High Finish vs Low Finish: What Each Shot Requires
If you watch professional golfers closely, you’ll notice that their finish position is not always exactly the same.
Sometimes the club finishes high over the lead shoulder, while other times the finish appears lower and more around the body. These differences are not mistakes—they are intentional adjustments based on the type of shot the player is trying to hit.
The height and shape of the finish often reflect how the club traveled through impact.
Shots that finish high usually involve a full release of the club with plenty of speed and extension through the ball. Lower finishes often occur when a player is controlling trajectory, shaping the ball, or reducing spin.
Understanding how finish positions relate to ball flight can help golfers develop more control over their shots.
Instead of thinking of the finish position as something that simply happens after the swing, you can begin using it as a tool for controlling trajectory and shot shape.
In this lesson, we’ll explain the difference between high and low finishes, when each type of finish is useful, and how practicing different finishes can help improve shot control.
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What a High Finish Typically Produces
A high finish is the most common finish position seen in full golf swings.
In this finish, the arms extend fully through the ball and the club finishes high around the lead shoulder while the body rotates toward the target. The chest faces the target and the majority of the pressure is on the lead foot.
This finish usually occurs when the golfer swings with full speed, good extension, and a natural release of the club.
Because the body continues rotating and the arms extend through the shot, the club travels freely through the impact zone.
Shots that produce a high finish often have several common characteristics.
First, they tend to launch with a normal to slightly higher trajectory. The golfer is not trying to hold off the release or manipulate the clubface, so the club releases naturally.
Second, the swing typically maintains maximum speed through impact. The arms extend fully and the clubhead accelerates through the ball.
Third, the finish position shows complete body rotation. The chest and hips are facing the target, and the golfer remains balanced on the lead foot.
This type of finish is most commonly associated with full swings, such as stock iron shots, full wedge shots, and driver swings where the golfer is trying to produce maximum distance and consistent ball flight.
A high finish is often a good sign that the golfer allowed the club to release naturally and continued rotating through the shot.
What a Low Finish Typically Produces
A low finish usually occurs when a golfer is intentionally controlling trajectory, reducing spin, or shaping the ball.
Instead of allowing the club to release fully upward after impact, the golfer keeps the hands moving more around the body with a slightly more controlled follow through.
The club finishes lower and more across the chest rather than high over the lead shoulder.
This type of finish often produces shots that fly with a lower, more penetrating trajectory.
Because the finish is lower, the golfer typically feels as though the hands and arms continue moving more around the body instead of lifting upward after the strike.
Players commonly use a lower finish when hitting knockdown shots, controlled iron shots in windy conditions, or punch shots under tree branches.
A lower finish can also occur when a player is trying to slightly hold off the release to control ball curvature or trajectory.
For example, many golfers use a slightly lower finish when hitting controlled fades or when trying to reduce spin with their irons.
However, it’s important to understand that the lower finish is not created by stopping the body rotation.
Tour players still rotate through the shot. The difference is that the arms extend less upward and the club exits lower around the body.
When done correctly, this finish helps produce flatter ball flights and more controlled distance, especially in situations where trajectory management is important.
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When to Use a High Finish vs a Low Finish
Understanding when to use a high finish versus a low finish can help golfers gain more control over trajectory, spin, and shot shape.
The key is realizing that the finish position is usually the result of the type of swing you make, not something you force after the ball is struck.
Use a High Finish for Full Shots
A high finish is ideal when you are making a full swing and want maximum speed and height on the golf ball.
This finish works well for stock iron shots, full wedge shots, and driver swings where distance and normal trajectory are the goal.
When you swing freely and allow the club to release naturally, the arms extend upward and the club finishes high around the lead shoulder.
This type of finish encourages full body rotation and maximum clubhead speed through impact.
Use a Low Finish for Trajectory Control
A lower finish becomes useful when you want to control the height of the shot or reduce spin.
Players often use this type of finish for knockdown shots into the wind, punch shots under obstacles, or controlled iron shots where they want a more penetrating ball flight.
In these situations, the golfer feels as though the hands move more around the body instead of lifting upward after the strike.
The swing remains smooth and balanced, but the follow through stays lower.
The Finish Reflects the Shot
One of the most important lessons for golfers is that the finish should match the shot you’re trying to hit.
A full, aggressive swing typically produces a higher finish. A controlled swing designed to manage trajectory usually results in a lower finish.
By learning to vary your finish position intentionally during practice, you can begin developing greater control over different types of golf shots.
Drills to Practice High and Low Finishes
One of the best ways to improve shot control is by practicing different finish positions intentionally. This helps you learn how small changes in the swing can influence trajectory, spin, and ball flight.
High Finish Extension Drill
This drill helps train a full release and proper extension through the ball.
Make a normal swing and focus on allowing your arms to fully extend toward the target before the club wraps around your lead shoulder. The goal is to finish with the club high and your chest facing the target.
When done correctly, the club will finish high while your body remains balanced on the lead foot.
This drill encourages full speed, good rotation, and a natural release of the club.
Low Finish Punch Drill
To practice a lower finish, hit controlled shots where the club finishes around the chest instead of high over the shoulder.
Use a shorter backswing and feel as though the hands move more around the body after impact. The body should still rotate toward the target, but the follow through remains lower.
This drill is excellent for learning knockdown shots and trajectory control.
Trajectory Ladder Drill
Another effective exercise is hitting a series of shots with different finish heights.
Start by hitting a shot with a normal high finish. On the next shot, finish slightly lower. On the third shot, finish even lower with a punch-style follow through.
This progression helps you learn how different finishes influence ball height and flight shape.
Over time, practicing these variations gives you more control over the type of shot you produce on the golf course.
Conclusion: The Finish Reflects the Shot You’re Trying to Hit
One of the important lessons golfers learn as they improve is that the finish position should match the shot they are trying to produce.
A high finish typically appears when a golfer makes a full swing with good extension and a natural release of the club. These swings produce normal trajectory shots with maximum speed and distance.
A lower finish, on the other hand, is often used when a player wants more control over trajectory and spin.
Many great players have used this type of finish to hit controlled shots in difficult conditions. One of the most famous examples is Tiger Woods and his low stinger shot.
Tiger often used this shot off the tee when he wanted a penetrating ball flight that stayed below the wind. To produce the stinger, he would make a controlled swing with the hands finishing lower and more around the body instead of high over the shoulder.
The result was a powerful shot that launched low and chased down the fairway.
The key takeaway is that the finish position should not be something golfers force after impact. Instead, it should be the natural result of the type of swing and shot they are trying to hit.
By practicing both high and low finishes, golfers can begin developing better control over trajectory, spin, and ball flight.
Over time, this ability to vary finish positions gives players more tools to handle different situations on the golf course.
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Nick Foy – Golf Instructor
