Definition: The backswing is the movement of the golf club rearward, away from the ball, and then up and around the body, until the golfer reaches the point where he transitions the movement of the club forward again (the downswing). In a full golf swing (e.g., a driver or iron shot), the backswing will take the club up over the head, the golfer's shoulders turn over his hips and his hands reaching a position somewhere behind the right ear (for righthanded golfers). For shorter shots - pitching and chipping, for example - the backswing is much shorter.
The backswing includes the takeaway, the initial movement of the club away from the ball (although some golf instructors speak of the takeaway as a separate element of the swing).
