Watson's Shortcuts : Two ways to hit it consistently - choosing a golf swing - Brief Article

I've always swung using my lower body in a rhythmic "rocking chair" motion. But the "Tiger Woods" swing mostly being taught today is based on a big shoulder move. Which is right for you?

My method: the rocking chair

In the rocking-chair swing, the left arm, hip and knee turn away from the ball together--like the connected parts of a rocking chair--on the takeaway. Then the lower body leads the downswing, the left knee staying flexed through the ball. The head stays behind the ball through impact.

In the modern method, by contrast, the coil of the upper body is the focus of the backswing, not the lower body. The turn of the shoulders turns the hips, then the hips initiate the downswing by turning back the other way. The upper body uncoils through the hitting area, with the head behind the ball at impact but moving well past the ball after impact. The legs are quieter throughout, and the left leg straightens in the impact area.

Which method is for you?

I'd say whichever one allows you to return the club more squarely to the ball with more power.

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