Downswing Pattern

Class 4 - Basic Lower Body Patterns

Nick Clearwater

Head of Instruction at GOLFTEC

Summary

This lesson analyzes the lower body patterns during the downswing of professional golfers Louie Oosthuizen and Corey Connors, highlighting the importance of hip movement toward the target. It explains how proper lower body mechanics can improve shot quality and consistency, offering practical tips for golfers to practice and integrate these movements into their swings.

Key Takeaways:

Hip Movement:

During the downswing, hips should move toward the target.
Tour players typically move their hips about 2-3 inches toward the target from the top of the swing to when the lead arm is parallel to the ground.

Knee Position:

The lead knee should move forward about an inch from where it started at address.
Maintaining proper knee and hip alignment helps ensure accurate ball contact.

Avoiding Common Mistakes:

Incorrect hip movement away from the target leads to poor shots and slicing.
Keeping the trail knee flexed too much restricts hip movement and rotation.

Practice Tips:

Start by ensuring your feet are turned out 10-20 degrees at address.
Practice slow swings focusing on moving the hips and trail thigh toward the target.
Work on bending backward at the right time during the follow-through to maintain proper form.

By mastering these lower body movements, golfers can improve their downswing mechanics, leading to better shot accuracy and distance. The next class will focus on upper body patterns during the backswing.