How to Forward Press in the Golf Swing

A simple, subtle move separates the way many amateur golfers strike the ball from how the pros do it. This little pre-shot action, known as the forward press, is your ticket to better rhythm, a smoother takeaway, and that crisp, compressed contact you’ve been chasing. This guide will break down precisely what a forward press is, why so many great ball-strikers use it, and how you can add it to your swing for more consistency and power.

What Exactly Is the Forward Press?

The forward press is a small, fluid movement of the hands, arms, and sometimes hips toward the target just before you start the backswing. Think of it as a motion trigger. Instead of starting your swing from a static, still position - which often leads to tension and a jerky takeaway - the forward press introduces a gentle, rhythmic action to get everything moving. It's the first domino to fall in a smooth, connected golf swing.

You’ve probably seen it hundreds of time watching the pros. Players like Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, and generations of greats have all used some version of it. It’s not a violent shove or a big lurch forward. When done right, it's a graceful "kickstart" that presets good impact conditions before the club even moves away from the ball.

The "Why": Benefits of a Proper Forward Press

Incorporating a forward press isn't just about looking like a tour player, it has real, tangible benefits for your swing. It’s a small move with a big payoff.

• It Creates Pro-Level Impact Dynamics: The primary benefit is that it encourages your hands to be ahead of the clubhead at impact. This position, known as shaft lean, is what allows you to "compress" the golf ball. It de-lofts the club slightly, creating a powerful, penetrating ball flight and helps you hit the ball first and the turf second. The forward press essentially gives you a pre-shot rehearsal of this ideal impact position.
• It Smooths Out Your Takeaway: Starting a swing from a dead stop is hard for your tempo. It often leads to the club being snatched away too quickly or too far inside. A forward press gives the takeaway momentum, replacing that jerky start with a fluid, one-piece motion where the shoulders, arms, and club move away together.
• It Reduces Pre-Shot Tension: Standing frozen over the ball creates physical and mental tension. Your grip gets tighter, your muscles lock up, and your brain starts overthinking. A little motion keeps you “athletic” and relaxed, allowing you to execute a freer, more natural swing.
• It Promotes Downward Angle of Attack: For solid iron shots, you need to hit down on the ball. The forward press initiates a sequence where your weight shifts slightly forward, which helps you deliver the club on a descending path. This can be a game-changer if you struggle with thin or chunky contact.

How to Do the Forward Press: A Step-by-Step Guide

The beauty of the forward press is its simplicity, but it does require a bit of feel to get right. Let's walk through how to add it to your pre-shot routine effectively. It’s best to practice this with a mid-iron, like a 7 or 8-iron.

Step 1: Your Foundation - The Setup

Before you even think about a forward press, your basic setup needs to be solid. A forward press is an enhancer, not a magic fix for underlying issues. Make sure your grip is neutral, your posture is athletic, and your weight is balanced 50/50 between your feet. For a mid-iron, your ball position should be just forward of the center of your stance, under the logo or left "peck" of your shirt.

Step 2: Finding Your Trigger - Two Main Methods

Players feel the forward press in different ways. Experiment with these two methods to see which one syncs up better with your natural rhythm.

The Hands-First Press

This is the most common way to learn the move. It focuses on the hands initiating the motion.

1. From your address position, with the club resting behind the ball, gently and slowly move your hands a couple of inches toward the target.
2. Imagine you are lightly pushing the handle of the club forward. Your wrists should stay relatively passive and in the same angle they were at address. You are not "breaking" or "hinging" your wrists here.
3. As your hands move forward, the clubhead will naturally tilt slightly backward. That's perfectly fine. The feeling is that the handle leads the clubhead.
4. The amount of movement is small. You should see your hands move from being roughly in line with your belt buckle to being in line with your lead thigh.

The key here is to keep it gentle. It's a "press," not a "shove."

The Body-Driven Press

Some golfers find it more natural to initiate the movement with their lower body, letting the hands respond passively.

1. From your address position, start the motion with a very slight bump of your lead hip toward the target.
2. Alternatively, you can think about shifting about 10-15% of your pressure into the ball of your lead foot.
3. This lower-body movement will automatically cause your hands to move slightly forward, putting them in the ideal pressed position without you consciously having to think about moving them.
4. This often feels extremely athletic and helps sequence the swing from the ground up, a feeling that many powerful players rely on.

Many players, knowingly or not, use a combination of both. The goal is to find a relaxed movement that puts your hands slightly ahead of the ball without feeling forced or out of sequence.

Step 3: The Transition to the Takeaway

This is the most important part of the entire process. The forward press is not a separate, distinct position to get into. It must flow directly and seamlessly into your backswing.

Think of it like a pendulum. To get a pendulum moving, you give it a little push in one direction to help it swing back in the other. Your forward press is that little push. As soon as your hands reach their "pressed" position, they should immediately reverse direction and start the takeaway.

The sequence should feel like: PRESS... GO. Not: PRESS... STOP... THINK... GO.

When you get it right, the forward press provides the "rebound" energy to initiate a nice, wide, and smooth backswing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid With the Forward Press

As you work on this, be aware of a few common pitfalls that can turn this helpful trigger into a swing fault.

• Being Too Aggressive: Remember, it's a small, rhythmic motion. A big, fast lurch forward will throw your entire balance and tempo off from the very start. Keep your head relatively still during the press.
• Forgetting About Ball Position: The forward press is designed to work with a centered-to-forward ball position. If your ball is too far back in your stance, pressing your hands forward can create an extremely steep angle of attack, leading to deep divots or shanks. Always check your fundamentals first.
• Twisting the Clubface: During the press, the clubface angle should not change. The goal is to move the handle straight toward the target. Some players mistakenly "roll" their hands, which dramatically closes the face and will likely lead to a low-hook.
• Pausing After the Press: As mentioned above, the number one error is making the press a static position instead of a fluid motion. If you get into your pressed position and pause, you've negated the primary benefit of improving tempo and rhythm.

Drills to Groove Your Forward Press

Practice these drills to build the right feel and make the forward press a natural part of your routine.

The Continuous Pump Drill

This isolates the rhythmic feel of the press without the pressure of hitting the ball.

1. Set up to a ball with your 8-iron.
2. Gently perform your forward press, moving your hands toward the target.
3. Then, smoothly bring your hands and the club back to the original address position.
4. Repeat this gentle "pumping" motion back and forth three or four times continuously. Feel the rhythm of "press, return, press, return."
5. After the last pump, let the momentum flow directly into your takeaway and make a full swing. This drill ingrains the idea of the press being a fluid trigger, not a hard stop.

The Split-Hands Drill

This drill helps you feel how the lead hand drives the motion.

1. Grip your club with your hands separated by about 4-6 inches. Your right hand (for a righty) will be down on the steel shaft.
2. Now, try to do your hands-first forward press. You'll immediately feel how your left hand has to push the handle forward to get the club moving correctly toward the target.
3. Make a few slow rehearsals of this feeling. It exaggerates the sensation of the hands leading and helps prevent you from trying to manipulate the club with your dominant trail hand.

With a little practice, the forward press can stop feeling like a conscious thought and become the natural, athletic starting gun for every great iron shot you hit.

Final Thoughts

The forward press is one of those simple moves that delivers truly noticeable results. It’s a rhythmic trigger that can improve your consistency, get your hands in the right position for powerful impact, and banish that pre-shot tension for good. The goal is to find a subtle, fluid press that blends perfectly into your takeaway motion.

Building that kind of specific feel can be challenging on your own. You might be pressing too much, too little, or letting it become disconnected from your backswing. Having instant, expert feedback is a huge advantage if you feel stuck or are wondering what to prioritize. Instead of guessing, with Caddie AI, you can get 24/7 coaching on anything in your game. You can ask for a specific drill to improve shaft lean or even snap a picture of a difficult lie for on-the-spot strategy, getting clarity so you can play with more confidence.