Instruction
What you can learn about the golf swing from an NFL quarterback’s throwing motion
The more I have studied the golf swing throughout my coaching career, the more I have realized its similarities to a throwing motion… but not just any throwing motion. The movements necessary to properly swing a golf club are remarkably similar to the way an elite, efficient NFL quarterback throws a football.
Why a quarterback and not a baseball pitcher? Pitchers throw the same distance every time (60 feet, 6 inches) with a ball/strike percentage of just 62 percent. An NFL quarterback has to be more accurate and precise under different circumstances, making a variety of throws from different lengths. As for their accuracy? Often a quarterback’s 30-yard pass is into a windows the size of a receiver’s hands, and the difference of a few inches determines whether a pass was a huge success or complete failure.
I had the opportunity to sit down with one of the best in the business, Todd Downing, quarterback coach of the Oakland Raiders, to discuss the similarities.
“The longer the motion, the more margin for error,” says Todd Downing, quarterback coach of the Oakland Raiders.
When it comes to throwing mechanics, Downing works on limiting motion to develop speed, consistency and efficiency. He works on shortening the stroke of the throw to make it as efficient as possible. “The second an extra moving parts start to go, a big sweeping motion with the arm will occur, which is not necessary,” Downing says about a quarterback’s throwing motion.
In golf, when we limit excess movement, players will have a greater chance of a consistent and a more efficient strike, and more efficiency equals more speed and distance. If you look at any sport, great athletes seem to do more with less. For example, a quarterback’s effortless throwing motion producing a 60-yard throw; a simple golf swing producing a 300-yard drive; or the smooth home-run swing of Ken Griffey Jr.
The similarities between the two motions — a quarterback’s throwing motion and a PGA Tour player’s golf swing — as well as how they are taught is striking. In both sports, the target is in front of you and both motions should be trained to produce forward inertia, with the body moving toward the target. As it turns out, there are also several misconceptions about the two motions.
The Setup
In both golf and the quarterback position, getting into the proper setup is key to making an efficient motion. The better position we start in, the better chance we have to succeed. In both sports, we have 100 percent control of our posture, so both should be practiced, maintained, and put us in a position to make the most effortless, efficient stroke possible.
In golf, when a golfer sets up with incorrect body angles at address, then he or she will have to “find” the correct impact position on the downswing, requiring more motion and timing to be successful. That results in inconsistent shots.
“It starts with the setup,” Downing says.
When a quarterback is not in the correct posture when he throws, for example, or had to throw with his body in the incorrect position with bad balance, the chances of accuracy are diminished. The quarterback has to try and find his correct throwing shape or posture. If both a golfer and a quarterback start correctly, the chances of accuracy are increased.
The Coil and Throwing Position
This position has by far the most similarities, as well as misconceptions. In the golf swing, the backswing is a coil, which should have a golfer’s body move the proper direction and amount. This allows golfers to swing down and through in the most efficient way possible: going toward the target.
Note that I used the word coil and not the word turn. This is a common misconception; I’ve found that golfers who think about turn tend to get what I call “over-rotated” and/or turned in the wrong direction, which causes a lack of power.
If you correctly fold up your right arm in the backswing with the correct sequence, you can allow your glutes to load and body to be pulled into the proper coil position. Attempting to consciously create a bigger shoulder and/or torso rotation is not required and is a false sense of power. Over-rotating or consciously trying to turn your upper body from the start can result in your body tilting toward the target and downwards, as shown below, which is incorrect.
“Why would you twist [your torso] when you want to drive forward?” Downing says.
This goes back to the false sense of power previously mentioned. in both athletic moves, a big rotation away from the target is not required.
Below is a great drill to feel the proper coil. Get into your correct golf posture with just your right arm holding the club. Fold up your right arm, and then grip the club with your left hand. As your left arm moves around to grab the club, allow your right glute to move back and the left side of your body to move out. If this changes your backswing position, it will be for the better. You’ll notice how much more powerful the new position is as you swing the club into impact.
The same is true with NFL quarterbacks, Downing says. The quarterbacks that struggle are “the ones that feel like they need that long, throwing motion to develop speed.” Downing works to tighten loose throwing motions, making them more efficient and resulting in more speed.
The Finish Position
Downing teaches what’s called the “flamingo finish” for his quarterbacks, which can be translated to golf and is a great drill for many golfers. A flamingo finish is one where a quarterback can lift his trail foot completely off the ground as the right shoulder is over the lead foot. This drill is especially great for golfers that hang back with their upper body in the swing.
Below is a picture of the NFL Raiders quarterback Derek Carr in the “flamingo pose.”
How do we use this for our golf swing? Getting your right shoulder over your left foot (for a right-handed golfer) in the finish position is a great way to make sure your right side has rotated around through the shot. “Standing tall” in the finish is a product of your upper and lower body working properly through impact.
As a drill, hold your finish and make sure you can lift your right foot off the ground. This is an indication that your weight has moved forward through the shot.
Lastly, a point about work ethic. Downing usually starts his day at 5:15 a.m. and leaves at 9 p.m. The quarterbacks he works with tend to share the same work ethic. The desire to constantly improve is a requirement for both a player, and a coach, to reach the peak of your sport.
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Instruction
Clement: Stop ripping off your swing with this drill!
Not the dreaded headcover under the armpit drill! As if your body is defective and can’t function by itself! Have you seen how incredible the human machine is with all the incredible feats of agility all kinds of athletes are accomplishing? You think your body is so defective (the good Lord is laughing his head off at you) that it needs a headcover tucked under the armpit so you can swing like T-Rex?
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Instruction
How a towel can fix your golf swing
This is a classic drill that has been used for decades. However, the world of marketed training aids has grown so much during that time that this simple practice has been virtually forgotten. Because why teach people how to play golf using everyday items when you can create and sell a product that reinforces the same thing? Nevertheless, I am here to give you helpful advice without running to the nearest Edwin Watts or adding something to your Amazon cart.
For the “scoring clubs,” having a solid connection between the arms and body during the swing, especially through impact, is paramount to creating long-lasting consistency. And keeping that connection throughout the swing helps rotate the shoulders more to generate more power to help you hit it farther. So, how does this drill work, and what will your game benefit from it? Well, let’s get into it.
Setup
You can use this for basic chip shots up to complete swings. I use this with every club in my bag, up to a 9 or 8-iron. It’s natural to create incrementally more separation between the arms and body as you progress up the set. So doing this with a high iron or a wood is not recommended.
While you set up to hit a ball, simply tuck the towel underneath both armpits. The length of the towel will determine how tight it will be across your chest but don’t make it so loose that it gets in the way of your vision. After both sides are tucked, make some focused swings, keeping both arms firmly connected to the body during the backswing and follow through. (Note: It’s normal to lose connection on your lead arm during your finishing pose.) When you’re ready, put a ball in the way of those swings and get to work.
Get a Better Shoulder Turn
Many of us struggle to have proper shoulder rotation in our golf swing, especially during long layoffs. Making a swing that is all arms and no shoulders is a surefire way to have less control with wedges and less distance with full swings. Notice how I can get in a similar-looking position in both 60° wedge photos. However, one is weak and uncontrollable, while the other is strong and connected. One allows me to use my larger muscles to create my swing, and one doesn’t. The follow-through is another critical point where having a good connection, as well as solid shoulder rotation, is a must. This drill is great for those who tend to have a “chicken wing” form in their lead arm, which happens when it becomes separated from the body through impact.
In full swings, getting your shoulders to rotate in your golf swing is a great way to reinforce proper weight distribution. If your swing is all arms, it’s much harder to get your weight to naturally shift to the inside part of your trail foot in the backswing. Sure, you could make the mistake of “sliding” to get weight on your back foot, but that doesn’t fix the issue. You must turn into your trial leg to generate power. Additionally, look at the difference in separation between my hands and my head in the 8-iron examples. The green picture has more separation and has my hands lower. This will help me lessen my angle of attack and make it easier to hit the inside part of the golf ball, rather than the over-the-top move that the other picture produces.
Stay Better Connected in the Backswing
When you don’t keep everything in your upper body working as one, getting to a good spot at the top of your swing is very hard to do. It would take impeccable timing along with great hand-eye coordination to hit quality shots with any sort of regularity if the arms are working separately from the body.
Notice in the red pictures of both my 60-degree wedge and 8-iron how high my hands are and the fact you can clearly see my shoulder through the gap in my arms. That has happened because the right arm, just above my elbow, has become totally disconnected from my body. That separation causes me to lift my hands as well as lose some of the extension in my left arm. This has been corrected in the green pictures by using this drill to reinforce that connection. It will also make you focus on keeping the lead arm close to your body as well. Because the moment either one loses that relationship, the towel falls.
Conclusion
I have been diligent this year in finding a few drills that target some of the issues that plague my golf game; either by simply forgetting fundamental things or by coming to terms with the faults that have bitten me my whole career. I have found that having a few drills to fall back on to reinforce certain feelings helps me find my game a little easier, and the “towel drill” is most definitely one of them.
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Instruction
Clement: Why your practice swing never sucks
You hear that one all the time; I wish I could put my practice swing on the ball! We explain the huge importance of what to focus on to allow the ball to be perfectly in the way of your practice swing. Enjoy!
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Jeffrey Purtell
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:52 pm
I just laid some bricks down to repair my shed roof. The golf lesson I got was amazing. My handicap is going to plummet.
knoofah
Dec 29, 2016 at 3:24 pm
The best piece of advice in this article is the last paragraph, but I like what the author is saying.
Joe Brennan
Dec 28, 2016 at 1:55 am
Definitely helped my swing
MuskieCy
Dec 27, 2016 at 12:46 am
All quarterbacks would be better with hyper-precise change ups.
Sometimes, actually most times, with 300lbs bullets flying around a fastball all is all you have.
Alex
Dec 26, 2016 at 1:58 pm
Definitely one of the best articles I’ve read in awhile!
Double Mocha Man
Dec 26, 2016 at 1:07 pm
The Raiders are a playoff team this year. Though I don’t know if I’d be willing to break a leg to have a better golf swing.
Christosterone
Dec 26, 2016 at 12:03 pm
Awesome article…
Only problem was putting a Raider as ur archetypal QB…
I didn’t know they still had were an NFL team…though they moved to England or Canada…
????
Jk…great article A++++
-Chris
Dennis Jones
Dec 26, 2016 at 11:41 am
While I’m sure your article has some merit, the initial theory of a baseball pitcher not being as accurate as a quarterback is flawed. A pitcher isn’t trying to throw the ball over the center of the strike zone, if he did, it would result in a homerun almost every time. A quarterback isn’t trying to throw a screwball, change up, curve or slider. Each is different is their own way but don’t to confuse people with your misguided summation.
Double Mocha Man
Dec 26, 2016 at 2:36 pm
I’ve seen some QB’s throw screwballs and knuckleballs. And oftentimes they are required to throw a change-up.
Calheel
Dec 27, 2016 at 3:51 pm
Noticed Tebow at the QB position did you?
Double Mocha Man
Dec 27, 2016 at 10:24 pm
Except, now Tebow is trying to hit screwballs, knuckleballs and change-ups…