What Is the Natural Position Move in Golf?

A great golf swing feels less like a series of rigid instructions and more like a fluid, athletic motion. That feeling of effortless power and repeat-ability isn't a secret held by the pros, it comes from understanding and practicing the natural position move. This is about learning to swing the club in a way that works with your body's natural tendency to rotate, not against it. This guide will break down the entire swing sequence step-by-step, helping you replace awkward, forced movements with a motion that is powerful, consistent, and feels surprisingly simple.

What Exactly Is the Natural Position move?

Think of the "natural position move" not as a single secret, but as a commitment to building a swing based on athletic rotation. Too many golfers build their swing by trying to consciously control every part - the wrists, the arms, the clubface. This leads to a robotic motion that lacks power and breaks down under pressure.

The natural approach is different. It’s more like throwing a ball. You don’t think about every muscle, you plant your feet, turn your body away from the target to store energy, and then unwind powerfully through the throw. Your arms and hand are the last part of releasing that energy. A powerful golf swing works the exact same way. It is a rotational action, powered by your big muscles (your torso and hips), that sends the club in a circle-like path around your body.

Step 1: The Foundation - A Natural and Athletic Setup

Before you can make a fluid motion, your starting position has to allow for it. If you’re tense, uncomfortable, or out of balance at address, a good swing is nearly impossible. Getting this right is about finding a position of strength and balance.

Finding Your Grip Naturally

Your grip is your only connection to the club, but many golfers sabotage themselves by holding it in a way that feels contorted. To find a more natural hold, let your lead arm (left arm for a right-handed player) hang relaxed by your side. Notice how your palm isn’t facing completely forward or backward, it’s turned slightly inward. That’s your natural, neutral hand position.

As you bring that hand to the club, try to replicate that same position. The grip should rest primarily in the fingers of your lead hand, from the base of your little finger to the middle of your index finger. Once the fingers are on, simply fold the hand over the top.

• A simple checkpoint: When you look down, you should be able to see the first two knuckles of your lead hand.
• The "V": The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point somewhere between your chin and your trail shoulder (your right shoulder, if you're right-handed).

Repeat the same process with your trail hand. Let it approach the club from the side with the palm facing inwards toward your target. Let the palm cover your lead thumb. Whether you interlock, overlap, or use a ten-finger grip is a matter of personal comfort. Don't overthink it, your goal is to have both hands working together as a single unit without tension.

The Athletic Stance

Like any athlete, you need a powerful and stable base. When golfers get this wrong, it’s usually because they don’t lean over enough. They bend their knees but keep their torso too upright, leaving no room for their arms to swing freely.

Here’s how to find the right posture:

1. Bend from the hips: Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Instead of just squatting, push your butt back as if you were about to sit in a chair. This will cause your upper body to tilt forward naturally. Your back should remain relatively straight, just tilted over the ball.
2. Let your arms hang: From this tilted position, just let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders. Where they hang naturally is exactly where you should be gripping the club. If your arms are jammed into your body, you’re too upright. If you're reaching way out for the ball, you've bent over too much.
3. Keep Your balance: Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, which provides a stable platform for rotation. Your weight should feel evenly balanced between your feet - a 50/50 split.

This position might feel strange at first, especially the sensation of sticking your bottom out. But this is the position of power - it engages your biggest muscles and gives your arms the space they need to swing freely around you.

Step 2: The Easiest Backswing You'll Ever Make

The goal of the backswing is simple: to turn and store power. The biggest mistake golfers make is trying to lift the club with their arms. Instead, you want to *turn* your body and let the club come along for the ride.

The best swing thought here is a "one-piece takeaway." Imagine a triangle formed by your shoulders and arms at address. For the first few feet of the backswing, you want to maintain that triangle by turning everything together - your shoulders, chest, and hips initiate the movement while the arms and club just follow. The clubhead should stay low to the ground and move away from the ball wide, not up.

As you continue to turn, your wrists will start to hinge naturally because of the weight and momentum of the clubhead. Don’t force it. The deeper your body turns, the more your wrists will set. Your goal is simply to rotate your torso as far as you can comfortably go while maintaining your balance. Forget about trying to get the club to "parallel" or some other specific position. A shorter, more balanced turn is infinitely better than a long, out-of-control one.

Step 3: The Downswing - Unwinding the Power You Already Have

If you made a good, balanced turn in the backswing, the downswing becomes far simpler. You've already coiled the spring, now you just have to let it uncoil. This transition is where so many golfers go wrong - they get anxious and start the downswing by throwing their hands and arms at the ball from the top.

The proper sequence starts a from the ground up. The very first move from the top of the swing is a slight shift of pressure into your lead foot. Then, your hips begin to unwind and open up toward the target. This powerful rotation of the lower body is what pulls everything else down in the correct sequence: your hips pull your torso, your torso pulls your arms, and your arms pull the club down into the "slot."

By letting your lower body lead, you prevent that dreaded "over-the-top" move and allow the club to approach the ball from the inside, which is the hallmark of a great ball-striker. Your only thought should be: unwind my body. The hands and arms are just passengers until the very last moment.

Step 4: Impact and Finishing with Poise

Good impact is not a position you consciously try to create. It is the natural result of a well-sequenced downswing. As your hips rotate open and your weight drives forward, your hands will naturally arrive at the ball slightly ahead of the clubhead. This forward lean in the shaft creates the compression and downward strike needed to get the ball airborne with spin and control (with your irons).

But the swing isn't over at impact. To ensure you’ve released all the power you stored, you must continue rotating through to a full, balanced finish.

The Follow-Through: Proof of a Good Swing

As the club strikes the ball, your body should *not* stop turning. Allow the momentum of the swing to pull a your arms into a full extension towards the target. Continue rotating your chest and hips all the way around until your belt buckle is facing the target. All of your weight - almost 90% of it - should now be on your lead foot. The heel of your trail foot will be up off the ground, with just the toe providing some balance.

A good swing thought is to "hold your finish." Can you stand there, perfectly balanced, for two or three seconds after the ball is gone? If you can, it’s a strong sign that you used your body's rotation correctly and didn't just throw your arms at the ball. This balanced finish isn't just for show, it's the result of a swing that was fluid and a powerful from start to finish.

Final Thoughts

The "natural position move" is an approach that strips away complexity. It exchanges stiff, mechanical thoughts for a fluid, rotational motion that relies on your body’s athletic instincts. By focusing on a balanced setup and a simple a sequence of turn and unwind, you can build a golf swing that is not only more powerful but far more consistent and simpler to repeat under pressure.

Understanding these swing mechanics is the first step, but bridging the gap between theory and what you actually do on the course can be a challenge. Translating a feeling into a repeatable action is where great coaching helps. This is a point where I find that getting an unbiased, expert opinion can make all the difference. For situations like these, I provide immediate swing analysis and on-demand advice. If you need a second opinion on your setup a or want to understand why your ball is going left, you can get an instant, expert-level answer from Caddie AI, which is like having a private coach in your pocket, ready to guide you anytime, anywhere.