Why Do Golfers Waggle?

Ever notice that little series of shakes and club wiggles every tour pro makes right before they start their swing? That movement, known as the waggle, is far more than just a quirky habit - it's one of the most important yet underrated parts of a good pre-shot routine. This article will show you exactly why golfers waggle and how you can an create a simple, effective one to release tension and improve your swing.

So, What Exactly *Is* a Golf Waggle?

At its core, a golf waggle is a series of small, rhythmic movements involving the club, hands, and wrists just before the takeaway begins. For some golfers, like the famously relaxed Jason Dufner, it's a very noticeable part of their setup. For others, like Ben Hogan, it was a precise and controlled rehearsal. It’s not a random, nervous twitch, it’s a personalized and purposeful action designed to prepare both body and mind to execute a fluid, athletic motion.

Think of it as the transition. You've already done the analytical work: a practice swing, checking the wind, picking a target, and choosing a club. The waggle is the final bridge between that conscious thought process and the unconscious, athletic action of the swing itself. It’s the final "All systems go!" signal to your body.

The Physical Benefits: Releasing Tension and Priming the Muscles

Let's address the biggest swing killer in amateur golf: tension. When you stand over a golf ball perfectly still, your muscles start to lock up. Your hands grip the club in a death grip, your forearms tighten, and your shoulders tense. Trying to initiate a smooth, powerful swing from this static, rigid position is almost impossible. The result is often a jerky move that throws the club off plane from the very start.

The waggle is the best antidote to this static tension. By gently moving the club, you keep your hands, wrists, and forearms supple and responsive. The motion prevents your bigger muscles - like your shoulders and back - from freezing over the ball. It’s a bit like a baseball batter wiggling the bat before the pitch or a basketball player dribbling a few times before taking a free throw. The movement keeps the body from becoming stiff, programming it for a dynamic action, not a static pose.

Try This Simple Drill

Next time you’re at the driving range, hit a few balls using this experiment:

1. Take your normal setup for a 7-iron. Once you’re ready, freeze completely still over the ball for a full five seconds. Don't move a muscle. Now, try to make a swing. Notice how rigid and forced the takeaway feels?
2. Now, reset. Get into the same setup, but this time, before you start your backswing, make two small, gentle waggles with the clubhead. Feel the weight of the club. Feel readiness in your hands. As soon as the second waggle finishes, immediately begin your takeaway.

The difference is almost always night and day. The first swing feels stuck and wooden, while the second feels fluid and athletic. The waggle primes your body for motion, ensuring your first move is smooth, not strained.

The Mental Benefits: Connecting the Mind and Body

The waggle isn't just a physical tune-up, it's a massive mental trigger. All high-level athletes use routines to get into a "performance state," and the waggle serves that exact purpose in golf. It’s the ritual that tells your brain that the time for analysis is over, and the time for free-swinging action has begun.

On any given shot, you have a lot to think about: the yardage, the wind, the hazards, the lie of the ball. This is your analytical brain at work. But you can't hit a good golf shot from an analytical state. A good swing is built on feel and trust. The waggle is the final step that helps you shift from "thinking mind" to "athletic mind."

By consistently incorporating a waggle into your routine, you create a powerful psychological anchor. Your brain learns that once the waggle starts, the decision has been made, the target has been picked, and there’s no more room for doubt. It allows you to commit 100% to the shot you’re about to hit, silencing the last-second mental chatter that leads to hesitation and bad swings.

Finding Your Feel: How the Waggle Previews the Swing

Here’s where the waggle becomes a true coaching tool. An effective waggle is not just a random motion, it’s often a micro-rehearsal of a key move or feeling you want in your actual swing. It grooves the exact feeling you’re trying to achieve just seconds before you have to do it for real.

Rehearsing the Takeaway

The start of the backswing is one of the most important parts of the entire motion. A poor takeaway almost guarantees you'll have to make compensations later on. You can use your waggle to rehearse the perfect start. For instance, if you struggle with getting the club "stuck" behind you, your waggle can be a small movement that directs the clubhead straight back from the ball, reinforcing the feeling of width and a one-piece motion with the shoulders.

Getting a Feel for Clubhead Weight

Top players often talk about "feeling the clubhead." This simply means they are aware of the weight at the end of the shaft and allow it to swing naturally, rather than manipulating it with their hands. A gentle waggle allows you to feel that clubhead weight in your hands. It connects you to the tool you’re about to use, which helps promote a more "swinging" motion instead of a "hitting" impulse. When your hands are relaxed enough to feel the clubhead, your swing has a much better chance of staying on plane.

Setting Your Rhythm and Tempo

Every golfer has their own unique tempo. Some are quick like Rickie Fowler, and others are notoriously slow like Ernie Els. Your waggle is the perfect metronome to set that tempo before the music starts. A smooth, rhythmic waggle helps establish a smooth, rhythmic tempo for the entire swing. If your waggle is fast and jerky, your swing will likely be fast and jerky too. By slowing down your waggle and making it deliberate, you signal to your body that you want to maintain that rhythm from start to finish.

How to Develop Your Own Waggle (A Simple Guide)

You don't need a complicated or exaggerated waggle to get the benefits. A simple, personal waggle that meets your needs is all it takes. Here’s how to find yours:

1. Start with a Purpose

Don't just add a waggle for the sake of it. First, identify what you want to achieve.

• Do you feel tense over the ball? Your purpose is tension release.
• Do you struggle with a quick takeaway? Your purpose is tempo setting.
• Do you want to reinforce a swing change? Your purpose is feel rehearsal.

Knowing your goal gives the motion a specific job to do.

2. Keep it Simple and Rhythmic

Start with one or two fluid movements. A fantastic starting point is a simple, pendulum-like motion. Let the clubhead swing back a foot and then forward a foot. Don’t force it or manufacture it with your hands. Let the momentum carry the club. The goal is to feel loose and athletic, not controlled and mechanical.

3. Connect it to Your Swing

For your waggle to be truly effective, it should mirror a feeling you want in your swing.

• For a smoother takeaway: As you waggle back, focus on turning your chest away from the ball, ingraining the feeling of a connected, one-piece start.
• To improve clubface control: Pay attention to the clubface during your waggle. Rehearse the feeling of keeping it from rolling open, which is a common fault for slicers.

4. Make It Automatic

Just like the rest of your swing, your waggle should not require a lot of active thought. Practice it on the range until it becomes a natural, second-nature part of your trusted pre-shot routine. It should flow seamlessly from your aiming process right into your takeaway. A great waggle ends as the forward press begins, which then triggers the start of the backswing in one unbroken chain of events.

Common Waggle Mistakes to Avoid

While a waggle is helpful, a bad waggle can introduce problems.

• Being too Still: The point is to create motion. Standing frozen is the opposite of a productive waggle.
• Being too Jerky: A quick, sudden waggle builds tension instead of releasing it. Keep it smooth and deliberate.
• Waggling Too Long: Two or three waggles is plenty. Waggling endlessly just gives you more time for negative thoughts to creep in. Dufner makes it work, but he is the exception, not the rule.
• Waggling with a Tense Grip: If you're choking the club while you waggle, you’re defeating the purpose. The goal is soft hands and light grip pressure.

Final Thoughts

The waggle is your swing's own personal kick-starter, a simple tool that releases tension, reinforces feel, and lets your brain know it’s time to perform. By developing a simple, rhythmic waggle that serves a specific purpose, you bridge the gap between thinking about a shot and actually hitting it with athletic freedom.

The goal of a great pre-shot routine is to quiet the conscious mind so your body can swing with confidence. The first step is having total belief in your on-course strategy and club choice. In my pocket, I use Caddie AI to help with exactly that by providing you smart, simple advice for how to play any shot on the course. With the app handling the guesswork for you, you're free to relax into your waggle and make the confident, committed, athletic swing you're capable of.