Non-traditional Pro Swings

[MNUte]

So watching highlights from the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open, I was again pleasantly reminded that Jon Rahm is another "non-traditional" swinger. Rahm almost never goes past 9 o'clock in his backswing, has a pretty flat swing, and yet still gets power (multiple 295+ carry drives) and spin. 

Watching him, Matt Wolfe and others over the past few seasons have been helpful reinforcement of the idea that you can be successful without being 100 percent by the book. Between that and DJ's mantra of never hitting with more than 75% power (or whatever level you lose control beyond) has helped my game immensely. 

So who are some of your favorite "Non-traditional" swingers? And have you gained any insights or knowledge from watching them?

[RickyBobby_PR]

I don’t believe in the concept of a “traditional swing”

Everyone has their own swing. Trevino, Jack, Arnie, Player. Seve, Norman, Tiger.

However they all do a good job at pressure shifts and getting the club in a good position in/around p6 and thru impact. They hall had different finishing positions too.

Many consider Adam Scott to have the “perfect” swing but if you listen to Gankas talk about his time Scott you’ll learn he had faults that he wanted to fix.

[Micah T]

Pro’s might all be different at takeaway and at the top, but all virtually identical at impact...


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[GolfSpy MPR]

9 minutes ago, Micah T said:

Pro’s might all be different at takeaway and at the top, but all virtually identical at impact...
 

I don't think that's true:

EDIT: I'm not trying to be abrupt or confrontational. But that is a line I've read and heard often. It is certainly the case that there is more obvious variety in swings in the takeaway and transition then there is at impact. But there are still non-trivial variations at impact. I suspect it would be difficult for DJ to get from his backswing to Furyk's impact position and vice versa.

[ncwoz]

15 minutes ago, GolfSpy MPR said:

I don't think that's true:

EDIT: I'm not trying to be abrupt or confrontational. But that is a line I've read and heard often. It is certainly the case that there is more obvious variety in swings in the takeaway and transition then there is at impact. But there are still non-trivial variations at impact. I suspect it would be difficult for DJ to get from his backswing to Furyk's impact position and vice versa.

I'm just still amazed that Furyk can get into Furyk's position at impact haha

[RickyBobby_PR]

18 minutes ago, GolfSpy MPR said:

I don't think that's true:

EDIT: I'm not trying to be abrupt or confrontational. But that is a line I've read and heard often. It is certainly the case that there is more obvious variety in swings in the takeaway and transition then there is at impact. But there are still non-trivial variations at impact. I suspect it would be difficult for DJ to get from his backswing to Furyk's impact position and vice versa.

Yea they all have some uniqueness to their impact positions that match up with they wrist angles and the way the body has to rotate and release but at impact what you will find is the pressure on the lead leg, some amount of right bend for righties and left bend for lefties with some bend in the trail arm and shaft lean with irons. Hips are going to be open around 30* and shoulders starting to open.

There’s some exceptions like rickie whose hips stall because of his steeper shaft as a result of a flat back swing and he then has to throw arms/hands at the ball to square up

[russtopherb]

Perhaps a better way to phrase things is that "all that matters is what happens at impact". There are lots of ways to deliver a club, some more efficient than others, however as long as the ball's being hit in a way where the face and club path match up to give the desired flight, then it's a good swing.

[00sportsman]

Perhaps a better way to phrase things is that "all that matters is what happens at impact". There are lots of ways to deliver a club, some more efficient than others, however as long as the ball's being hit in a way where the face and club path match up to give the desired flight, then it's a good swing.

I saw a spot on television a looong time ago where an instructor was making this very point. He kept hitting balls with the ugliest swings he could invent, but would square the club face and path up at impact. Really nice shots no matter what the swing looked like.

I wish I could remember who it was.


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[Kenny B]

How about Hosung Choi...

 

[cnosil]

1 hour ago, 00sportsman said:

I saw a spot on television a looong time ago where an instructor was making this very point. He kept hitting balls with the ugliest swings he could invent, but would square the club face and path up at impact. Really nice shots no matter what the swing looked like.

I wish I could remember who it was.


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Adam Young has been doing something similar recently.

 

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKh4vyyJfmJ/

 

 

[Micah T]

I don't think that's true:


EDIT: I'm not trying to be abrupt or confrontational. But that is a line I've read and heard often. It is certainly the case that there is more obvious variety in swings in the takeaway and transition then there is at impact. But there are still non-trivial variations at impact. I suspect it would be difficult for DJ to get from his backswing to Furyk's impact position and vice versa.

I wouldn’t take it from you as “confrontational”: I love that disagreement doesn’t mean a flame-fest here. I should clarify that what I mean is that most pro’s:
Cover the ball with their chest
Have forward shaft lean at impact
Continue rotating past impact
Club exits low and left
Like these gents...


There are always exceptions of course



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[Hook DeLoft]

I enjoy watching unusual swings. Bob Rosburg, Doug Sanders, Miller Barber, Lee Trevino, Jim Furyk, Matthew Wolf.  My favorite is Eamonn Darcy. Now, that is an odd looking swing. 

[JalanK]

I enjoyed watching Craig Stadler, Ray Floyd, Payne Stewart, Jim Furyk, Lee Trevino, Fred Couples and Bruce Lietzke. Lietzke grooved an over the top fade, which required little practice to maintain, and made a good living never playing more than 25 tournaments in a year. 

All had different swings, but all of them played well.

Edited February 6, 2021 by JalanK