Waggle
A waggle is the small back-and-forth movement of the clubhead a golfer makes over the ball, just before starting the swing. It is part of the pre-shot routine, not the swing itself.
What is a waggle?
The waggle happens in the last few seconds before a shot, after a golfer has settled into their stance and aimed at the target. The hands and wrists rock the clubhead gently away from the ball and back again, sometimes once, sometimes many times, before the real swing begins.
Its job is to keep the body loose and relaxed at a moment when tension tends to creep in. Standing frozen over the ball makes the hands and forearms stiffen, and stiff muscles produce jerky swings. A little motion keeps everything fluid and helps a player ease into the takeaway rather than snatching the club back from a dead stop.
Ben Hogan gave the waggle its lasting reputation. In his 1957 book Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf, he called it the bridge between the address position and the start of the swing, and treated it as a miniature rehearsal of the shot to come. Almost every tour player has some version of it, though no two look quite the same. Some barely move the club; others put on a show.
Why golfers waggle
Relaxation is the heart of it. The waggle solves a problem that has nothing to do with talent: staying loose under pressure. The longer a golfer stands still over the ball, the more tension builds in the hands, arms, and shoulders, and that tension is one of the quickest ways to ruin a swing. Keeping the club in gentle motion holds it off.
There is a rhythm benefit too. A waggle lets a player feel the weight of the clubhead and set the tempo for the swing that follows, almost like counting yourself in before a piece of music. It can also preview the path the club will take on the takeaway, so the first move away from the ball feels rehearsed rather than improvised.
The effect is as much mental as physical. For many golfers, the waggle is simply the cue that the swing is about to start, a small trigger that quiets the mind. Brian Harman leaned on exactly that logic at the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. NBC’s broadcast there added a tongue-in-cheek “waggle counter” that reached 13 on a single shot. Harman later explained on the Pardon My Take podcast that he taught himself to waggle to slow down a routine that had become too quick early in his career.
Waggle vs. practice swing
Golfers new to the term often mix up the waggle with the practice swing, and the two are easy to confuse because both happen before the shot. They are different actions with different purposes.
| Feature | Waggle | Practice swing |
|---|---|---|
| When it happens | After taking the stance, club at the ball | Usually before stepping up to the ball |
| Size of motion | Small, just the clubhead moving a foot or two | A full or near-full swing |
| Main purpose | Release tension and set rhythm | Rehearse the feel of the whole swing |
| Where the player stands | In the address position over the ball | Off to the side or behind the ball |
In short, a practice swing rehearses the swing, while a waggle settles the body in the final seconds before the real one.
Types of waggle
Waggles vary from player to player, but most fall into a few recognizable patterns. None is more correct than another; golfers tend to gravitate toward whatever loosens them up.
| Type | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Wrist waggle | The hands hinge the clubhead up and back with the arms staying fairly quiet. The most common version. |
| Forearm waggle | The clubhead moves back and forth along the target line, rehearsing the early takeaway path. |
| Body waggle | Small weight shifts or a slight hip movement that keeps the whole body in motion, not just the hands. |
Some players combine more than one, and a handful add a forward press, a slight lean of the hands toward the target, to kick off the swing.
Common misconceptions
The biggest misunderstanding is that more waggling means a better swing. It does not. The waggle is a personal habit, and counting them misses the point; one relaxed waggle can do the job that a dozen tense ones cannot. Sergio Garcia became known for waggling many times over the ball, while a player like Brooks Koepka steps up and goes almost immediately. Both approaches work.
A second myth is that the waggle is a required part of golf. It is not in the rules, and nothing forces a player to use one. Plenty of golfers skip it entirely. It is a tool for comfort and rhythm, useful for those who feel the benefit and skippable for those who do not.
Related Golf Terms
- Visualization — The mental technique of imagining a desired shot outcome before executing it.
- Uphill lie — When the ball is on a slope with the target higher than the player’s feet.
- Victory lap — When the ball circles the rim of the cup before dropping in.
- Up and down — Getting the ball in the hole in two strokes from off the green.
- US Open — One of golf’s four major championships organized by the USGA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a waggle the same as a forward press?
No. A forward press is a slight movement of the hands toward the target to trigger the swing. A waggle is the back-and-forth clubhead motion that comes before it. Some players use both.
Do you have to waggle in golf?
No. The waggle is optional and not mentioned in the rules of golf. Many players use one to stay relaxed, but plenty hit the ball well without one.
How many times should you waggle?
There is no correct number. Most golfers settle on one or two. The aim is to stay loose and find a rhythm, not to hit a target count.
Can you waggle when putting?
Yes. Some players make small movements or rehearsal motions over the ball before a putt for the same reason, to release tension and settle into a rhythm.
Sources
- Hogan, Ben. “Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf.” 1957.
- Golf.com. “How a pre-shot waggle can dramatically improve your golf swing.” Accessed June 2026.
https://golf.com/instruction/pre-shot-waggle-improve-golf-swing/ - Golf Digest. “British Open 2023: Leader Brian Harman gets flamed for pre-shot waggling.” Accessed June 2026.
https://www.golfdigest.com/story/brian-harman-pre-shot-waggle-british-open-2023 - GolfWRX. “Brian Harman offers fascinating explanation for why he waggles so much.” Accessed June 2026.
https://www.golfwrx.com/719808/its-awful-brian-harman-offers-fascinating-explanation-for-why-he-waggles-so-much-before-a-shot/ - Merriam-Webster. “Waggle.” Accessed June 2026.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waggle - Under Par Performance Golf. “The Great Waggle Debate.” Accessed June 2026.
https://underpargolfapp.com/blogs/full-swing-guide-from-scratch-golf/the-great-waggle-debate-does-wiggling-your-club-improve-your-golf-game
