Kinghorn · Updated
Face-on · Address, Impact, Follow-Through
Understanding the idea.
The pelvis usually begins moving toward the lead side as the swing changes direction. That movement helps organize the delivery. A slide becomes a concern when sideways travel continues in a way that crowds out rotation or leaves the club struggling to reach the ball on time.
Face-on video can show how the pelvis moves relative to the feet from Transition through Impact. Follow the whole sequence rather than deciding from the belt's position in one frame. The ball's location changes with the club and stance, so a belt buckle being past the ball is not a reliable test by itself.
An excessive slide may accompany a delivery that gets trapped inside, an unstable low point, or late face adjustments. Those are possible associations, not guaranteed outcomes. Assess the strike and intended shot alongside the movement before deciding that reducing the slide is the right task.
How to read this pattern.
Moving toward the target is not the mistake. Trying to keep the pelvis behind the ball until the club arrives can prevent a useful shift and leave an iron strike hanging back. Nor does the lead side have to become a rigid wall.
Rotation and lateral motion work together. Different players use different amounts of each, and a camera cannot reveal exact foot pressure. A functional delivery is one that lets the club arrive predictably with balance and room to continue through, even if it differs from a textbook still.
A practice cue.
Swing through the ball into a balanced finish.
Try the exercise.
Finish without the chase
Choose a mid-iron, a level lie, and a clear range target. Begin with a small backswing and an easy swing through to the finish. Give the club room to continue around you. Pause briefly at the end and notice whether the finish arrives naturally or requires an extra step toward the target to regain balance.
Start without a ball so distance is not a distraction. Then add short shots while keeping the same finish task. Do not try to reach the target with the handle or drive the whole body forward after it. The ball travels to the target; the swing can finish around a stable base.
If a balanced finish requires a much smaller swing at first, use it. Build length gradually while keeping the task the same. This exercise is feedback for excessive chasing, not proof of a specific hip sequence. A golfer can pose a balanced finish after an awkward strike, which is why recording the delivery still matters.
Practice set: Make 5 short rehearsals, then hit 10 easy mid-irons, pausing after each finish before resetting.
Keep in mind: Let the club finish the journey without chasing the ball down the range.
Review the result.
For a practice comparison, record 5 full mid-iron swings from a face-on view. Use the same setup for both sets; label shorter drill swings separately.
Review face-on footage from Transition through Finish. Look for the lateral shift blending into a turn rather than continuing as an uncontrolled chase. Do not demand that the belt stop at a particular point over the ball.
Compare contact, starting direction, and balance across several shots. If the change produces heavy strikes or a feeling of being stuck on the trail side, the task may have been exaggerated. Reduce the correction rather than removing all targetward motion. In a coaching discussion, include both the movement and the shot result so a cleaner-looking finish is not mistaken for a complete solution.
Watch these clips.
These demonstrations offer another way to understand the idea. Each video opens at the selected starting point and continues playing; use the note below it to focus your viewing.
The face-on examples distinguish lateral travel from a shift that blends into rotation. Compare the sequence, not a universal belt-buckle boundary.
The slide-versus-hanging-back comparison helps explain the two extremes. A drawn line is a visual aid, not a requirement that every golfer stop moving at exactly that location.