Swing Sequence: Steve Stricker by Golf Digest

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By Ron Kaspriske
Golf Digest
Edited By Peter Morrice
Photos by J.D. Cuban

Quietly getting it done

Most golfers would kill to have Ernie Els’ easy rhythm or Phil Mickelson’s hand-eye coordination, but you rarely hear anyone say they want to swing like Steve Stricker.

“Ha! I guess not. But they should,” says Dennis Tiziani, Stricker’s father-in-law and swing coach. “I can’t think of a swing of a world-class player that’s easier to copy.”

The key to Stricker’s swing is, it has fewer moving parts: It’s a stiff-wristed action controlled by a big body turn. Most better players maximize wrist hinge on the backswing to gain leverage at impact — like cracking a whip — but Stricker’s wrists are fairly quiet. That’s why his swing is shorter, and why he’s among the top 30 on tour in hitting fairways.

“When you hinge, you need good timing to hit the ball where you want,” Stricker says. “By trying to eliminate wrist cock, my swing’s more under control.”

If you think J.B. Holmes’ and Bubba Watson’s swings look violent and powerful, you’d probably say Stricker’s is slow and graceful. But he generates power by turning his body and rotating his forearms back and through, compared to the last-second snap of the wrists you see in many top players. Tiziani says Stricker’s armsy action is more reliable under pressure.

“I try to make it simple. I take the left arm, rotate it to the top and don’t worry about the wrist set,” Stricker says. “I try to be as firm with my wrists as I can, and just turn through. I feel like that’s a more consistent way.”
–Ron Kaspriske
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AGE: 43 | HEIGHT: 6-feet | DRIVER: Titleist 909 D3, 8.5 deg. | BALL: Titleist Pro V1 (2007) | DRIVING DISTANCE (RANK): 278.8 yards (124th) | DRIVING ACCURACY (RANK): 67.7 percent of fairways (26th)

Here’s a tour swing you can copy
The world’s No. 4 player has a simple, repeatable move

Most golfers would kill to have Ernie Els’ easy rhythm or Phil Mickelson’s hand-eye coordination, but you rarely hear anyone say they want to swing like Steve Stricker.

“Ha! I guess not. But they should,” says Dennis Tiziani, Stricker’s father-in-law and swing coach. “I can’t think of a swing of a world-class player that’s easier to copy.”

The key to Stricker’s swing is, it has fewer moving parts: It’s a stiff-wristed action controlled by a big body turn. Most better players maximize wrist hinge on the backswing to gain leverage at impact — like cracking a whip — but Stricker’s wrists are fairly quiet. That’s why his swing is shorter, and why he’s among the top 30 on tour in hitting fairways.

“When you hinge, you need good timing to hit the ball where you want,” Stricker says. “By trying to eliminate wrist cock, my swing’s more under control.”

If you think J.B. Holmes’ and Bubba Watson’s swings look violent and powerful, you’d probably say Stricker’s is slow and graceful. But he generates power by turning his body and rotating his forearms back and through, compared to the last-second snap of the wrists you see in many top players. Tiziani says Stricker’s armsy action is more reliable under pressure.

“I try to make it simple. I take the left arm, rotate it to the top and don’t worry about the wrist set,” Stricker says. “I try to be as firm with my wrists as I can, and just turn through. I feel like that’s a more consistent way.”
–Ron Kaspriske

His lack of wrist set keeps the face from rotating open.

When his right elbow gets behind him, like here, he can overcook his draw.

Steve keeps his right heel down to use the ground for leverage.

This is great sequencing of the body at the ball: hips open, shoulders dead square.

You can tell Steve hits a draw because his left forearm is higher than his right.

Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/swing-sequences/2010-08/photos-steve-stricker#ixzz1fdL664QD

One Comment

1. 

   Mark Winkler

   February 17, 2012 at 7:40 am

   Try to copy this swing and game improvement is immediate, from chipping to driver your game will improve, trust me!

   Reply