Brooks Koepka
BIO: No. 8 Official World Golf Ranking; No. 11 PGA TOUR Official Money List; No. 15 FedEx Cup; No. 16 Average Driving Distance (309.1 yards); No. 12 Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee; 8 PGA TOUR titles; 4 Majors.
4D SWING: Saturday, Round 3. Hole measured 534 yards.
BACKGROUND: At -1, Koepka crushed the tee shot 337 yards into the middle of the fairway, leaving 186 yards to the pin. He hit it to nine feet but missed the birdie putt and settled for par. Koepka would go on to shoot even-par 71.
TAKEAWAYS
00:00:00 to 00:00:02 — Brooks sets up with a very wide base. The feet are much wider than the shoulders. This solid foundation is instrumental in producing average clubhead speed of 120 mph. I only recommend a wide base like this for very flexible players since it’s more difficult to rotate the body than with a narrow stance.
00:00:03 to 00:00:04 — You’ll see the left arm is very extended. He’s creating a wide swing arc as the club is working up to the top of the backswing. The wider arc helps to maximize power. In other words, the wider the “circle,” the more powerful the swing.
00:00:06 to 00:00:08 — The back of the left wrist is bowed (bent away) in relation to the forearm. This position causes the clubface to be closed. Brooks isn’t trying to hit a draw. Rather, he wants to fade the ball, and this wrist position allows the body to be more active on the downswing than the arms and hands.
00:00:09 to 00:00:12 — As the left hip unwinds, the right heel is pulled off the ground, identifying that his weight is almost fully transferred to the left foot just prior to impact.
00:00:13 to 00:00:14 — Notice the nice straight line formed from the left leg all the way up the torso. The line leans slightly away from the target because he’s trying to launch the ball high.
00:00:16 to 00:00:17 — The clubhead lags behind the hands while retaining the wrist angle. This is a sign of stored energy about to be unleashed on the golf ball.
00:00:18 to 00:00:19 — After impact, Brooks’ head stays down longer than most players. He’s in great position—a straight line from the right arm through the club shaft is textbook extension.
00:00:22 to 00:00:23 — The finish position is beautifully balanced. The torso is stacked on top of the left leg after releasing through the golf ball.
Next up: Rory McIlroy