REACHING THE TOP ON PLANE
Butch is hands-on again here because this is where I need to set the club at the top so that I can just swing down and let it go. I don’t want to have to manipulate the club on the downswing. As Butch says, the func- tion of the backswing is to set up the downswing to where you can easily get back to the ball. If I nail this set position, I don’t have to steer the club coming down. It feels like a direct path. Even though we got my left arm more vertical halfway back, I was still a little laid off at the top, meaning the club was too far behind me and pointing left of my target. To set the club more on plane, I need a little more hip turn. When Butch nudges my right hip back, the club slots in the perfect position – pointing directly at the target (below). When no one is around to eyeball what I’m doing and make sure I don’t revert back to my flatter backswing, I use an old swing thought Butch got from Greg Norman back in the day: Greg used to think, R P B , or Right pocket back . When I turn my right hip deeper, my backswing is spot-on.
“Unless you have exceptional mobility, the popular idea to restrict your hips on the backswing to create resistance as you turn your shoulders is bogus. Most players, Rickie included, need to turn their hips fully to complete the backswing. For less-flexible players, I even recommend a closed stance (drop the right foot back) to give the trail hip a head start. So go ahead and turn your hips as much as possible. You’ll make a bigger move behind the ball and have more to hit with on the downswing.”
BUTCH SAYS COPY THIS!
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 45
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024
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