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Shake and bake! How schoolyard dekes can recharge your downswing

November 18, 2018

Great ballstrikers tend to squat from the top, even if just a little. No one did this better than Slammin’ Sam Snead, who’d reach the delivery point with his knees both bent and apart and his legs noticeably flexed (see photo below). This springloaded downswing is a must to max out your power — and potential — to its fullest.

Brian Manzella
Shifting and squatting at the start of your downswing is a classic power move.

Want to squat like Sammy Snead? You know you’ve done it correctly if your left knee flexes out over your left foot and your right knee stays back.

TRY THIS

Think of the shifty fake that NFL ballcarriers use — they move one way to make the tackler commit, then explode in the other direction, causing a whiff (see photo below).

Brian Manzella
Resurrect your schoolyard dekes to supercharge your downswing with every iron in the bag.

That, in essence, is the Snead Squat. As you near the top of your backswing, push out and down with your rear foot to “pre-load” your shift back toward the target. When you transition, increase that down and out pressure and explode to the left. Your left knee should flex out over your front foot. You’ve made the fake and are in position — Slammin’ position.

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