— Richard, Avon

Great question. It’s a common problem plaguing many golfers.

The role of the shoulders in the downswing is almost non-existent. The major contributors are (in this order): hips, arms, and wrists. If they do anything, it comes after the hips initiate the downswing. The right shoulder tilts down toward the ball about 5 inches. This allows the arms to drop in close. That’s all they do! Just knowing that should help, and give you a better picture of how little the shoulders contribute.