Matthew Wolff
BIO: No. 32 Official World Golf Ranking; No. 40 PGA TOUR Official Money List; No. 53 FedEx Cup; No. 6 Average Driving Distance (315.3 yards); No. 174 Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee; 1 PGA TOUR title.
4D SWING: Friday, Round 2. Hole measured 507 yards.
BACKGROUND: Wolff came to No. 6 at even-par. He ripped driver 333 yards. It found the left rough, leaving 180 yards to the hole. He gauged it out to 41 yards short of the green. Wolff made a nice up-and-down for par, then birdied the next two holes. Wolff shot 3-under par (68) on the day.
TAKEAWAYS
00:00:00 to 00:00:02 — Matthew’s setup is fundamentally sound with a straight line from the left shoulder to the clubhead. His spine tilts slightly away from the golf ball prior to unleashing a unique swing that averages 122 mph clubhead speed.
00:00:03 to 00:00:05 — As he carries the club to the top of the backswing, the right arm stays unusually straight and he utilizes almost no wrist cock. Although this move is very unusual, it sets up the swing for what happens next.
00:00:06 to 00:00:08 — The late elbow bend causes the club shaft to point right of the target at the top of the backswing. Although the backswing may look unorthodox, it’s very natural and one in which Matt’s instructor never tried to change for the sake of looking “better” on camera.
00:00:09 to 00:00:10 — The magic in Matt’s swing happens from the top of the backswing down to impact. The right arm is bent and maintains its position to impact. (A bent right arm means stored energy!)
00:00:11 — Matt has tremendous flexibility in the lower body. The hips are unwinding at impact while the shoulders point down the target line.
00:00:12 to 00:00:15 — The spine angle is similar to the address position. He hasn’t lifted up or popped out of that angle.
00:00:16 to 00:00:17 — There’s a lot of torque in his swing. At impact, the hands are slightly ahead of the clubhead. He doesn’t throw the clubhead at the ball. Instead, the clubhead is pulled around the body and is last to reach the ball at impact.
00:00:18 to 00:00:19 — Notice the massive rotation in the lower body. The left foot jumps up and backward as a result of the hips unwinding.
00:00:21 to 00:00:23 — A perfectly balanced finish worth copying. The torso and left leg make one straight line, which indicates the body’s shifted through the ball. And, he’s on the toes of the right foot with virtually no weight on it.
Next up: Bryson DeChambeau