One of my favorite phrases to use while teaching how a golf swing should feel is that during the forward motion of the stroke, you are “assisting gravity”. This applies to a tap-in putt, all the way up to a full driver swing.
What I mean is, there should be no violent pulling, pushing, or quick direction changes in your stroke (back swing to forward swing). During the back swing, the club head reaches its farthest point away from the ball, (whatever that may be depending on the length of the shot required). Gravity then takes over, with you assisting it along the way, with gradual acceleration.
This is an especially helpful swing thought on short game shots, specifically pitch shots. If you are having trouble with consistent contact and distance control on your pitches, let the club head fall with gravity at the change of direction from backswing to downswing. Then feel like you are “assisting gravity” on the way back to the ball and to the finish.
Bobby Jones was one of the sweetest swingers of all time, as well as one of the longest hitters of his era. Scientists in England once timed his arms from the top of his swing to the impact with a driver. They discovered, to their amazement, that his arms fell just a split second faster than an object would fall from gravity alone. Mr. Jones knew all about assisting gravity.