Instruction
Swing efficiency: How ugly golf swings win
Shaun Webb is a PGA Class A Member, a TPI Level 2 Golf Instructor and certified K-Vest Level 2 instructor.
A question I am often asked as an instructor is, “How can golfers with swings like Tommy Gainey and Jim Furyk hit the ball well enough to win at such a high level?”
Fortunately, with the aid of 3D motion capture systems, we now have been able to identify the true measurement of a good golf swing and have the answer to how unorthodox swings can produce such successful careers. The answer is very simple, SWING EFFICENCY. Before we dive in any further, let me ask you a couple of questions.
- Are you tired of taking lessons and not improving?
- Are you working tirelessly on positions of the swing but still not striking the ball the way you would like?
If you answered yes to either of these questions, you may be in need of some education on the subject of swing style versus swing efficiency. Let start with the subject of swing style: this is how your swing looks on video and to the naked eye or with a video camera. For example, Ernie Els has a more classic swing style, while Jim Furyk has a unique swing style. Both are great ball-strikers and both swing in way that suits them.
So what is swing efficiency? Swing efficiency is how your swing measures and performs and does NOT take into account the way your swing “looks.” Swing efficiency cannot be measure with video and is only measured using 3D technology such as K-Vest 3D Motion Analysis. Swing efficiency looks at the way your body produces energy and power during the golf swing and is quantified using a measurement called the kinematic sequence.
The amazing thing about the kinematic sequence is that two very different swing “styles” can have nearly identical kinematic sequence graphs. Again, Els and Furyk are excellent examples of this fact. Although these two players have swings styles that are on opposite ends of the spectrum visually, they incredibly similar swing efficiency (kinematic sequence) graphs.
For you to better understand the kinematic sequence, it helps to imagine snapping a towel or cracking a whip. The first thing you would do is accelerate the handle of the whip to generate speed. You would then rapidly decelerate the handle to transfer speed to the next part of the whip. The same thing happens in great ball-strikers. Their lower body represents the handle of the whip and the club shaft represents the end of the whip.
The fact of the matter is that all great ball-strikers begin by generating speed from their lower body and transferring that speed through their torso into their arms and then into the club. What style they use to complete this signature is completely unique to each player.
So what does all this mean to you, the frustrated golfer?
It means that you should immediately stop focusing on how closely your swing resembles Tiger or Rory on video camera and ask yourself the following question:
“How can I make my golf swing get the job done?”
The problem is that the typical golf lesson focuses only on swing style and does not even take into account the efficiency of your action. The traditional lesson consists of the instructor pulling up a video of you swinging next to Tiger or Rory. The instructor then proceeds to draw a series of lines proving to you that your swing isn’t performing because you have not put the club in certain “positions” throughout the swing. The instructor then let’s you know that once your swing looks like Tigers or Rory’s you will magically hit the ball much better.
Although this seems like it should work, in reality this style of instruction does not address the most important aspect of solid ball striking — you guessed it, SWING EFFICIENCY. It often boggles my mind how many instructors actually believe that the swing has to “look” a certain way in order to be effective, or that the body and club need to be in any number of positions in order to be considered “good.” In actuality, there is one major determining factor that separates good ball strikers from great ones. I’ll give you a hint — it’s not that the club is “on plane” during the take away.
The amazing thing is that all great ball strikers have the same kinematic sequence or the same signature of generating speed and transferring speed throughout their body. So how can you take advantage of current technology and start training for swing efficiency as opposed to swing style? Your first step would be to locate an instructor in your area who has access to 3D motion analysis technology. The instructor will attach sensors to your body and have you hit balls as he collects the data and generates a graph of your kinematic sequence. Using this data he will answer the following questions:
- Is your swing efficient or not?
- Where is the efficiency breakdown (takeaway, transition, or downswing)?
- What is the cause of the breakdown (physical limitation, mechanics, equipment)
With this information the instructor can give you a concise plan of attack to improve your swing based on one or all of the three areas of efficiency breakdowns. Armed with this information you can then begin a solid training plan that will have you on your way to improved swing performance in the shortest time possible using your own unique swing! You will be training like a tour player and focusing on what matters most in your golf swing. Instead of making swing changes just for the sake of making it “look” different, you can now objectively look at your swing and only make the changes that produce more efficiency.
I hope that now you have a different understanding of what is a “good” golf swing and strive to learn more about how to make your swing more efficient. In closing, just remember not to ask yourself how you can make your swing look like your favorite tour player.Instead ask yourself, how can I make my swing get the job done?
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There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
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” on RG.org 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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gabe
Aug 2, 2014 at 5:10 pm
I don’t care about my golf score, if it takes me ten, twelve shots to complete the shortest par 4.
After nearly 10 years of hacking around the course, in the early morn at daybreak b 4 most can see me, I still pursue a far more elusive goal than scratch: Looking fabulous in the full motion of a full swing, completed.
If there are any instructors out there who can guarantee to make me look fantastic on every swing, no matter where the ball goes, I’d pay good money from oldest child’s College fund, or his piggy bank.
After viewing videos, 6 years apart, I know this is unthinkable, but I actually look much much worse lately than I did in 2008.
HELP!!
Nathan
Sep 17, 2013 at 11:05 pm
Good points here. One thing I’ve found very underrated in instruction is the sound of the swing, the whoosh. I’ve only been golfing heavily for a year but I find when I’m not hitting well I can get back on track by using my ears. Sometimes I’ll close my eyes and when I open them I realize I’m swinging much closer to my feet than before. I just want my swing to sound like Rory’s then I’ll be content.
tlmck
Dec 13, 2012 at 7:22 pm
I cannot remember who said it, but I remember some guy saying all great players share one feature in their swings and that is the position at impact.
Bryan
Dec 13, 2012 at 9:52 am
Great article. Shaun can attest my “bad” swing would make Furyk look traditional, but it’s effective when shortened and slowed down to let everything work together.
Shaun Webb
Dec 9, 2012 at 11:01 pm
Thanks for the kind words everyone…much appreciated
Kris
Dec 5, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Great job Shaun, I really enjoyed this article. I’m an instructor in Scottsdale at Boccieri Golf and we use the K-Vest almost exclusively when teaching. The rapid improvement in our students is simply amazing. It’s hands down the quickest way to improve your golf swing. Keep up the good work.
Doug
Nov 30, 2012 at 5:15 pm
A real Eye-Opener Shaun! I recently took a series of lessons with the goal of improving consistency. I thought the lessons were pretty high tech, in that they involved video analysis, and using motion sensors to track hip and shoulder turns, with on screen comparisons of my swing positions to pro swings, and on screen lines tracking swing plane, separation etc, etc. BUT, at the end of the lessons my swing became so disjointed and erratic, that I put away my clubs and took a hiatus from golf. Your article described my experience to a “T”
Peter Minot
Nov 30, 2012 at 4:50 pm
This is by far one of the best articles on the golf swing I have read in a long time, as a former teacher I use to tell the student I give two lessons 1 I can teach you how to swing the club or 2 I can teach how to get around the course with the swing you have. I always use to laugh at the statement you must keep your left arm straight on the back swing or your back swing should look like such and my responce always was I have never seen anyone hit the ball on the back swing, it only needs to be straight or as l like better is firm at impact.
Shaun Webb
Nov 29, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Thanks Jordy I really appreciate your input and I’m glad you enjoyed it
Jordy
Nov 29, 2012 at 11:38 am
Hi Shaun,
I’m not used to comment on here, but this is a very nice article which talks about having our OWN swing.
Unfortunately, Youtube videos, magazines or even tv show (all about golf for sure) shows us how to drive like Rory or play long iron like Tiger etc etc…
So on one hand, it’s a good thing because we can see how beautiful their swings are, but on the other hand it’s a bad thing because it doesn’t push us to develop our own swing.
Anyway you did a really good article Shaun.
Jordy – from France 😉
Matthew
Nov 27, 2012 at 10:00 pm
* And i truly believe that this is why Michelle Wie has struggled so mightily. She got where she was BEFORE David Leabetter got ahold of her swing, it used to be fluid and strong, and clearly became mechanized through time. I personally watched them destroy her swing. Sad.
Matthew
Nov 27, 2012 at 9:57 pm
I could not agree more. at the age of 14 I was a +1 hcp, and I decided to go to highschool at the IMG David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, FL. While there, we spent copious amounts of time working on “positions” and the “3 step backswing” and no time at all working on the individual and what got them there in the first place. I personally got infinitely worse as a result.. they tried to instill a quick wrist set, toe pointing the sky, quick release after impact and a lower finish around the body etc… I left with a scoring average around 78.. significantly worse than when i arrived. I subsequently quit the game, put the clubs in the garage, and didn’t play a sober round of golf for 3 years. Luckily over that time i forgot everything they ever told me, and have since gotten “MY SWING” back, and am proudly playing to a +3hcp, and as a golf professional try to maintain this valuable lesson in all of my teachings. To those who teach positions: you don’t know SH*T. thanks.
andrew cooper
Nov 27, 2012 at 12:34 pm
Interesting stuff, good article! Somewhere I think a lot of golfers and coaches lost sight of the fact that the swing is essentially an athleitc movement. The obsessive quest of seeking “perfect” static positions through the movement screwed up so many otherwise good athletes.
And the positions broadly take care of themselves when a golfer learns good sequencing anyway-not the other way round. Good to see new technology being used to actually help golfers.
Think you’re really on the money with this!
Shaun Webb
Nov 26, 2012 at 7:48 pm
Thanks Trevor. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
SW
Trevor
Nov 26, 2012 at 1:13 pm
This is a really good article. I think the points listed in this article are a very good reason why Ben Hogans 5 Lessons book sold so many copies, it teaches the fundamentals and helps build efficiency in your basic golf swing. This article says the same thing! Efficiency is key to consistency.
Greta stuff!