SWING ANALYSIS
Warp Speed
tions forward ( above, fifth image ), a trait he shares with his idol, Tiger Woods. Having fast hands also pro- vides “insurance against him flipping the hands and clubhead through im- pact and hitting a hook,” says Ted, not- ing Michael’s lifetime use of a 10-finger or baseball-bat grip ( see page XX ). “For the clubhead to flip over, the hands have to stop,” Ted says. “But if there’s speed in the hands at impact, there’s little chance the clubhead can overtake his hands and flip.” Ever since Thorbjornsen started playing golf, fast hands has been one of his big go-to feels. Another one, he says, has been to “keep his head very
IN HIS SECOND SEASON on the PGA Tour, Michael Thor- bjornsen (“Thor,” for short)
is really bringing the hammer. The 25-year-old former Stanford All-Amer- ican has claimed his first victory, and he ranks in the top 30 on tour in driv- ing distance (313.3 yards) and 12th in total driving. Much of Thorbjornsen’s power and consistency comes from a big, wide backswing turn and solid clubface control, which he achieves by having very “fast hands” on the down- swing, says his father and swing coach, Ted Thorbjornsen. Michael’s hands separate quickly from his right shoulder as he transi-
Fast hands and level hips fuel Michael Thorbjornsen’s
electric swing BY DAVE ALLEN
46 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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