RAFA CABRERA BELLO

THE STATS

happens because he increases the knee flex in his lead leg and the trail leg straightens a little.

At the top his arm structure is fantastic, with the lead arm covering his shoulders and the butt of the grip in line with the inside of his trail forearm. These are some good checkpoints to have in mind for your own swing.

Rafa’s downswing starts with a great lower-body drive. His hips have turned back into the same position as at address before his hands get lower than his right shoulder. This is a move to copy if you come ‘over the top’. The centre mass of the club falls behind the path of his hands and the shaft passes through the middle portion of his bicep. This helps him deliver the club from inside the target line.

At impact, his belt buckle is facing the target. At this point his shoulders are open, but less so than with many other players. This is why Rafa releases the club with a rolling of the hands. From here, he continues the body rotation into a wonderfully balanced finish.