Scottie Scheffler‘s swing might look a little unorthodox, but that doesn’t mean it’s not technically sound. It’s a swing that’s carried him to four major titles in three years, and catapulted him into comparisons alongside Tiger Woods. So while his swing might not be the blueprint for everyone, it’s still wildly effective.
Part of Scheffler’s incredible ball-striking skills can be attributed to his work with Hall of Fame Teacher Randy Smith. The two have worked together since Scheffler was a kid, and continue their collaboration to this day.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to a teacher of Smith’s caliber, but that doesn’t mean you can’t swing like Scheffler — in certain ways, at least.
After the world No. 1 triumphed at Royal Portrush last weekend, we asked our friends at GOLFTEC to use their OptiMotion Technology to break down Scheffler’s swing. And with that analysis, GOLFTEC’s SVP of Player Development and GOLF Top 100 Teacher Nick Clearwater pinpointed one specific move that can help you become a better ball striker.
Scheffler’s key move
You’ve likely heard someone give the advice “keep your head down” before. But when you watch the pros swing, you’ll notice they allow their eyes to follow the ball down range when they make contact with the ball. So, if the pros aren’t “keeping their heads down,” should you?
The answer is no. The reason is that it restricts your ability to move out of forward bend quickly.
“One of the biggest key separators of skill between pros and amateurs is moving out of forward bend,” Clearwater says.
If you watch Scheffler swing, you’ll see that he is hinged forward at the hips at about 25 degrees during the downswing. But by the time his right arm is parallel with the ground during the follow through, his torso and hips are hinged backward 11 degrees.
As you can tell, that’s a huge change — 36 degrees — in a short amount of time, and it helps do a few key things in the swing.
“One of the things this backward bend through impact does is that it helps shallow the angle of attack,” Clearwater says. “It also helps keep the swing path very straight and increases the clubhead speed by raising the grip through impact.”
If you try to keep your head down through impact, these things are impossible to accomplish. Instead, you have to allow your torso and hips to go from hinged forward to hinged back through impact.
“This is one of the first skills I teach every beginning golfer,” Clearwater says.
If you want to get some expert insights into your swing — and learn how to execute this crucial ball-striking move — book a swing evaluation with GOLFTEC below.
