Bubba Watson

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

 

The simple message that I take from this sequence – shot on the 12th tee at Doral, which sets up beautifully for one of Bubba’s 330-yard fades – is that there’s a huge benefit to be had if you go out to the range and just experiment with what it is possible to do with the golf ball. Leave convention in the locker room. Lay a club on the ground so that you undertstand where you are aiming – that is one of my ‘musts’ – and spend some time learning about the swing path what you can do with the ball.

 

The great thing about Bubba we all enjoy is that he will give it a go from absolutely anywhere – even winning a Masters from out of the trees! You cannot copy his swing – it’s unique. But what you can copy is the philosophy that says ‘I can take any club and work miracles with it.’ Why not? You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain from a better understanding of the way the swing path in relation to the target line affects ball flight. Quite apart from anything else it makes practice a lot more fun.

 

Bubba does it the old fashioned way. When he hits a hooking wedge he stands and aims his body lines 20 yards left, swings seriously in-to-out and hooks it with his arms. I watched him warm up recently. He started out with a wedge - as most of the guys do. He hit about 30 balls, the shots ranging from choppy, dinky fades of around 70 yards to high, looping draws of 140-150 yards. For his piece de resistance, he fired raking hooks at a green in the distance. I asked his caddy how far it was: “176 yards,” came the reply. All the shots I saw made the carry. That’s Bubba’s unique talent.

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The Mechanic

 

There's a very good reason for Miguel's nickname out on tour and it has nothing to do with his beloved Ferrari's. Miguel Angel Jimenez is one of the hardesr working players in world golf and a player who totally understands his swing and the tendencies he has to be wary of.

 

Miguel Angel Jimenez

WIDTH & TURN
 

The keys to Miguel’s pre-shot warm-up. At 46, Miguel Angel Jimenez is perfectly aware that he has to stay ‘loose’ to make the quality of swing he needs in order to compete with the young guns on tour today. And it speaks volumes for the talent of one of the game’s great characters that he has this year enjoyed one of his finest seasons on tour, with two victories in Europe and a starring role in that epic Ryder Cup match.

Miguel’s distinct pre-shot routine is much talked about and it’s something we have worked on now for the better part of six years. Rather like the way in which Corey Pavin makes an exaggerated rehearsal to neutralise the natural tendencies in his swing, Miguel focuses on.

Left to its own devices, his backswing tends to see the arms and the club wander too far to the inside with the result that he is prone to getting stuck, and forced into a sliding move with the lower body and then having to rely on hand action to recover, which is never consistent.

Miguel starts the sequence with the club a few feet ahead of the ball and then gathers his momentum as he swings the club, hands, arms and body together into the backswing sequence, at the same time cranking his wrists back to open up the clubface. Doing that helps him to guard against getting the face too shut – another tendency he is aware of and works to neutralise with this routine.

 

STRIKING A BALANCE

 

Stretching is key to Miguel’s motion. The pre-shot sequence on the previous spread is the warm-up routine Miguel uses both on the range and also out on the golf course. He looks to create width early in his backswing and plays his best golf when he enjoys a full shoulder turn, both on the way back and then as he unwinds through the ball. A consistent body action is the engine that drives his swing; our work together is essentially designed to eliminate independent arm action. In other words, the exercise that has become Miguel’s trademark is a ‘sequence maker’ – it gels the movement of the club, hands, arms and body. Which is why Miguel is one of the game’s most accurate and consistent ball strikers.

 

 

 

As the clubhead gathers pace Miguel works on rotating his left forearm and really cranking the wrists to get the clubface open, as you see here. He wants to see his arms ‘in front’ of him – i.e. opposite the middle of the chest. This is designed to neutralise a tendency to (1) get his arms too ‘deep’ and (2) to close down the clubface. The result is that he gets it somewhere in between the two extremes when he makes his swing for real on the course (although you can see that he does err on getting that left arm deep across the chest). 

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A Modern Classic - Adam Scott Swing Sequence

He's one of the hottest properties in sport and one of the finest role-models in golf today. The current world No. 8 Adam Scott also happens to own perhaps the most enviable swing in the world. Six-time major champion and Gi professional Sir Nick Faldo certainly thinks so, and in this exclusive analysis he draws out the key elements in the Australian's technique that can help you to go out and improve yours.

A WINNING COMBINATION – ‘Sequencing’ of movement is his key

Playing this game for a living was a heck of a lifestyle but in ‘retirement’ I may have found an even better number. In my role as analyst for CBS television I get paid to sit and watch the best players in the world, a privileged and fascinating experience given the talent on tour these days. And if someone were to ask me who currently has the best swing in golf I would not hesitate in nominating Australia’s Adam Scott.

 

First up, just look at the quality of Adam’s body lines and angles. The posture lines are terrific, his alignment of feet, knees, hips and shoulders all agree, the proportions perfect. A model set-up to a model golf swing.
 

World-class players like Adam don’t see impact as being at the ball, they visualise the impact area as a zone extending a couple of feet or so either side of the ball. It’s then all about finding this ‘slot’. Try to visualise a rail and put the club onto that rail and let it slot through the ball – that will help to free you up in the only area that really matters.
 

Textbook structure, insides of the feet shoulder-width for stability with the driver, hands and arms beautifully ‘in sync’ with the body Left shoulder works down and left arm begins its rotation – smooth and subtle moves to initiate momentum Left arm works across the chest as right arm softens and folds – note the clubface is square to the path

Like many strong young players today, Adam likes to delay the full setting of the wrists...it’s increasing... 60%...70%... ....and now 100%. Full wrist set timed perfectly with the rotation of the upper body Love the position of the right elbow here, increasing the lag as he approaches the hitting area.

Head remains perfectly still behind the ball as he lets it all go – to focus on a precise dimple or dot on back of the ball is a great way of achieving this Rotation of the right shoulder continues all the way through the hitting area – a sense of ‘chasing’ after the ball Balance on the toe, knees kissing, great angles and the clubshaft in a full wrap

With his weight balanced on the balls of the feet Adam is able to create perfect angles. Feet, knees, hips and shoulders all parallel to the target line Knees holding, hips just barely moving, belly on its way – in establishing this gearing ratio, Adam is on track to create tremendous torque Clubface in a great position as the shaft parallels the feet

As wrists hinge up the clubshaft bisects the right shoulder – a simple checkpoint to keep your swing on plane To all of you who suffer a tendency to ‘trap’ the right elbow look at the way Adam allows his to work freely (as he starts down it then falls nicely back in towards the body) A ‘quiet’ body through the transition as Adam settles into the downswing, the arms shallowing into a terrific hitting position

Arms and torso working together through impact – body angles still excellent as he rotates at speed Sensation here is one of throwing the arms and the clubhead freely all the way to the finish Think about putting the shaft at this angle across your neck at the finish. And, guess what folks, you’ll find a way of getting there

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Swing Easy, Hit Hard - Ernie Els Swing Sequence

On a more general note, it’s also very important that you work on a ‘stock shot’ with your driver. A safe ‘go-to’ shot. When you get into a pressure cooker situation you need a shot you can rely on, whether that’s a right-to left or a left-to-right ball flight. With the driver I have always worked on a gentle fade. My bad shot – which has cost me a lot of tournaments and a lot of money! – has been a quick hook, when the hands gets a little too fast. So I have worked hard on a gentle fade which I can trust. It helps me to block out the left side of the golf course. That’s what Jack Nicklaus did – he played that fade and won 18 majors. It’s important to know your own game. Ernie Els

 

Timeless power & efficiency

Ernie Els is one of the all-time great drivers of the golf ball. He has that natural God-given ability to swing smoothly and yet hit the ball miles. It’s effortless power. Very few players in the history of the game have been able to do that. Even if you look at Tiger, it’s a very strong, ballistic, explosive movement. Ernie’s is full of grace and it’s all about energy and flow and making the most of his fantastic rhythm. Those are the qualities that every golfer can learn from.. - Kevin Smeltz
 

Simplify your swing thought: get left shoulder behind the ball

 

I like to stand tall over the ball. I take advantage of the fact I am 6’ 4”. I have to be careful not to let my chin drop on to my chest, as that can restrict the rotation of my upper body in the backswing. So I remind myself to keep my chin up and try to feel tall. I then take the club away on a pretty wide arc.

More than anything, I focus on getting my left shoulder stretched behind the ball as I complete my coil. You don’t want too many specific thoughts on backswing positions. If you just get your hands nicely on the club at the set-up, keep a soft grip pressure, and then think about getting the left shoulder behind the ball as you turn, you will achieve a good coil and plenty of power. All you have to do then is keep the grip relaxed and let the clubhead swing through the ball. Ernie Els

TALL AT THE SET-UP With just a gentle flex in the knees and not too much in the way of angle at the hips, Ernie uses his height to great advantage. He likes to think about standing ‘tall’ over the ball and that’s exactly the impression you get looking at this position – a terrific set-up to copy. The chin is up off the chest while the arms hang comfortably, relaxed. No tension here

THE MOVEAWAY A sound neutral grip allows Ernie to get the swing started on the natural path. The club here is perfectly on plane. This position is made possible by Ernie’s diligence at the set-up. Notice that the clubhead is still outside the hands – a situation that stays that way until the club is parallel to the ground

WRIST ‘SET’ Here we can see clearly the way the wrists are gradually hingeing to ‘set’ the club up on plane as the backswing continues. Also, note that the shoulders have turned more than the hips. His shoulders are in control and pulling on his hips as he generates this tremendous ‘coil’. The shaft is right on plane here (main image), running through the right forearm

AT THE TOP One of the remarkable aspects of Ernie’s swing is the way he is able to maintain a comfortably straight left arm all the way to the top – a sign of his incredible athleticism and flexibility. Keep in mind there should be no effort to keep it ‘locked’ or straight – that will create tension and cost you power. The club is in a terrific position, balanced between the elbows and parallel with the ball-to-target line

THE TRANSITION Unwinding naturally from the ground up rewards Ernie with this wonderful position on the way down to impact – the knees absorb the slight compression of the body as he prepares to fully unwind the spring and use the centrifugal forces thus generated to accelerate the clubhead into the back of the ball

IMPACT Freewheeling into impact, look at how Ernie’s right foot has rolled inward and the heel pulled up off the ground as his left side rotates and clears. We can also see very clearly that the club is approaching the ball from the inside

THROUGH THE BALL Having the club shaft ‘exit’ through the left shoulder (looking down the line, as we are here) confirms that Ernie has released the hands and arms correctly, ‘in sync’ with the rotation of his body – and that’s what delivers maximum clubhead speed through the ball

THE FINISH A classic follow-through position, chest and belt buckle turned well to the left of the target, the weight supported on the left side, body supported and balanced on the toe of the right shoe

THE SET-UP Picture perfect: Ernie displays a neutral grip, his spine angle is set slightly to the right of the ball (as he looks at it), the ball itself played just inside the left heel. His weight is split approx 60:40 in favour of the right side as Ernie gets himself ready to go. Take note at how relaxed his arms and shoulders are – a textbook lesson for every golfer THE MOVEAWAY The first move reveals the key to just how in sync Ernie’s swing is from start to finish. Keep in mind that the clubhead has much further to travel than the shoulders and hips. This means it is important that the clubhead travel faster than the other parts in order to reach the top at the same time. The gradual wrist-set that you can see here initiates that proper sequence

HALFWAY BACK Left arm parallel to the ground, Ernie’s wrists have hinged up to ‘set’ the club at 90 degrees to the left arm, while his shoulders are around 75% turned. From here, all he has to do is complete the turning of the shoulders to reach a solid backswing position. AT THE TOP So here’s the result of Ernie’s favourite backswing thought: i.e. to ‘turn the left shoulder behind the ball’. A huge shoulder turn is combined with a resisting lower body and a short arm-swing. It’s perfection (and just look at the position of the left arm through these final frames of the backswing – incredible!)

THROUGH THE GEARS Look at the way the left knee has worked from the previous image to this frame. Ernie has initiated his downswing with the lower left side shifting back towards the target and beginning to unwind. His hips are back to square while his upper body remains slightly closed to the target line. With that move he has maximised the coil and torque in his body, and this is what increases the angle in the wrists moving into this hitting position. The motion of the body is Ernie’s secret to effortless speed and power

THROUGH THE BALL Through the ball, the full extension that Ernie demonstrates here has been created by the centrifugal force from his body motion, propelling his arms towards the target. If your arms are prone to collapse through the ball, look to your body action for answers, not to your arms and the club THE FINISH A classic Ernie Els finish – beautiful poise as the arms continue all the way through and around to end up behind the neck, the shaft gently on the back. You can sense, even from this still image, that Ernie has maintained impeccable balance through the swing. He has used the coiling and re-coiling of his body to control the swinging of the arms and the clubhead – and he pulls it off with terrific style

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Rory McIlroy Swing Sequence

by Jeremy Bennett & Rory McIlroy 

 

      In the space of 14 months as a professional golfer, Ireland's Rory McIlroy has elevated himself to an astonishing 14th place in the official world rankings - helped, of course, by his maiden tour victory in the Dubai Desert Classic. Over the following pages Rory shares his thoughts on a swing clearly destined for greatness,while Jeremy Bennett, one of his early coaches during his days within the 'Elite' squad of the Faldo Series, highlights the particular aspects that can help you.

     I first saw Rory play in the Faldo Series Finals when he was 12 or 13 years old. He was smaller than average in stature for his age, not particularly long off the tee and played with a steady little draw. However there were several features that set Rory apart from the legions of young 'wannabe' tour pros, and those of us who worked with him believed he was going to be something very special.

     Today, however, he has a wonderfully sequenced hand, arm and body action - a framework that allows that wonderful hand action to work freely through the ball. So let's take a closer look and also find out what Rory himself thinks about technique wise.

At address my main focus is my alignment, getting my feet, knees,hips and shoulders parallel to the target. I struggle with that sometimes. My tendency is to aim left and get a little open.My only other thought is maintaining an 'athletic 'posture. RI	Halfway back is where my biggest problem shows up. I can tend to get the club moving to the inside too quickly.Down the line I like to see the clubhead covering my hands as it passes through the point where the shaft is horizontal with the ground and parallel with the target line, as it's on track to be here. That's a good checkpoint for me. RI
Rory maintains his posture and spine angle right to the top of his beautifully on-plane,neutral and more compact backswing (in the past the right leg used to straighten; here it remains nicely flexed). Note how square the clubface is to his left arm and wrist at the top - a testament to his textbook grip. JB	To the top my only thoughts are cocking my wrists and turning my shoulders. I do have a tendency to over-swing so I use my left shoulder as a guide.When it is under my chin I know I have made a long enough backswing. RI
On the downswing my tendency is to slide my hips towards the target.That gets the club too far behind me - what many players call 'stuck' - and forces me to either flip my hands through impact or block the shot to the right. So, from the top, my downswing thought - when I have one! - is nearly always 'turn'.As you see here,my body unwinds and my arms and hands free-wheel the clubhead through the ball. RI	Like virtually all long hitters the upper body is 'open' at impact with above average left hip clearance even for a tour pro. Rory looks beautifully balanced and poised to make 100% solid contact with the back of the ball.His weight is channeled into the outside of the left heel with just a nice amount of right heel 'raise'. JB
The first appearance of the shaft just below the left shoulder is a tell-tale sign of an excellent delivery into the ball. In the past Rory's swing path was a little more from into- out, and as a result the shaft would often appear above the tip of the left shoulder. This is the 'exit' all young players should aim to copy. JB	Rory himself says that balance is his No 1 key thought on the downswing to the finish, and here is the result: he is perfectly poised,with the majority of his weight on his left side, supported on the tip of his right toe. The hips have cleared to finish pointing well left of target - a young man's swing! JB

 

This is a terrific opening sequence of moves as Rory initiates his swing with upper body, arms and the club all working 'together' and in a wonderful flowing tempo. The hands are essentially 'quiet' until the club reaches the horizontal, whereupon the wrists hinge up naturally as the upper body coils against the lower body. JB

Rory looks as if he is set up for a little draw with the ball position slightly further back than normal and hands ahead of the ball.For a high fade the ball would be moved up to just inside the left heel and the hands set level with the back of the ball. JB

From the top my aim is simply to let the club go through impact. I'm not swinging at 100%, but the closer I get to that the better .Which is key. I'm not one of the biggest guys on tour but I'm one of the longest. So I guess I must be hitting a bit harder than most! My average this year is over 300 yards. RI

 

 

Just by looking at the stretch lines on his shirt you know Rory is wound up like a spring, ready to recoil into the ball. His right hip rotates nicely while the right side remains firm against that braced right knee,weight supported on the inside of the right leg - a great position to copy.JB

 

 

Although Rory employs a light grip pressure to ensure an uninhibited hand release through the ball his hands remain perfectly in position through impact.Note also how he allows his head to rotate with the flow of his swing - he makes no attempt to look at the ball for too long, a common mistake that can restrict your body rotation through the ball. JB

Into the follow-through and it's all about balance for me. I want to be able to hold my finish for several seconds. If I can do that I know I haven't swung too hard.On the whole I don't like to complicate things too much. I've always played my best golf not thinking about very much to be honest! 

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