Downswing Like The Pros Drill: Modern Golf Swing

I added the Downswing Like The Pros Drill to the Golf Practice Planner today because the new, modern downswing is a lot of fun. You’re gonna love it.

Name
Downswing Like The Pros Drill

Category
Long Game Practice Drills

Difficulty
3 out of 10

Time
15 minutes

Props
Any golf club. Golf ball. Golf Practice Planner.

Overview
The Downswing Like The Pros Drill will teach you the new, modern downswing move. The goal is to gain separation between your upper and lower body. That’s what all good swings have in common.

The more you slide your hips on the downswing, the more the club will be coming into the ball on a “vertical” path. If, however, you rotate everything together (hips and chest) on the downswing you’ll be on an “out” path. You want a healthy blend of both the vertical and out paths (commonly known as dropping the club into the “slot”).

Steps

Step 1: Watch
Watch the video below.

Step 2: Pelvis Open Shoulders Closed Feel
Pause at the top of your backswing, and on the downswing feel your pelvis start to open as your shoulders stay closed (see image below). That gets your body rotating while keeping your arms reasonably connected with your body (that’s a good thing).

Your knees will feel very open, and your body will feel very loaded and powerful in this downswing position.

To feel the “pelvis opening and shoulders staying closed” feel for your downswing, try this downswing drill.

Part I: Take your club across your shoulders (see image below).

Part II: Swing to the top (see image below).

Part III: At the start of your downswing, open your hips while keeping the club pointed back to the right (closed shoulders). See the image below. Ultimately this happens from the sequencing of the backswing. Just before you complete your backswing, the hips start opening while the shoulders remain closed. 

Step 3: Watch Jon Rahm In Slow-Mo 
The pro who does this modern downswing really well is Jon Rahm. Below is a slow-mo swing of Rahm. Spend 10 minutes watching it to soak up the “pelvis opening and shoulders staying closed” feel for your downswing into your subconscious. This may seem too easy. It is easy! But easy is good. You want to make this game as easy as you possibly can, and the best way of doing that is using your subconscious brain because it is hundreds of times more effective than your conscious brain when swinging a club. 

Step 4: Competitive Practice
Do 10 “Pelvis Open Shoulders Closed” shots (see step 2).