IT WILL GET TO A POINT WHERE IT DOESN’T FEEL FAST.”
swing where it is roughly parallel with the ground. From this “starting point,” they have to swing down and hit shots. The posi- tive results are almost immediate, he says. “It’s hip height to hip height. “They have to use their legs to do it. There’s no other way.” Sold on this idea? Then here’s more you can do to swing like Rahm Elderly golfers tend to lose leg strength first, Phillips says, so it’s a good idea to enhance your backswing work with some exercises. “I would protect the back, engaging the core and leg muscles,” he says. “If you lose core strength, you’ll start arching with your back and go into reverse spine angle. That is a problem with a lot of amateurs, ones that lack strength or are hypermobile.” Phillips also recommends you walk as much as you can. “Golf carts ruin leg strength,” he says. He also says to do 50 “air squats” a day for a month. To perform, extend your arms in front of you for bal- ance and just drop down bending from the knees. Go as low as you can without feeling pain. “You’d be shocked how strong your legs and glutes will get,” he says. Two other exercises that are great are deadbugs, which strengthen your ab mus- cles, and bridges for glute strength. Oh, and Rahm wants to leave you with one more thought about all of this: “Don’t think too much.” “I’m swinging my best when I have zero swing thoughts,” he says. “You can have one, but that’s it. Maybe do a little forward press before you start back with the club. After that, let your body subconsciously react to this quicker, shorter backswing. “Ideally it will get to a point where it doesn’t feel fast. It just feels normal.”
74 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026
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