Instruction
The benefits of maintaining flex in your rear knee during the backswing
A point of contention in the golf swing is whether the rear knee (the right knee for right-handed golfers) should straighten or remain flexed in the backswing. I personally believe it completely depends on the player, but in this story, I’ll discuss the benefits of keeping the flex in your rear knee throughout the backswing.
To gain a better understanding of the rear knee, let’s start where any good golf-instruction article starts; with photos of Tiger Woods.
As you can see, I’ve highlighted Woods’ rear knee in both a down-the-line and face-on view. You can see that he maintains flex in his knee at the top of the backswing, and I’ve noted where the majority of his weight has shifted, as well (highlighted by the yellow dot on the right). Now, as stated earlier, I don’t personally care what the rear knee does because it’s completely player-dependent, however, it’s an important move to comprehend as it can help you sort out a few different flaws.
In this swing, Tiger has kept the address position of his rear knee constant from address all the way to the top, and if you examine the photo closely you will notice several things.
1) When the rear knee holds it flex to the top, you will find that it will cause the hips to have a more restricted motion on the backswing.
You can see that Tiger has very little hip turn to the top, and, in most cases, the overall shoulder turn will also be shortened; unless, of course, you have Tiger’s flexibility! Therefore, you should understand that if you hold the flex in your rear knee to the top, it will likely shorten your swing and tighten your hip turn. In general, the more flex you have, the greater you’ll restrict your turn. This is great for players who over-rotate or lose control of their weight during the transition.
2) When the rear knee holds its address position to the top, the weight will stay on the inside of the rear foot.
Restriction of the hips is one thing, and we as teachers can argue that point until we’re blue in the face. Few teachers, however, would advocate allowing the weight to shift to the outside of the rear foot on the backswing. When this happens, your rear hip will slide out, setting up a reverse weight shift. This will cause you to “hang back” through impact, meaning there is too much weight on the rear foot during impact.
So if you go back to the photo of Tiger above and look at the yellow dot, you’ll see Tiger has maintained his weight on the inside of the rear foot. This gives him something to push off on during the downswing and provides him the stability he needs to use the ground most effectively. Whenever I have an amateur sliding around on the backswing, I tend to see poor pivots and over-the-top transition. So if you are having trouble coming over the top, I would suggest you make sure you do not have your rear knee sliding out from under you to the top.
I would suggest using a mirror to audit these motions, and you will begin to see and feel how the rear knee affects your backswing motion. Experiment to see what is best for you and remember that there is NO wrong answer for your game once you understand what really happens when you control the rear knee to the top.
Look out for my next article, where I’ll address the benefits of keeping your rear knee straight, instead of flexed!
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Bob Pegram
Jul 30, 2017 at 1:43 am
Contrary to a number of comments, it is possible to keep the right leg bent and still turn the hips. You just have to be flexible. Regular stretching helps a lot. Swinging a heavy club a number of times every day also increases flexibility and strength.
Jerry
Jul 25, 2017 at 6:28 am
If you look at Tiger’s swing in slo mo, you can tell that he DOES extend the rear leg a limited amount. So do not keep the rear leg static as it was at address.
Jerry
Jul 25, 2017 at 6:20 am
I’ve looked at a lot of vids of PGA pros and you DO see their rear leg straightening but it is not straight at the top of the swing. The amount of extension varies. Look at old vids of Palmer, Nicklaus, Hogan – the rear leg extends a certain amount. Look at vids of current players – in many it extends. Look at the ones who don’t – back issues eventually, especially if the front leg does not bend invwards a bit. In sum, don’t kill your back. It’s fine to extend the rear leg a bit. Older golfers may straighten it more to free up the rear hip and make a full term (their flexibility is limited).
asugrad1988
Jul 21, 2017 at 5:19 pm
I’ve just returned from volunteering on the range at an LPGA event. I have noticed a lot of the S. Koreans keep the right leg flexed.
Ude
Jul 21, 2017 at 6:56 pm
the slender girls or the stumpy girls, or both? You can see the bare legs of most LPGA players but none of the panted men on the PGA. Watch the LPGA if you want to see the golf swing from the ground up.
acemandrake
Jul 21, 2017 at 9:07 am
What is “GRF”? (I struggle with acronyms 🙂 )
Randy
Jul 21, 2017 at 1:09 pm
GRF=ground reaction force
acemandrake
Jul 21, 2017 at 3:59 pm
Thanks!
Ude
Jul 21, 2017 at 6:51 pm
Stickney = crickets * * * * *
AceW7Iron
Jul 21, 2017 at 7:32 am
Golf magazine has an article this month that says the opposite…it says you should NOT keep a bent rt knee but rather straighten it by pushing your hip back behind you. Claims a bent knee robs you of power and backswing width.
TR1PTIK
Jul 21, 2017 at 1:03 pm
Depends on the player which is exactly what the author stated at the beginning of the article. If you have the requisite flexibility to keep the right knee bent AND need to because your backswing is too long causing you to lose control of the club path, by all means do so. It’s something I’ve worked on and it helps. BUT, if you have poor flexibility in the torso and shoulders, feel free to straighten the right leg a bit more which will help you push the hips around and create a bigger swing. It fully depends on the needs of the player. There is no one-size-fits-all in golf.
JEC
Jul 21, 2017 at 5:48 pm
Poor flexibility or great flexibility…..it will eventually destroy your back. The human body is not meant to move is a such a fashion.
Ude
Jul 21, 2017 at 6:53 pm
and that’s why 95% of all golfers worldwide cannot break 100, without cheating.
JEC
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:20 pm
Golf coaches destroying the average players backs one lesson at a time.
Nathan
Jul 20, 2017 at 7:48 pm
Agreed, brutally poor advice that will lead to injury…but hey, gotta keep pumping out the articles…
Ude
Jul 20, 2017 at 7:51 pm
Best advice for the average golfer is GET RID OF YOUR BEER BELLY IF YOU WANNA SWING A GOLF CLUB!
Someone
Jul 21, 2017 at 7:01 pm
Jb Holmes, Jason dufner, John daly, Andrew johnston, and many more would disagree with your comment.
emb
Jul 20, 2017 at 2:41 pm
although tigers swing is a great model, the fact that he’s had numerous knee/back surgeries would point to some of his positions wearing excessively on his body. Maintaining trail knee flex is a move for a very very small percentage of golfers as most do not have the flexibility to successfully execute this move as it restricts hip and shoulder turn. Decent article but 95% of amateur should be losing flex/straightening their trail knees for more turn and less injury
prime21
Jul 22, 2017 at 6:26 pm
so you’re saying Tiger’s issues with his knee/back point back to him maintaining flex in his right knee during his backswing? You can’t truly believe that.
Jerry
Jul 25, 2017 at 6:14 am
Think about it. You are creating a lot of torque to your back if you do not extent the rear leg and free up the back hip while making your turn – will lead to back issues. If you look at a lot of pros, you will see some extension of the rear leg to free up the hip – the rear leg is not straight, but it extends.
Samwise G.
Jul 20, 2017 at 11:48 am
So, in your recommended model. The backswing should feel almost as if the legs don’t do anything but hold their position in the backswing (all upper body backswing feel)?
I tend to keep weight on the balls/toes if my rear foot when I try to maintain rear knee flex—it leads to strange problems (notably, right leg straightening in the transition/downswing and shifting my whole upper body forward and causing at last second flip to hit the ball straight) that took me a long time to trace back to how my rear foot was bearing weight.
If I let my rear leg straighten (hip feels like it goes straight back (not a sway / reverse tilt) then my weight naturally loads in my rear heel BUT, as you mentioned, the swing tends to get longer. My hands get deep in the backswing and it feels more “natural” (repeatable).
So, I guess my question is: Do all players who load correctly really few weight on the “inside” of their rear foot? Or, can some successful players feel weight loss in their rear heel (with rear hip going back, not sliding)?
Jerry
Jul 25, 2017 at 6:16 am
You can extend the rear leg but not straighten it completely to free up the rear hip and still feel weight on the inner side of the rear heel at the top.