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Steep Timeline

How to Fix a Steep Golf Swing in Three Phases

Learn how to fix a steep golf swing by finding exactly when the club steepens. Tyler breaks down early transition, mid-downswing, and release so you can target the movement causing the problem.

After this video, you'll be able to:

  • Determine when your downswing becomes steep and its impact on your shots
  • Understand the body movements that lead to a steep swing path
  • Learn how to adjust your transition to create a more efficient downswing
Tyler Ferrell. Golf Digest Best Teachers in California, 2026-27. The only person named to both Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers in America and Best Golf Fitness Professionals lists. Author of The Stock Tour Swing.
Video Transcript
WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.200
This video is steep and shallow timeline, the steep version.

2
00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:08.640
So we're going to look at the downswing and we're going to look at getting the

3
00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:09.080
club in

4
00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:10.560
the steep position.

5
00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:14.590
So if you review the steep and shallow flowchart or you look at the steep and

6
00:00:14.590 --> 00:00:15.760
shallow video,

7
00:00:15.760 --> 00:00:20.020
you'll see that the major steepening movements are going to be pulling down

8
00:00:20.020 --> 00:00:21.280
with the arms,

9
00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:27.140
left rotation with the arms, narrowing with the arms, flexing with the body,

10
00:00:27.140 --> 00:00:28.320
left rotation

11
00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:29.600
and left side bend.

12
00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:34.420
So when we're looking at this timeline, we're basically looking at when are you

13
00:00:34.420 --> 00:00:35.000
getting

14
00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:40.240
into this steep pattern and ultimately what do we think is the driving force.

15
00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:45.080
Now we're going to break the downswing into three different phases.

16
00:00:45.080 --> 00:00:49.320
The middle phase is kind of this blend between the transition and the release.

17
00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:52.860
But we could either get steep right off the bat during transition, which would

18
00:00:52.860 --> 00:00:53.280
tend to

19
00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:57.590
be more of a power source thing, or we could get steep during the middle phase

20
00:00:57.590 --> 00:00:58.360
of blending

21
00:00:58.360 --> 00:01:01.160
transition into the release or during the release.

22
00:01:01.160 --> 00:01:06.420
If it's one of the latter, I'm thinking it's more of a how I control the face

23
00:01:06.420 --> 00:01:07.480
situation.

24
00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:12.060
So if we were to break those up, go up towards the top of the swing, getting

25
00:01:12.060 --> 00:01:13.040
steep early would

26
00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:16.760
be basically getting steep before the left arm is parallel to the ground.

27
00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:20.940
The major movements that are going to do that would be this left rotation and a

28
00:01:20.940 --> 00:01:21.560
little bit

29
00:01:21.560 --> 00:01:22.560
of a lunge.

30
00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:28.410
So from a body going like this, and the big one would be the arms rotating to

31
00:01:28.410 --> 00:01:29.160
the left

32
00:01:29.160 --> 00:01:31.080
and pulling down.

33
00:01:31.080 --> 00:01:33.080
So kind of this pattern here.

34
00:01:33.080 --> 00:01:36.920
That's going to tend to get me into a steep position unless I really early

35
00:01:36.920 --> 00:01:37.920
extend and really

36
00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:39.720
shallow out with my body.

37
00:01:39.720 --> 00:01:43.900
So if my arms look like they're getting steep in the early phases, it's

38
00:01:43.900 --> 00:01:44.840
typically going

39
00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:49.040
to be how I'm creating speed or how I'm powering the swing.

40
00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:52.650
So then the second phase would be looking, if everything's kind of okay here,

41
00:01:52.650 --> 00:01:53.120
that means

42
00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:58.840
I started with my lower body, and then it tends to get steep here.

43
00:01:58.840 --> 00:02:02.410
I'm starting to think of controlling low point and path, but the big movement

44
00:02:02.410 --> 00:02:03.000
that's going

45
00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:06.800
to tend to happen is going to be a little bit more of this forward lunge.

46
00:02:06.800 --> 00:02:11.120
So when I do that first movement, what should then happen is as I start the

47
00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:12.000
release, my

48
00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:15.120
body is going to brace and go into this side bend.

49
00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:20.320
But if my body continues to get on top, that will tend to get the club getting

50
00:02:20.320 --> 00:02:20.920
a little

51
00:02:20.920 --> 00:02:24.480
bit too outside or a little bit too steep.

52
00:02:24.480 --> 00:02:31.300
So that ends up looking like this from the face on, and kind of like that,

53
00:02:31.300 --> 00:02:32.400
where it's

54
00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:37.220
getting steep in there, which will usually result in a little bit more of kind

55
00:02:37.220 --> 00:02:37.720
of this

56
00:02:37.720 --> 00:02:39.920
scoop early extension pattern.

57
00:02:39.920 --> 00:02:44.200
So then the last option would be down at the bottom of the swing.

58
00:02:44.200 --> 00:02:47.880
And that's going to tend to be mostly from either not having a lot of this

59
00:02:47.880 --> 00:02:48.520
right side

60
00:02:48.520 --> 00:02:50.480
bend, so it's staying very level.

61
00:02:50.480 --> 00:02:53.160
But the big ones are now we're down in the release zone.

62
00:02:53.160 --> 00:02:56.560
And it's going to tend to be more of what's happening with the arms.

63
00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:00.940
So if I'm getting steep down at the bottom, it usually means that either my

64
00:03:00.940 --> 00:03:02.240
arms are getting

65
00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:05.040
too rotated like this.

66
00:03:05.040 --> 00:03:09.860
So they're rotating left as opposed to my don't break the arm where we kind of

67
00:03:09.860 --> 00:03:10.520
maintain

68
00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:13.950
that alignment so that from down the line, the right arm is a little bit more

69
00:03:13.950 --> 00:03:14.440
under the

70
00:03:14.440 --> 00:03:21.080
left, or it could be hinging the wrist and kind of bending this way or not

71
00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:22.080
having enough

72
00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:24.000
of this ulnar deviation.

73
00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:29.050
So if I'm in a good position right into there, but then I continue rotating and

74
00:03:29.050 --> 00:03:30.120
don't release

75
00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:35.380
the ulnar, you can see that that tends to get on top and has really kind of dig

76
00:03:35.380 --> 00:03:36.120
gy contact

77
00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:41.500
compared to if I got to that same position and released that ulnar, you can see

78
00:03:41.500 --> 00:03:41.920
that

79
00:03:41.920 --> 00:03:45.520
the club is now going to kind of slide and glide through the wall.

80
00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:50.070
So if you're struggling with trying to figure out when you get steep, I always

81
00:03:50.070 --> 00:03:50.720
recommend

82
00:03:50.720 --> 00:03:51.960
using video.

83
00:03:51.960 --> 00:03:56.780
If you tend to have consistent steep feedback, so you're tending to get more

84
00:03:56.780 --> 00:03:58.000
outside in path,

85
00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:03.040
you're tending to get toe hits, maybe even really deep divots, I would use

86
00:04:03.040 --> 00:04:03.920
video to kind

87
00:04:03.920 --> 00:04:07.200
of identify at the timing of when you get steep so that you'll be able to

88
00:04:07.200 --> 00:04:07.800
figure out

89
00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:09.640
the appropriate correction.

90
00:04:09.640 --> 00:04:12.240
If you're not sure, you can always submit your swing and we'd be happy to guide

91
00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:12.440
you

92
00:04:12.440 --> 00:04:15.870
as to when you're getting steep and what drills we think have the best chance

93
00:04:15.870 --> 00:04:16.440
of fixing it.
Related topics
This video hasn't been assigned to any topics yet. Browse all topics in the sidebar.
Tyler Ferrell. Golf Digest Best Teachers in California, 2026-27. The only person named to both Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers in America and Best Golf Fitness Professionals lists. Author of The Stock Tour Swing.

Steep Timeline

How to Fix a Steep Golf Swing in Three Phases

Learn how to fix a steep golf swing by finding exactly when the club steepens. Tyler breaks down early transition, mid-downswing, and release so you can target the movement causing the problem.

After this video, you'll be able to:

  • Determine when your downswing becomes steep and its impact on your shots
  • Understand the body movements that lead to a steep swing path
  • Learn how to adjust your transition to create a more efficient downswing
Video Transcript
WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.200
This video is steep and shallow timeline, the steep version.

2
00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:08.640
So we're going to look at the downswing and we're going to look at getting the

3
00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:09.080
club in

4
00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:10.560
the steep position.

5
00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:14.590
So if you review the steep and shallow flowchart or you look at the steep and

6
00:00:14.590 --> 00:00:15.760
shallow video,

7
00:00:15.760 --> 00:00:20.020
you'll see that the major steepening movements are going to be pulling down

8
00:00:20.020 --> 00:00:21.280
with the arms,

9
00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:27.140
left rotation with the arms, narrowing with the arms, flexing with the body,

10
00:00:27.140 --> 00:00:28.320
left rotation

11
00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:29.600
and left side bend.

12
00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:34.420
So when we're looking at this timeline, we're basically looking at when are you

13
00:00:34.420 --> 00:00:35.000
getting

14
00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:40.240
into this steep pattern and ultimately what do we think is the driving force.

15
00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:45.080
Now we're going to break the downswing into three different phases.

16
00:00:45.080 --> 00:00:49.320
The middle phase is kind of this blend between the transition and the release.

17
00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:52.860
But we could either get steep right off the bat during transition, which would

18
00:00:52.860 --> 00:00:53.280
tend to

19
00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:57.590
be more of a power source thing, or we could get steep during the middle phase

20
00:00:57.590 --> 00:00:58.360
of blending

21
00:00:58.360 --> 00:01:01.160
transition into the release or during the release.

22
00:01:01.160 --> 00:01:06.420
If it's one of the latter, I'm thinking it's more of a how I control the face

23
00:01:06.420 --> 00:01:07.480
situation.

24
00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:12.060
So if we were to break those up, go up towards the top of the swing, getting

25
00:01:12.060 --> 00:01:13.040
steep early would

26
00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:16.760
be basically getting steep before the left arm is parallel to the ground.

27
00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:20.940
The major movements that are going to do that would be this left rotation and a

28
00:01:20.940 --> 00:01:21.560
little bit

29
00:01:21.560 --> 00:01:22.560
of a lunge.

30
00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:28.410
So from a body going like this, and the big one would be the arms rotating to

31
00:01:28.410 --> 00:01:29.160
the left

32
00:01:29.160 --> 00:01:31.080
and pulling down.

33
00:01:31.080 --> 00:01:33.080
So kind of this pattern here.

34
00:01:33.080 --> 00:01:36.920
That's going to tend to get me into a steep position unless I really early

35
00:01:36.920 --> 00:01:37.920
extend and really

36
00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:39.720
shallow out with my body.

37
00:01:39.720 --> 00:01:43.900
So if my arms look like they're getting steep in the early phases, it's

38
00:01:43.900 --> 00:01:44.840
typically going

39
00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:49.040
to be how I'm creating speed or how I'm powering the swing.

40
00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:52.650
So then the second phase would be looking, if everything's kind of okay here,

41
00:01:52.650 --> 00:01:53.120
that means

42
00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:58.840
I started with my lower body, and then it tends to get steep here.

43
00:01:58.840 --> 00:02:02.410
I'm starting to think of controlling low point and path, but the big movement

44
00:02:02.410 --> 00:02:03.000
that's going

45
00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:06.800
to tend to happen is going to be a little bit more of this forward lunge.

46
00:02:06.800 --> 00:02:11.120
So when I do that first movement, what should then happen is as I start the

47
00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:12.000
release, my

48
00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:15.120
body is going to brace and go into this side bend.

49
00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:20.320
But if my body continues to get on top, that will tend to get the club getting

50
00:02:20.320 --> 00:02:20.920
a little

51
00:02:20.920 --> 00:02:24.480
bit too outside or a little bit too steep.

52
00:02:24.480 --> 00:02:31.300
So that ends up looking like this from the face on, and kind of like that,

53
00:02:31.300 --> 00:02:32.400
where it's

54
00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:37.220
getting steep in there, which will usually result in a little bit more of kind

55
00:02:37.220 --> 00:02:37.720
of this

56
00:02:37.720 --> 00:02:39.920
scoop early extension pattern.

57
00:02:39.920 --> 00:02:44.200
So then the last option would be down at the bottom of the swing.

58
00:02:44.200 --> 00:02:47.880
And that's going to tend to be mostly from either not having a lot of this

59
00:02:47.880 --> 00:02:48.520
right side

60
00:02:48.520 --> 00:02:50.480
bend, so it's staying very level.

61
00:02:50.480 --> 00:02:53.160
But the big ones are now we're down in the release zone.

62
00:02:53.160 --> 00:02:56.560
And it's going to tend to be more of what's happening with the arms.

63
00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:00.940
So if I'm getting steep down at the bottom, it usually means that either my

64
00:03:00.940 --> 00:03:02.240
arms are getting

65
00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:05.040
too rotated like this.

66
00:03:05.040 --> 00:03:09.860
So they're rotating left as opposed to my don't break the arm where we kind of

67
00:03:09.860 --> 00:03:10.520
maintain

68
00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:13.950
that alignment so that from down the line, the right arm is a little bit more

69
00:03:13.950 --> 00:03:14.440
under the

70
00:03:14.440 --> 00:03:21.080
left, or it could be hinging the wrist and kind of bending this way or not

71
00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:22.080
having enough

72
00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:24.000
of this ulnar deviation.

73
00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:29.050
So if I'm in a good position right into there, but then I continue rotating and

74
00:03:29.050 --> 00:03:30.120
don't release

75
00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:35.380
the ulnar, you can see that that tends to get on top and has really kind of dig

76
00:03:35.380 --> 00:03:36.120
gy contact

77
00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:41.500
compared to if I got to that same position and released that ulnar, you can see

78
00:03:41.500 --> 00:03:41.920
that

79
00:03:41.920 --> 00:03:45.520
the club is now going to kind of slide and glide through the wall.

80
00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:50.070
So if you're struggling with trying to figure out when you get steep, I always

81
00:03:50.070 --> 00:03:50.720
recommend

82
00:03:50.720 --> 00:03:51.960
using video.

83
00:03:51.960 --> 00:03:56.780
If you tend to have consistent steep feedback, so you're tending to get more

84
00:03:56.780 --> 00:03:58.000
outside in path,

85
00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:03.040
you're tending to get toe hits, maybe even really deep divots, I would use

86
00:04:03.040 --> 00:04:03.920
video to kind

87
00:04:03.920 --> 00:04:07.200
of identify at the timing of when you get steep so that you'll be able to

88
00:04:07.200 --> 00:04:07.800
figure out

89
00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:09.640
the appropriate correction.

90
00:04:09.640 --> 00:04:12.240
If you're not sure, you can always submit your swing and we'd be happy to guide

91
00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:12.440
you

92
00:04:12.440 --> 00:04:15.870
as to when you're getting steep and what drills we think have the best chance

93
00:04:15.870 --> 00:04:16.440
of fixing it.
Related topics
This video hasn't been assigned to any topics yet. Browse all topics in the sidebar.