Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you become a smarter, better golfer.
Golf fans got to witness a vintage performance from Justin Rose over the weekend as he claimed the first title of the FedEx Cup Playoffs with a win at TPC Southwind. The victory was the first for the Englishman in over two years and vaults him into the top five in the FedEx Cup standings with two events to play.
Professional golf may be getting younger each season, but Rosie proved there’s still a place in the game for a wily vet.
“I know when it matters, I’ve still got it,” Rose said. “I kind of feel better and better and better as it gets more important. That’s good to know. It’s hard stuff to practice, hard stuff to teach. Nice to know that hasn’t left me at this ripe old age.”
“Old age” may be a stretch — he’s only 45, after all! — but in a game catering more and more to young bombers, the point stands. Sometimes experience is the greatest asset under pressure.
If you watched Rose’s triumph over the weekend, you likely saw him go through an unusual pre-shot routine behind the ball. So, what purpose does that feel serve? We break it down below.
Rose’s unique pre-shot feel
If you’re a fan of Rosie, you’ve likely seen him rehearse a unique move when in his pre-shot routine where he takes the club to the top, and then sticks out his rear and pushes his chest toward the ground to initiate the downswing. It’s a strange-looking sight to the average fan, but it’s something that helps ingrain a great swing feel.
“I’m just trying to feel like I’m re-flexing as much as I can,” Rose says in the video above. “What it gives me is the ability to then jump and turn on the way through.”
That “jump and turn” is the key here. Because Rose hinges forward at the waist so hard while pushing into the ground, he gets into a position where he can then quickly extend his body during the latter half of the downswing. This extension helps get the club moving quickly through the impact zone and creates tons of clubhead speed.
“Theoretically, I’m moving my chest down and trying to open up,” Rose says.
It’s the key feel in Rose’s swing, and when he can execute it, he’s one of the purest ball-strikers on the planet.
