Instruction
How does Rory hit it so far?
The U.S. Ryder Cup team will have to deal with Rory McIlroy’s long drives all weekend long, whether it’s in a team format or singles play. Although length off the tee won’t be the deciding factor at Gleneagles in Scotland this year, it will allow McIlroy — the world’s No. 1 player according to the Official World Golf Rankings — and his playing partner a decided advantage over their opponents (unless he’s playing against Bubba Watson, of course).
He has established himself as one of the longest drivers on the PGA Tour, dominating major championship golf courses and his competition off the tee. According to PGATour.com, McIlroy averaged 310.5 yards per drive in 2014, and ranked behind only Watson and Dustin Johnson in average driving distance this year. How does one of the smallest players — he’s 5 feet 9 inches and 160 pounds — rank No. 3 on Tour in distance off the tee?
According to Men’s Health, McIlroy credits his form to the strength work he started with British trainer Steve McGregor back in 2010.
“What has all that work in the gym given me?” McIlroy asked. “I don’t think I hit it any longer, I just don’t need to try and hit it.”
He is now able to maintain form and balance throughout the swing.
“I feel like I can hit it harder without losing balance,” he told MH. “The length of my driver hasn’t increased that much but I just feel like I don’t have to go after it as much to get the length.”
This newfound strength is creating stability and control throughout the swing, which allows him to hit the ball longer distances without throwing himself forward.
“I feel a lot more stable in my golf swing,” McIlroy said when asked about the benefits of his workout plan. “There’s a lot less moving parts.”
So let’s go back a few years to see what McIlroy has been doing, which is now paying dividends to his performance on the course. From an interview in 2012 in Men’s Health, McIlroy said that he started strength and condition training with McGregor in 2010. After a series of fitness assessments, McGregor saw an imbalance of muscular strength on McIlroy’s left side. From there, a plan was designed to first remedy that. The focus was on the lower body where power is generated.
In 2011, Dr. Greg Rose, founder and director of the Titleist Performance Institute, performed a biomechanical assessment to understand McIlroy’s incredible hip speed. According to Dr. Rose, McIlroy’s pelvic rotation is an amazing 720 degrees per second on the downswing. To put that in perspective, the average armature golfer’s pelvic rotation is 300-to-350 degrees per second and an average tour professional is 550 degrees per second.
What was even more unbelievable was the so called “double clutch move.”
[youtube id=”YDxkaHXzYQs” width=”620″ height=”360″]
What Dr. Rose saw was that McIlroy’s hips reversed direction for a split second during the downswing at a speed of 377 degrees per second in the opposite direction. This phenomenal movement is created because of Rory’s strong core and abdominals.
“This is just crazy,” Dr. Rose said about his hip movement in the interview with ESPN Sports Science.
Prior to the 2014 season, McIlroy visited the GlaxoSmithKline GSK Human Performance Lab for physical testing to understand what is needed to maximize performance for the 2014 season. He endured a series of assessment to determine oxygen efficiency, strength proficiency and nutrition strategy and planning.
According to GSK Human Performance Lab, McIlroy stated, “Coming to the GSK Human Performance Lab gives me detailed insight into the workings of my body and what I can do to improve my performance. There’s a growing number of players, both fitter and stronger, competing for majors every season, so it’s really important I look at the physical and cognitive performance aspects of my game to ensure I keep improving.”
McIlroy’s work in the gym has allowed him to combine natural gifts and physical fitness. It’s no wonder why he’s the world No. 1-ranked golfer, and No. 3 in average driving distance on the PGA Tour.
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!
RBC Heritage Tour Report: More minis, course-specific setups, Spider & GTS launches
Justin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
Best fairway woods of 2026: The most versatile fairway woods + the most forgiving fairway woods
What’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
Cadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
The 24 players who can win the Masters
Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB: 2026 Masters
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
J.J. Spaun’s winning WITB: 2026 Valero Texas Open
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus...
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
Driver: Ping G440 Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft:...
WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2021 Truist Championship
Rory McIlroy’s victory at the 2021 Wells Fargo Championship 2021 (now the Truist Championship) marked a significant return to form,...
Collin Morikawa WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D LS (8 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade SIM Tour (14 degrees) Shaft:...
-
Equipment2 weeks agoJustin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
-
Equipment1 week agoWhat’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
-
Equipment2 weeks agoCadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
-
Whats in the Bag3 days ago
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
-
Whats in the Bag1 week agoCameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
-
Whats in the Bag3 weeks agoNelly Korda WITB 2026 (April)
-
Equipment2 weeks agoJustin Rose on the switch to McLaren Golf, learnings from previous equipment moves
-
Tour Photo Galleries2 weeks agoPhotos from the 2026 Cadillac Championship
Ken Lines
Feb 11, 2015 at 12:20 pm
One of the best ways to gain clubhead speed and control is to train running up hills. There is no shortcut/whatever that will help. Worked for Jerry Rice and Art Monk.
Johnny
Feb 17, 2015 at 11:14 pm
Tell that to John Daly…
Josh
Dec 21, 2014 at 6:25 pm
Click Here!
zutui
Oct 20, 2014 at 1:11 pm
jizi yes
zoots
Oct 1, 2014 at 1:29 am
What’s the scientific advantage of the “double clutch move”? Nothing explained on that. Maybe he would hit it longer without it…
Mbwa Kali Sana
Sep 24, 2014 at 12:48 pm
I feel strongly that most golf teachers and so called “golf experts ” in this article and in this blog focus on the wrong issue :RORY’s hips go fast because he swings fast “WITH HIS ARMS “:just read Ernest JONES , Miguel DE LA TORRE ,Paul KNUDSON,and present great AMERICAN teacher Mike BENDER :all of them “swing the club “…. and the body follows :the core ,the lower body are important but are not the prime movers .The SPANISH way of playing as exemplified by SEVERIANO BALLESTEROS ,JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL, SERGIO GARCIA is with the arms and with the wrists :all these guys used to play “pelota “or “pala “and developed considerable speed and strength in the arms and wrists ,as well as running around to catch the “pelota ” gave them a lot if strength in the legs and lower body .
Look at ANGEL CABRERA ,the top Argentine player,he is of the same school of golf and he is no short hitter .
Do not confound the “HEN “and the “EGG “!
marcel
Sep 24, 2014 at 2:30 am
thats no science – when you fit, exercise you can use your muscles to their capacity… There are longer drivers than Rory but Rors does it all day long where others get tired and inconsistent!!!
Gym workout and practice!!
gplfing
Sep 23, 2014 at 5:48 pm
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Long hitters like Jack, is front leg actually move backwards at
impact, using the big muscles is the only way to control impact.
airie arrington
Sep 23, 2014 at 3:34 pm
Great site!
Nick Cinzilla
Sep 23, 2014 at 10:42 am
Dave, can you explain how each segment slows down and brakes after transferring speed to the next segment to create a whip-like action?
Dave
Sep 23, 2014 at 1:33 pm
hey Nick I will have that ready in a day so stay tuned.
thanks
Teaj
Sep 23, 2014 at 9:33 am
if you can create the same swing with less effort and more control of your body why would you not want to work out to achieve that.
Dave
Sep 25, 2014 at 2:00 pm
Teaj, so true. That is the main point of this article.
thanks
Jake Anderson
Sep 23, 2014 at 3:43 am
Rory McIlroy had a great swing that produced a lot of speed. When he started working out this is what took him to the next level. It is the same thing that Tiger Woods did. It is as easy as that:
1. Take a great swing
2. Work out hard
3. Profit
Jack
Sep 23, 2014 at 2:01 am
He hits it hard because he has a good swing and swings really hard. Now let’s continue over complicate it.
MHendon
Sep 23, 2014 at 1:10 am
I tell ya, I watched the sport science video and I’m not convinced his hips move in reverse. What I see is a split second stop of the forward hip rotation at the moment his Left leg braces for impact then the hips accelerate to keep up with the continued movement of the upper body.
Bollix
Sep 23, 2014 at 3:16 am
I agree. I think it’s purely a “rebound” reaction of the upper body/arms/hands to the moment of impact of the club with the ball that the hips must stop in order to control the club face and shaft to be in line with the direction where he’s trying to hit the ball, because his swing sequence is so poor that this is the only way that he can actually “hold on” to that impact without losing it. Other players tend to “squat” but because Rory uses his hips instead of his legs, this is how it looks.
Because his sequencing is so bad, we do see him spray it now again if he doesn’t fully commit to the violence of the shot and pulls off it just a little bit to hit a smooth one. He can only fire through and full release the energy at the ball in order to hit with any kind of control.
dxb
Sep 23, 2014 at 12:19 am
What is an armature golfer?
NoCalHack
Sep 23, 2014 at 12:41 am
Meh. Rory hits it far because he just does. He has great technique and efficiently uses his body to move the club head fast. As much as his trainer and the performance lab would love to take credit, his exercise regimen has almost nothing to do with it. If only it were that easy. Ha!
Jeremy
Sep 23, 2014 at 3:03 pm
Um… what’s easy about dedicating yourself for several years to tune your body into the best form for the demands of your sport?
NoCalHack
Sep 23, 2014 at 5:31 pm
Yeah, working out is easy enough. If it were all about strength and flexibility, then there’d be plenty of Olympic gymnasts on tour. It’s about TECHNIQUE. That’s what Rory has that none of us could develop in a million years. That’s what I’m saying.
Do you honestly think that a proper workout regimen is going to make you hit it considerably better? Maybe if you’re terribly out of shape. But you’d be better off getting a good instructor to get a better swing.
K. Sanford
Sep 23, 2014 at 12:16 am
This is a great article and I like the responses that I’m reading. But I think we are missing the big picture here that is presented in this article. Getting into to the best shape to play this game and understanding that the core “the bridge between lower body and the club” is not strong enough to handle the speed and power from the hips. It doesn’t matter if the hips are going forward, reverse before or after impact, you will lose your spine angle and inconsistency will follow. Dave’s responses with Dave Phillips article on “Hips Speed Good or Bad” is a great article coupled with this article about core strength.
Jesse
Sep 22, 2014 at 11:38 pm
This is just ridiculous (in an unbelievably awesome way) i am not denying at all that this happens, but cant wait to see avg joe try to mimic this move at the range lmao
Dave Davis
Sep 22, 2014 at 11:12 pm
For exercises that will help strengthen your core, go to this link
http://www.golfperformancefitness.com/golf-fitness-professionals/
Hieronymus
Sep 26, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Are those things real?
Jeff
Sep 22, 2014 at 10:52 pm
What Dr. Rose saw was that McIlroy’s hips reversed direction for a split second during the downswing at a speed of 377 degrees in the opposite direction.
377 miles per hour, maybe kilometers/hr. Not degrees.
P
Sep 22, 2014 at 10:56 pm
You are incorrect. Rotational speed is measured in degrees/second, or cycles or radians, therefore the good doctor is correct.
Jeremy
Sep 23, 2014 at 3:08 pm
Rory’s hips do not move at half the speed of sound, I don’t care how much he works out.
Eh
Apr 18, 2015 at 10:49 am
actually this is basic physics; his hips definitely don’t move linearly at half the speed of sound but is rotating at a much greater speed. The input of power is greatly increased when you’re rotating it on a fixed point.
P Davis
Sep 22, 2014 at 9:27 pm
I really enjoy the dedication into explaining the science behind the game. It is “truly more than the eye can see” great article
ams165
Sep 22, 2014 at 8:37 pm
Anybody want to mention his driver et up.
I’m sure this has a little to do with it…
Happy Gilmore
Sep 22, 2014 at 7:57 pm
It’s all in the hips..
It’s all in the hips..
Dave Davis
Sep 22, 2014 at 9:31 pm
Dave Phillips, Co-founder of TPI provides a great answer to the question, in an article published April 5, 2013 “Hip Speed Good or Bad?
“It is know secret that hip speed is an asset when it comes to creating power in the golf swing but can it also be a detriment? The answer is categorically YES…in fact Rory McIlroy has the fastest hip rotational speed we have ever tested and pound for pound he is one of the longest and most powerful players on tour, but there is more to it than just hip speed. The sequence of great players is a blending and thus a building of speed between the lower body, torso, arms and club. If one of these segments over powers another you can actually lose speed and not maximize what you have…The good news is that much of this can correct itself by developing a stronger core and oblique abdominals, in elite level golfers with great sequences of movement their hips fire but are controlled by the firing of the next segment, in this case the torso, this allows the arms to get into the correct position to deliver the club with the maximum energy into the ball.”
http://www.mytpi.com/articles/swing/hip_speed_good_or_bad
Philip
Sep 22, 2014 at 6:39 pm
Dave, you should look at the video of Rory again. It clearly shows his hips going backwards after the ball has left the club and the club extended to almost 3 o’clock. As they noted in the video, it isn’t a reason for his length, but an indicator of the amount of torque his abdominals generate during the downswing.
Dave Davis
Sep 22, 2014 at 10:48 pm
Thanks Philip for your responses
Here is something to consider. If Rory’s hips reversed after impact and then accelerated after the ball was hit, that acceleration of hips would have no impact on the displacement of energy on the ball cause the ball was no longer on the face of the club. Thus, this must occur prior to impact in which the human eyes can not detect, because they are only able to capture 15 frames per sec. This is when technology is used to record this fascinating movement.
The reason for Rory’s hips moving in reverse is to create more acceleration in the downswing which creates more club head speed. By reversing his hips prior to impact and then accelerating even more provides a boost by the speed and force of his hips through his kinetic chain. Because of his strong oblique muscles that are mentioned by Dr. Rose of TPI, the result is increased ball speeds of 175 mph plus. Dr. Rose also stated Rory’s hip speed is 720 degrees per sec. in the “downswing”. This is important to note.
Phil Cheetham, TPI Advisor and co-founder of Skill Technologies Inc. developer of real-time motion measurement systems, including 3D-Spine, 6D-Research, 3D-Gait, 3D-Golf and 3D-SkillCheck, stated in an article March 17, 2014 “The Linear Kinematic Sequence”
“Notice that these accelerations and decelerations are all before impact and that the only segment that doesn’t decelerate prior to impact is the club head. As we would expect, the club head accelerates during the downswing and reaches max speed at impact. Notice that each successive peak speed occurs later in the downswing than the previous one and is faster than the previous one.
In fact, it is not as important what the speeds of the joints are at impact but what their maximum speeds are earlier in the downswing. We expect their speeds at impact to be lower because of the deceleration phase of each joint as it passes energy to the next segment – each joint is slowed down by the interaction force of the next segment accelerating against it”.
To read the full article click on this link for details
http://www.mytpi.com/articles/biomechanics/the_linear_kinematic_sequence
ESPN Sports Science http://youtu.be/UeF9-U5r3So
Dave
Sep 22, 2014 at 11:11 pm
It does happen after impact. The reversal of the hips is a consequence of the hips firing as far as they can, stabilizing, recoiling and then being pulled through by the momentum of the upper body. There is no “second firing” as you (and in the past Johnny Miller) have described. The reversal is an after effect of the hips stabilizing.
Philip
Sep 23, 2014 at 12:15 am
Dave, I do not understand why you are refering to an article about an average pro golfer that does not have Rory’s backward hip movement? Yes, the kinetic sequence all happens before impact, just like Rory, however, in Rory’s case his hips happen to reverse and then get pulled through impact instead of just stopping and getting pulled through impact as the graph shows. The article does not even mention Rory’s particular hip action (at least from my read of it).
Looking at the video about Rory’s hips you can clearly see from both the high-speed camera (which is quite a bit faster than 15 frames a second) and the kinetic imaging that the reversal of the hips is “after” he hits the ball.
And seeing that you mentioned the frame rate of the human eye. The USAF has already tested the human eye successfully at 220 frames a second and they think is higher. Computer game developers, video card makers, and monitors manufactures all admit they have barely scratched the speeds the human eye can perceive and that is at 400 frames a second. Remember that our eyes pull in data constantly in an average 170 degree arc. Some think our “frame rate” may in the tens of thousands. We do not perceive our visual environment at any frame rate. Only our technology is limited to frame rates for visual recording. Our best technology has still yet to approach what the human eye and brain can do.
Our technology is more the limit than our eyes. Playing back a video recorded at 30/60 frames a second is showing the fact that the recording device is too slow to capture the movement, not our naked eyes. I’ve stepped away from golf balls hit towards my head at speeds over 100 mph from only 30-45 feet away. I waited until the ball was a few feet from my head before I casually stepped away because for me the ball was moving in slow motion and my brain did not perceive a danger. To everyone else they only saw a blur and they started yelling at me to move immediately. Our senses are pretty amazing when we actually trust them. Of course, I played baseball when younger and I am used to objects being thrown or hit towards me at those speeds. I’ve driven cars over 120 – 150 mph. What about pilots flying at speeds more greater than the speed of sound at low altitudes.
Sorry got off topic there. Still an interesting article for discussion.
Dave
Sep 23, 2014 at 1:43 pm
Lol, thats ok Philip that you got off track, you are a deep thinker and i appreciate your response and yes it is an interesting article for discussion.
thanks
Mike
Sep 22, 2014 at 5:27 pm
The video in this article is wrong. His hips don’t begin moving backwards until at/after impact.
Dave Davis
Sep 22, 2014 at 10:58 pm
Mike thanks for your response,
The video is used for a visual aid because the golf swing of a professional is about 1.05 seconds and the human eyes can only capture 15 frames per sec. The movement actually happens a split sec before impact. To our eyes looking at this video that is showing around 60-120 frames per sec, it looks like it happens at or after. But, through technology with 3DTPI K-vest which captures 180 plus frames per sec., it provides the true story.
Thanks
Jake
Sep 22, 2014 at 5:18 pm
ESPN Sport Science for visual proof.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS8xaWleuRk
Jason
Sep 22, 2014 at 5:11 pm
It’s not his teqnique or physical ability, it’s the Nike covert and kuro kage shaft, duh!
alex mcdermid
Sep 22, 2014 at 8:56 pm
when he puts the nike green machine in play he will be averaging 350
sam
Sep 22, 2014 at 4:16 pm
Wow, that is incredible.
jb
Sep 22, 2014 at 3:56 pm
The “double clutch” is just his right hip complex reaching maximum contraction/peak extention then relaxing, then continues to rotate as the momentum of the upper body takes him into the follow-through.
Dave
Sep 22, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Exactly, +1…thank you!
steve
Sep 22, 2014 at 3:04 pm
in the hips,yes
MWP
Sep 22, 2014 at 3:02 pm
science
bradford
Sep 22, 2014 at 3:32 pm
art.
MWP
Sep 22, 2014 at 6:33 pm
fish
Derek
Sep 23, 2014 at 12:11 am
LOLOLOL!!!!