TOMMY FLEETWOOD – SWING SECRETS

One of the world’s best ball-strikers reveals his five key swing thoughts.

Any swing that delivers the club in a neutral position through the impact area is a good one in my book. Over the past few seasons, I’ve put in a lot of hours on the practice range to iron out the areas that, in the past, made me have to fight hard to get the club square and on the right plane coming into the ball. When I was a kid, I used to have a bit of a loopy draw that could easily get out of control if I wasn’t careful. While I still slightly favour that right-to-left shape, I’m

a much straighter hitter now and am also comfortable working the ball the other way. People often ask me if I lose distance when I grip down on the club for a little more control. My answer is that there’s no real loss of yardage because the quality of strike is invariably better.

1. At address, think only of good posture and alignment

My back isn’t as straight as a textbook swinger like, say, Adam Scott but I’m certainly not slouched at address either. I like to be athletic and comfortable, without being too rigid. Not everyone is built the same so you have to find the posture that works best for you.

I don’t really think about anything at set-up – except alignment, an area I need to monitor constantly. If your feet, hips and shoulders are square at address, your swing path is likely to be square, too.

2. Get neutral with your takeaway

I work hard on moving the club away on a good plane and path, neither inside or outside the ideal line. That means quieter hands and more of a one-piece move for the first few feet. I turn my left shoulder under my chin to set the club in position, but also move my arms and hands away from my body to create width.

I like to see the shaft of the club parallel to the target line when horizontal to the ground, with the toe of the clubhead pointing straight up in the air.

3. Keep it compact at the top

If I’m totally honest, I never really think about where the club is at the top of the backswing. I used to get across the line when I was younger and just starting out on Tour, but it’s in a much better position now. That’s down to my more balanced takeaway path. When I’m hitting an iron, I like my swing to be compact and just short of parallel at the top. With a fairway wood like this, the backswing will be a little longer.

4. Starting your downswing, hit against the wall

To achieve more stability and, in turn, deliver more power through the hitting area, I try to keep my left side firm with my left thigh staying solid. I like to feel like I’m hitting against a wall. This helps my bottom half stay square longer before turning towards the target. I splay my left foot

slightly open to help my weight move onto my left side starting down.

People often advise a three-quarter swing for control, but I’m not a big fan. I have to hit it hard and go all the way through.

5. Keep your right palm down

At impact, I want the club doing as little as possible and the hands even less. If I have a thought, it’s keeping my right palm facing down through impact. That helps me squeeze the ball out properly. If the right hand gets underneath the handle, the ball is going right unless you compensate. A fairway wood needs a level impact that brushes the grass. But with irons you need to take a divot, a thing I always check.

AT IMPACT, I WANT THE CLUB DOING AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE AND THE HANDS EVEN LESS