COLLIN MORIKAWA

Average drive 295.2 yards

TIMING: RELEASE POWER AT THE RIGHT TIME

The 24-year-old American is a similar height and weight to Rory – and like the Ulsterman, it hasn’t stopped him getting to the top of the game. Collin’s more measured swing and modest (by tour standards) distance makes his action an interesting counterpoint to the tour’s legion of bomb-and gougers; instead of brute force, we have an object lesson in the art of timing. His swing reaches peak speed at the perfect moment… and he can help yours do the same.

How rotation helps timing

When we looked at Dustin Johnson’s action, we discussed how aggressive rotation creates rotational force. As these images show,

Collin harnesses this power source too… but it also reveals how rotation helps timing.

Flexed trail arm reveals delayed release

By the time we reach the top of the backswing, we have gathered angles in our wrists and elbows. These angles act as powerful levers, storing energy until they are expanded and deployed. In a well-timed swing, this happens through the ball. We can see this in action through Collin’s trail arm – still kinked at impact and not fully extending until well after the strike. This is in contrast to many club golfers, who expend these angles well before impact and end up with a dead, snapless strike.

The shoulder-ball gap

The difference between those two actions is rotation. As Collin turns through the ball, his trail shoulder moves closer to it. It’s this shortening of the distance between shoulder and ball that allows his elbow to retain its flex. Contrast that with a side-on impact where the golfer has no room to rotate; the trail shoulder never gets closer to the ball, so the arm straightens. That’s a poorly-timed and weak strike every time.