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The hip turn from the top of the back swing until impact is one of the key drivers of power and speed.

A player who can turn their hips towards the target achieves a great distance because the lower body drags the upper in a sling shot effect. All the greatest ball strikers in the world achieve a flowing hip turn, the longest hitters turn the lower body quickly to increase speed even further.

The faster the hips turn, the faster the club will travel. The easiest way to imagine this exponential increase in speed is to think of a bicycle wheel. The faster the middle of the wheel (the hips) can move, the speed will be transferred to the outer wheel (the club). One of the keys to achieving a correct hip turn is to ensure the sequence of movements through the ball is correct. Follow this basic guide to achieve a correct sequence during the golf swing.

• During the back swing, the hands move first and begin to take the club away from the ball
• Next the arms, then the shoulders, then the torso, then the hips and finally some movement in the legs, knees and feet
• At the top of the swing, the shoulders should be turned until the middle of the back faces down the target line
• Because the shoulders move first in the sequence they turn more than the hips

For someone of average fitness and flexibility the shoulders turn almost twice as much as the hips during the back swing

• During the down swing, the sequence begins from the ground up. First any movement in the feet is reversed back towards the ball, then the legs, then hips, then the torso, then the shoulders and arms all rotate and turn into the ball
• The last thing to come through are the hands and club. This is the correct sequence in which the body should move

By rotating the hips towards the target during the down swing, explosive distance can be produced.

During the back swing, players want to achieve a full back swing turn whilst keeping the lower half as solid as possible. This allows the upper body the coil against the lower, allowing for a quicker hip turn. Players who find their hips rotating too much away from the ball during the back swing should try to keep the hips as still as possible.

Although the hip turn can allow for better weight transfer, it is possible to turn the hips from a sat back position as well. Try to ensure the weight moves forward through the ball as naturally as possible.

Lag is maintaining the angle between the wrists and the club shaft during the down swing until releasing them at the last possible moment. This effect is produced with the hands and arms and not the hips. Combining them will produce explosive distance.