Forward Press
A forward press is a small movement of the hands, and sometimes the body, toward the target just before the backswing begins. It works as a trigger that starts the swing from motion instead of from a dead stop.
What is a forward press?
A forward press is one of golf’s oldest pre-swing moves. Standing frozen over the ball tends to build tension in the hands and arms, and that tension often turns the first move of the backswing into a quick, jerky snatch. The forward press answers that problem by adding a tiny bit of motion first: the hands ease an inch or two toward the target, the club handle leans slightly forward, and the takeaway grows out of that motion instead of starting cold.
Sam Snead built his whole setup around it. In his own instruction, he described it as the one move that best readied his nerves and muscles for the swing, and said every swing he made began with one. The move is small and easy to miss on television, yet plenty of tour players use some version of it, from full shots to putts.
The press can come purely from the hands, or it can involve the lower body, with a slight bump of the lead hip or a small shift of weight toward the target. Either way, the purpose is the same. It breaks the stillness of the address position and gives the swing a rhythmic starting point.
How a forward press works
The motion is smaller than most people expect. For a full swing, the hands drift from roughly in line with the belt to somewhere near the lead thigh, while the clubhead stays more or less behind the ball. The feeling is that the handle leads and the clubhead trails a fraction behind it. It is a press, not a shove.
Some golfers start the move with the hands. Others prefer to let the lower body lead, easing a little pressure into the lead foot so the hands respond on their own. Snead’s version paired a light press of the hands with a slight lean of the trail knee toward the ball, which nudged his weight toward the target and then let it rebound into the takeaway.
That rebound is the whole idea. The end of the forward press becomes the start of the backswing, so the two blend into a single “rock and go” rhythm with no pause between them. Because the body is already in motion, the takeaway tends to come back in one piece rather than in separate, disconnected parts.
Forward press vs. forward shaft lean
These two terms get mixed up constantly, and the confusion is fair enough, because a forward press often produces a little forward shaft lean. They are not the same thing.
A forward press is a movement. It happens before the swing starts, and its job is to trigger the takeaway. Forward shaft lean is a position, usually described at impact, where the hands sit ahead of the clubhead so the shaft tilts toward the target. One is a starting motion; the other is where the club is when it meets the ball.
The distinction matters because pressing the hands forward at address does not reliably create good shaft lean at impact. Instructors at Performance Golf point out that trying to preset shaft lean by shoving the hands forward often backfires, especially with longer clubs, leading to poor contact rather than the clean strike golfers are chasing. Real shaft lean at impact comes mostly from body motion and weight shift through the ball, not from a hand position held at setup.
| Forward press | Forward shaft lean | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A movement | A position |
| When it happens | Before the backswing | At impact |
| Main purpose | Triggers the swing and relieves tension | Delofts the club and helps compress the ball |
| Created by | The hands and/or lower body | Body rotation and weight shift |
Where golfers use the forward press
The forward press shows up across the bag, though its purpose shifts depending on the club.
On full iron and wedge shots, it works mainly as a rhythm trigger. The small forward motion relieves tension and helps the hands arrive slightly ahead of the ball, which encourages a downward strike and cleaner contact. With the driver, it is usually toned down or skipped, since the goal off the tee is to sweep the ball rather than hit down on it.
Putting is where many golfers meet the forward press first, and it comes with a real tradeoff. Nudging the hands toward the target before the stroke can smooth out the motion and quiet the wrists, which helps distance control. It also delofts the putter. Most putters carry only three to four degrees of loft, and pressing the hands forward removes some of it, so an overcooked press can leave the ball skidding or bouncing off line instead of rolling. Britt Olizarowicz of MyGolfSpy notes that alignment can suffer too, since pushing the hands forward after aiming the face can close it slightly. A putting press works best when it stays small.
| Club | Typical role of the press | Main watch-out |
|---|---|---|
| Irons and wedges | Rhythm trigger, promotes hands-ahead contact | Overdoing it shifts too much weight forward |
| Driver | Usually minimal or none | Can discourage the sweeping strike off the tee |
| Putter | Trigger plus a smoother, quieter stroke | Delofts the putter and can affect alignment |
Common misconceptions
The biggest misconception is the one above: that a forward press and forward shaft lean are the same move. They are related but distinct.
A second is that the press should be a big, obvious motion. It should not. When golfers exaggerate it, they tend to shift too much weight onto the lead side, which makes a clean weight transfer in the backswing harder and can flatten out the strike. Snead’s own press moved the hands only slightly.
The last one is the idea that every golfer needs a forward press. Plenty of good players use none at all. Dr. T.J. Tomasi of Keiser University’s College of Golf cautioned that for many amateurs, the move creates more inconsistency than it cures, since the hands do not return to the same spot every time. It is a personal preference, not a requirement.
Related Golf Terms
- Weak grip — A grip rotated toward the target, often promoting a fade.
- Trail arm — The rear arm that supports and adds power to the swing.
- Ten-finger grip — A baseball-style grip with all ten fingers on the club.
- Strong grip — A grip rotated away from the target, often used to fight a slice.
- Lead arm — The forward arm that guides and controls the swing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a forward press good or bad for your golf swing?
It depends on the golfer. It can relieve tension and smooth the takeaway for players who freeze over the ball, though it adds a moving part that some golfers struggle to repeat. Many good players do fine without one.
Do professional golfers use a forward press?
Some do. Sam Snead was a famous advocate, and Phil Mickelson has said he uses one when putting. Ben Hogan favored a related trigger he called the waggle, while other players use no press at all.
Does a forward press deloft the club?
Yes, to a degree. Pressing the hands toward the target tilts the shaft forward and reduces loft. This matters most with the putter, which starts with only three to four degrees of loft.
Should beginners use a forward press?
Not necessarily. It usually helps to build a stable, repeatable setup first, then try a press later if tension or a jerky start becomes a problem on the course.
Is a forward press the same as a waggle?
Not quite. A waggle is a loosening motion, often a small back-and-forth of the club, that keeps a golfer relaxed at address. A forward press is the move toward the target that launches the takeaway.
Sources
- Snead, Sam. Instructional account of the forward press (quoted at Top Hand Golf).
http://johnhaynesgolf.blogspot.com/2015/10/sam-snead-on-golf-most-underrated-move.html - Mickelson, Phil. Comments on the forward press in putting, Golf Digest (quoted at The Left Rough).
https://theleftrough.com/forward-press-putting/ - Olizarowicz, Britt. “Is Forward Press Putting Right for You (Pros and Cons).” MyGolfSpy, 2024.
https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/is-forward-press-putting-right-for-you-pros-and-cons/ - Tomasi, T.J. “Be Wary of the Forward Press.” Keiser University College of Golf.
https://collegeofgolf.keiseruniversity.edu/be-wary-of-the-forward-press/ - “The Importance of Shaft Lean at Address in the Golf Swing.” Performance Golf, 2025.
https://www.performancegolf.com/blog/the-importance-of-shaft-lean-at-address-in-the-golf-swing - “Shaft Lean at Impact Explained.” HackMotion, 2025.
https://hackmotion.com/shaft-lean-at-impact/ - “Forward Press.” Hole19 Golf Glossary.
https://www.hole19golf.com/glossary/forward-press
