2008 Ryder Cup - Ian PoulterIan Poulter is probably the most controversial pick of the European side. Faldo has said that his run at the Open Championship this year helped in the decision. The Euros hope he brings that type of game, as he took the spot most thought would go to Darren Clarke or Colin Montgomery When you watch Poulter swing his driver take note of his setup. His stance width is great. You can see that the insides of his feet are shoulder width apart. This gives him a very stable base. It also makes his swing a little flatter. It is good to have a flatter swing with the driver. It helps sweep the ball off the tee. There has been a lot of talk about how Tiger's swing caused his knee injury. It is true that the snapping of the left leg past impact put a lot of stress on his knee. Poulter does a great job of finishing on a straight leg without putting undue stress. A straight leg in the finish position helps with your balance.
Return to 2008 Ryder Cup Players from Poulter Copyright 2006-2012 Free-Golf-Lessons.com
 |
PGA Tour Winner Quick Lesson
Congratulations to Steve Stricker on his victory at the 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
I believe the commentators said he has won 9 times in his 40s. That is amazing!I also agree with Sir Nick and Johnny Miller that his swing will be copied in the future. Technology has reduced the need for hand action in the golf swing to generate power. Watch the old videos of Bobby Jones to see how much action he created compared to that of Steve Stricker.
A great objective for any player is to eliminate any unnecessary movement. Stricker does a great job of that. His hands stay very quiet on the backswing. His wrists hardly hinge at the top of his backswing. You can see from the above video that his backswing is all shoulder turn.
His downswing starts from the hips and he simply turns everything through the golf ball at the same time. His hands and wrists release naturally without any effort. This is a great way to have a consistent rhythm through the golf ball on every shot. This swing delivers enough power to win on Tour.
European Tour Winner Quick Lesson
Congratulations to Louis Oosthuizen and his victory at the 2012 Africa Open.
Louis burst onto the scene with his dominating performance at the Open Championship. Many have predicted multiple wins for this player. His victory this past weekend is likely one of many to come.
In the video above pay really close attention to when the video ends. Take a look at his left foot. Notice how all his weight his on his left heel. This is a great sign that he has cleared his hips properly.
One of the key reasons for starting the downswing with your lower body is to clear your hips out of the way to create more room for your arms to swing through impact. It is a great indicator as to how well you cleared your hips, when almost all your weight is on your heel.
If your weight is leaning on you toes or even the middle of your foot then you have not rotated and cleared your hips enough through your downswing and past impact. You really want to feel the pressure of your weight on your heel like Oosthuizen.
Make sure you start your downswing with your lower body. At the top of your backswing; either pull your left knee or your left hip (right handed player) towards the target. Also make sure your hips keep rotating through impact and into your finish position with your weight on the heel.