RORY’S M5 DRIVER
Adrian says: “Rory is more
comfortable turning shots over
from right to left. He plays his
best golf when miss-hits pull a
little left of where he aims,
rather than hanging out to the
right. It means he hits the left
side of the fairway, rather than
the centre cut. Spin numbers
on the M5 at the same loft as
his previous M3 were lower, so
we moved the weights back
and into the draw position
adding launch and getting the
shot shape he loves to see,
and making the club more
forgiving. Rory has around
180mph ball speed, backspin
numbers are between 2,300-
2,400rpm with his new set-up
(2,100rpm with the M3), great
for managing shot shape.”
Rory’s key Use of the ground for powerDRIVING
e can trace so much of
Rory’s epic driving ability
back to how he uses the
ground... specifically at
the start of the downswing. Watch
Rory from the top and you will see his
knee flex increased from set-up, a
squatting motion that prepares him
for his key move of driving down hard
into the ground through his front leg.
This gives him two key advantages:
Optimal launch As he pushes down,
the lead leg straightens and the hips
rise by several inches. The handle of
the golf club rises with this lifting
motion, shallowing Rory’s angle of
attack and contributing to the
amazing 5.6º upward delivery angle
he generates. Allied to his ideal 9º
driver loft, this means higher launch
and lower spin... optimal launch
conditions for distance.
Speed As the handle of Rory’s
driver moves upwards, the clubhead
reacts by snapping down – a real
whip-crack effect that contributes to
the 120 mph-plus clubhead speed
he generates.W
Four degrees up is a common
attack angle for me. It brings spin
down, and optimises my launch. If
you want to be a long driver you
have to get the ball up in the air as
quickly as possible, without much
spin on it. One very simple thing I
do help here is tee it up as high as
possible. Some feel they lose
control doing this, but even from a
kid this was a big thing for me. I use the ground a lot. Because of this, it’s important for me to set a stable
base with my feet a little wider than shoulders. I use backswing width to load
into my right side. From there I can get so much energy transfer down into
my left side, and I feel pressure down through my left leg as the downswing
begins. Then before impact my left hip rises up to create the speed.RORY SAYS