Today we study the essentials of the golf downswing by learning the downswing sequence from Nick Watney.
Nick is a great ball striker who seems to produce effortless power with his simple, fluid, and coordinated motion. As you watch his swing, you think to yourself, “not much that can go wrong with that swing…”, followed closely by, “I wish I could swing like that…”.
Without Balance Your Swing Will Always be Mediocre
Here is Watney hitting driver, at full speed. Note in particular his wide swing arc, his well balanced finish, and his utter lack of extraneous or jerky motion. It is a pretty swing, for sure. Have a look:
So where does all the “easy” power come from? Have a look at this slow motion video video, and pay particular attention to Nick’s downswing move as he attacks the ball:
Watney plants his left foot and tucks his right elbow on the downswing.
Key 1 – Reunite Your Right Elbow With Your Side
Watney’s position on the downswing (0:11) is nearly ideal: his right elbow is tucked to his side and his left heel is firmly planted. This allows him to keep the energy in his body contained for the final few feet until impact.
From a physics point of view, the downswing seeks to generate power by converting the stored energy of the backswing into clubhead speed delivered to the ball. An important mental image is that you want the clubhead to be traveling the fastest at the precise time you hit the ball (not before).
Key 2 – Gigantic Drives Need Well-Anchored Feet
The left heel gives a solid point to anchor the rotation of the club and body, and is a main source of power and consistency. The right elbow must return to the side to ensure good lag and an inside swing path, leading to a full release. The firmly planted left heel makes all these things much easier. Indeed, every great player, no matter what their swing looked like up until this point, looks like this as they are about to strike the ball. You need to look this way too.
Fortunately, you can easily check your position versus Watney’s (ideal) position in a mirror, or even at the range, and make corrections as needed.
Key 3 – Produce the Golden Triangle
To see how Watney’s swing looks from behind and down the line, check out this video:
Nick Watney with right elbow tucked to the side on the downswing, forming “the triangle” when viewed from behind.
Run the video to (0:09) to get the shaft parallel to the ground, for easy comparison to the side view. Note (again) his right elbow tucked to his side, and his left arm straight and on the swing plane, with the shaft parallel to the target line. It’s just about perfect.
The left and right arms form a “triangle” at this point in the swing, which is another easy thing to remember, and another good thing to copy in the mirror. All good golfers, regardless of their swing plane, or how their swing looked up until this point, look pretty much like this as they attack the ball.
Why is the triangle so universal? Simple. To form this triangle, you need to take an inside path to the ball and keep your head still. And you can’t hit a good golf shot without doing these things.
Three Unforgettable Keys for a Good Downswing
So, please remember the three basic keys to a successful downswing. These keys are universal. That is, these principles apply no matter your age, gender, swing plane, etc.
Return your right elbow to your side,
Plant your left foot firmly, and
Form a triangle with your right and left arms when the shaft is parallel to the ground.
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