Cameron Smith

A career-best year earned him a spot in the Presidents Cup

This Presidents Cup rookie has a swing that repeats.

It’s one thing to be representing your country in a Presidents Cup, says Australian tour player Cameron Smith, but it’s far more special when that competition is in your home country. When the matches between the United States and a roster of international players begin, Dec. 12-15 at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Smith knows he’ll be feeling extra pressure to perform well for the home crowd.

“But I love pressure,” he says. One thing that will aid in his goal to function under duress is the simplicity of his swing, says coach Grant Field. The two began working together when Smith was 10. “He’s very much an on-plane swinger,” Field says. “There’s not much that can go wrong. It’s a simple, connected, repeatable golf swing.”

That word connected is a key one for Smith, who is 47th in the World Golf Ranking. He’s focused this fall on making sure his arms and body work together as he takes the club back, working on a new “feel” for connection ( see below) that hopefully will be grooved in time for the matches with the Americans.

THE RIGHT START

The first few feet of the backswing are crucial to driving it well, Cameron Smith says. “If my arms get disconnected from my body, moving independently, it’s going to put me in a poor position at the top of the swing—laid off, arms too long and wide. I want to feel narrow going back.”

NARROWING UP

Another goal in the backswing is for Smith to hinge his wrists early, swing coach Grant

Field says. “This feeling of an earlier set also plays a part in having the narrower swing radius Cam talks about.” Adds Smith: “Allowing the wrists to hinge up earlier helps me keep connected.”

THE NEW FEEL

Although he’s not completely comfortable with a “feel” for his backswing that Field gave him to work on, Smith says it’s taking hold: “I’m trying to keep my arms and my body in the same motion for as long as I can. When that doesn’t happen, I know right away.

I just need more reps.”

“It’s a simple, connected, repeatable golf swing.”

STOP LIKE HIDEKI

The top of the swing here is a touch too long, Field says, but it has improved a lot since these photos. As he’s about to transition into the downswing, Smith says he likes to feel a pause. “Like Hideki [Matsuyama] does, but just a bit quicker. Then I want my arms to start to work down.”

WIDENING OUT

The goal when Smith moves into the downswing is to widen his radius, Field says.

“I want him to release the club earlier, with the right arm fully extending. Also, he should hold a little pressure in the trail leg and have a feeling that the arms are working more down and in front of his body.”

MADE FOR A FADE

Smith’s preferred ball flight starts a few yards left of his target and works back toward it. “He typically gets it to fade by setting up a little left of his target and letting the club exit through impact a little to the left,” Field says. “As long as the face is slightly open to the path, it will fade.”

EXIT STAGE LEFT

If you were standing behind Smith on his target line, the handle of his clubhead would disappear from view just after impact—blocked by his body. “You won’t see that extended followthrough look down the target line like you see with some pros,” Field says. “But that’s the exit we want for his fade.”