Quick answer: The shoulders and arms start the downswing before the pelvis; measurable loss of lag at the wrist.
What it does to the ball
Less speed at impact; high, weak shots; tendency toward an out-to-in path.
Root causes (by frequency)
Hitting from the top out of eagerness (casting)
Limited thoracic mobility that prevents hip-shoulder separation (X-Factor)
How to fix it
Let the hips lead the transition while the upper body "waits" (lateral bump plus rotation)
Drills that fix it
Split-stance for hip sequence · 12 min · 15 reps
Start the downswing from the hips, not the arms Trail foot up on its toes. Feel the hips lead the transition while the upper body waits.
Seated thoracic rotation · 7 min · 12 reps
Gain shoulder-turn range for a fuller backswing Seated, with a club across your shoulders, rotate your torso to both sides while keeping the hips still. 2 sets.
Frequently asked questions
What is "Reversed sequence in transition" in the golf swing?
The shoulders and arms start the downswing before the pelvis; measurable loss of lag at the wrist.
What does reversed sequence in transition do to the ball?
Less speed at impact; high, weak shots; tendency toward an out-to-in path.
How do you fix reversed sequence in transition?
Let the hips lead the transition while the upper body "waits" (lateral bump plus rotation)
Sources
David Leadbetter — The Golf Swing
Titleist Performance Institute — Body-Swing Connection screening