{"id":37526,"date":"2026-01-08T01:18:33","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T06:18:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/01\/08\/is-it-really-an-illusion-that-the-forward-shaft-tilts-at-impact\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T01:18:33","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T06:18:33","slug":"is-it-really-an-illusion-that-the-forward-shaft-tilts-at-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/01\/08\/is-it-really-an-illusion-that-the-forward-shaft-tilts-at-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"Is it really an illusion that the forward shaft tilts at impact?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/01\/08\/is-it-really-an-illusion-that-the-forward-shaft-tilts-at-impact\/#illusion_of_shaft_lean\" >illusion of shaft lean<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/01\/08\/is-it-really-an-illusion-that-the-forward-shaft-tilts-at-impact\/#divot_board\" >divot board<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<p class=\"\"><em>Welcome to Play Smart. GOLF.com&#8217;s regular game improvement column will help you become a smarter, better golfer.<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>A phrase we often hear in golf instruction is &#8220;forward shaft tilt.&#8221; Like, &#8220;If you want to hit the ball hard, you need a forward tilt of the shaft.&#8221; This is what I have said many times, and what many golf instructors have said as well.<\/p>\n<p>advertisement<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s why the hook in the Athletic Motion Golf video (below) really caught my eye as I scrolled past it on Instagram. &#8220;Is shaft tilt at impact just a superstition?&#8221; it asks. At first I scoffed at the idea. But when you watch this clip (and later the full video on YouTube), it makes perfect sense.<\/p>\n<section class=\"consent\"\/>\n<h3 class=\"heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"illusion_of_shaft_lean\"><\/span>illusion of shaft lean<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When golfers hear that the shaft needs to lean forward at impact, they often try to accomplish that by simply holding off on release until their hands have passed the ball.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;There&#8217;s an illusion there,&#8221; Sean Webb says. \u201cBecause the way you create that image is not what you think it is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Certainly your hands <em>should<\/em> When you&#8217;re in front of the ball when it reaches impact and breaks down, it doesn&#8217;t happen by simply pushing your hands toward the target. Instead, it is caused by several moving components during the swing.<\/p>\n<p>advertisement<\/p>\n<p>To see what&#8217;s happening, set your body in the proper impact position. Your hips should be about 45 degrees apart, and your shoulders should be slightly apart. Your weight should be on your front foot and your hands should be placed slightly in front of the ball on the ground. Viewed from the front, this indicates an anterior tilt of the shaft.<\/p>\n<p>This is where an &#8220;illusion&#8221; becomes necessary. Return your hips and shoulders to a right angle and let your arms and hands follow.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;His hands, the club, everything is far away.&#8221; <em>return<\/em> &#8220;When your pelvis is more perpendicular to the target than at address,&#8221; says Mike Granato.<\/p>\n<p>The only reason your hands are in front of the ball and your shaft is tilted toward the target is because your hips and shoulders are tilted. <em>open<\/em> When impact is reached. It is the rotation of the body that causes the shaft to tilt forward, rather than pushing the hand towards the target.<\/p>\n<p>advertisement<\/p>\n<p>By feeling your body open up and your hands and arms following suit, you&#8217;ll be able to hit the ball better than ever before.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"content-figure\">\n<div class=\"content-image\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"lightbox-btn\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"lightbox-expand\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Image Lightbox\" class=\"lightbox-overlay\" aria-modal=\"true\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"fig-caption\">\n<p>divot board<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4 class=\"heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"divot_board\"><\/span>divot board<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"\">Divot boards are innovative golf training aids that provide golfers with instant feedback on every swing. A divot board allows you to see exactly where the club makes contact with the ground, making it easier to spot errors and correct them on the fly. Whether indoors or outdoors, this tool will help you improve your ball striking, swing path, and low point control. With continued use, a divot board will build muscle memory that will help you hit the ball cleaner, hit straighter shots, and lower your score. Accelerating Learning with Immediate Feedback Studies have shown that immediate feedback accelerates learning by 50-70%. Divot boards provide real-time feedback on your swing, so you can make quick adjustments and hone your technique instantly. Improved Consistency Did you know that 70-80% of golfers suffer from inconsistent contact? A divot board shows you exactly where your club hits the surface, helping you identify flaws and build a repeatable, reliable swing. TRAIN ANYWHERE Compact and portable, the divot board can be used at home, on the driving range, or even in the office. Its high-quality construction ensures durability through countless practice sessions. Proudly designed and assembled in the USA. Using a divot board consistently will transform your practice routine. This is the easiest way to increase awareness, develop better ball striking, and see results faster.<\/p>\n<p>advertisement<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"> <span> <del>$139.99<\/del> $79.99 from Fairway Jockey <\/span> <\/p>\n<pre class=\"\">View Product<\/pre>\n<p>The post Is forward shaft tilt at impact really just an illusion?The post appeared first on Golf.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to Play Smart. GOLF.com&#8217;s regular game improvement column will help you become a smarter, better golfer.. A phrase we often hear in golf instruction is &#8220;forward shaft tilt.&#8221; Like, &#8220;If you want to hit the ball hard, you need a forward tilt of the shaft.&#8221; This is what I have said many times, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37527,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[17],"class_list":{"0":"post-37526","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-golf","8":"tag-golf"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37526","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37526"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37526\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37527"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37526"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37526"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37526"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}