mind the gap FOR MORE CLUBHEAD SPEED
One of the best qualities of Rory’s swing
is how he loads up his right side in the
backswing, and then how he sequences
the downswing from that position.
If you look at positions 2, 3 and 4, you will
see Rory’s left side has moved nicely behind
his ball, loading most of his weight into his
right leg.
That’s a position a majority of club golfersrarely attain because they have the belief that
this is swaying. It’s far from it because this
position is created by rotation of the upper
body, not lateral movement.
From the top of his backswing, Rory can
drive his lower body towards the ball to begin
the downswing sequence.
Notice how Rory’s left hip bumps towards
the ball to bridge the gap on the line we havedrawn above his left foot.
By doing this Rory generates plenty of
power from the ground transferring it
upwards through each section of his body.
Rory’s hips really clear out the way so he
has the freedom to swing his arms
powerfully into impact and through.
Combined with clubhead lag, he is able to
unleash the clubhead at great speed1
The foundation of any good golf swing is the address
position. A poor set-up leads to a poor swing. Rory’s
set-up position is one that should be copied by all
golfers. It is a well-balanced, athletic position with
good posture angles and a straight lower back,
which is ideal for a strong rotation of the torso.2
Rory’s takeaway is a one-piece move where the
clubhead, arms and shoulders move together. His
hips have not turned and his knees have hardly moved.
When a player turns their hips early, it is near impossible
to create the resistance coil, between your hips and
shoulders, to generate power in the downswing.3
This is a position you can aim for by practicing your
backswing in a mirror, taking note of your posture
being maintained and the butt of the shaft pointing
at the ball. Rory’s coil has created enormous
resistance with his hips turning very little compared
with his strong shoulder turn. He’s really wound up.78 APRIL 2018 | golf australia