Lee Westwood's swing

[Kieran123]

Anyone think his bent left elbow is weird? He cramps up so bad at impact.

Noticed it at the players, and wondered if this is why he slices it so much?

[DavidFehertysBike]

Its definatly a weird move...but he repeats it so the ballflight is predictable. Its probably the swing he had from when he was a jr player. There isnt much he can do about it at this point.

[muggs]

i'd like to have his swing problems.

[te3point5]

the slo-mo club drop to the ground was awesome. Other than that, defintiely doesn't look like a classic swing, but it defintiely works for him, and with my handicap, I won't question it.

[RC]

It is a typical European modern swing but on this one he is late clearing the hips. That seems to be a not infrequent miss for him. It is a very solid way to strike the ball and works quite well in windy conditions if you do it correctly, but he has to clear faster to square the club down the line or he pushes or flips.

[misty_mountainhop]

It's an old arm injury. He's locked out but it isn't straight.

[Titleist_ProV1x]

You could say that this swing flaw breaks down in pressure situations, costing him the one or two strokes during crunch time, or you could say that perhaps it’s his short game that has cost him the opportunity to win those majors.

The only way to find out would be for him to fix his ball position and/or his back swing, and when you’re talking about a guy making millions per year with what he’s got and not hurting himself in the process… why bother?

I’ll be enjoying Lee’s funky chicken for years to come, because like Jim Furyk, he makes it work for him.

But who’s to say how many majors it might have already cost him?

DJ Watts

[Tiger Spuds]

It's an old arm injury. He's locked out but it isn't straight.

Really?Never heard that before.

Strange looking swing alright.Even at address, his hips look cocked at a funny angle.Hinges his wrists very early too, massive head dip. Not exactly what you'd call a classic swing.

[i-Guy]

His swing definitely has some S&T; characteristics to it as his weight seems to stay on his left for the most part and his backswing is short and over his bicep (especially with his irons)...however, it is not totally S&T; as he has some extra moves and the S&T; promotes straight arms at impact (not bent like his left arm). Very interesting swing and just goes to show that you have to find a swing that works for you as the following applies:

1) There are no pictures on the scorecard

2) Tournament golf is not a contest of who has the most beautiful "classic" swing or Adam Scott would have won a lot more

3) Tournament golf is not a contest of who hits it the most accurately or Heath Slocum (FIR leader on Tour) or Anthony Kim (GIR leader on Tour) would have won a lot more then they have.

4) Proves that if you can find a reliable way to swing the club that works for you and have a solid short game you can score well

Believe me...you can pick on Lee's short game all you want but if you ever got to play with him you would be blown away by how good his short game is... and can he friggin putt or WHAT?

[iacas]

It's an old arm injury. He's locked out but it isn't straight.

Then how does he straighten it during the rest of his swing?

His swing definitely has some S&T; characteristics to it as his weight seems to stay on his left for the most part and his backswing is short and over his bicep (especially with his irons)...however, it is not totally S&T; as he has some extra moves and the S&T; promotes straight arms at impact (not bent like his left arm).

I think it's less like S&T; than most other PGA Tour players... but frankly his impact position is so gross I try not to look at Lee's swing much.

Hey, it works for him... (except when it doesn't).

[deronsizemore]

Anyone think his bent left elbow is weird? He cramps up so bad at impact.

It's weird... but I'd trade him.

[i-Guy]

I think it's less like S&T; than most other PGA Tour players...

I think it is his backswing motion that to me seems the most like S&T...in; that his backswing is inside more then most...his right leg virtually straigthens...and he tilts towatd the ball. I am no expert on the S&T; and even though I use the method since I have had no instruction maybe my visuals are not the same as someone who has taken lessons on the S&T; but when I watch Lee's backswing in slow motion (DVR) it sure resembles the things I think about in my version of the S&T; backswing...

[misty_mountainhop]

Sorry, but listen to yourself. Fix his ball position/backswing?? Fix?? And it hasn't cost him any Majors; no more than his shaky (in the past at least) putting/short game and the fact that someone else may just have gone and won the tournament in question i.e. Phil.

Really?Never heard that before.

Hmmm. Interesting insight from an 18 handicap. As for the business of his arm having an old injury, heard it from the man himself and I have no reason to doubt him.

Then how does he straighten it during the rest of his swing?

Who knows but I reiterate what I was told about his arm.

I think it's less like S&T; than most other PGA Tour players...

Nice. Fact of the matter is he's one of the straighter, longer drivers around and I don't hear anyone saying they wouldn't like to strike their irons the way he does. The "except when it doesn't" is simply dull; that could be said of anyone even the (not so great) Tiger Woods.

[iacas]

Again, haven't seen his swing much, but...

I think it is his backswing motion that to me seems the most like S&T...in; that his backswing is inside more then most...

Maybe. But being in the 60th percentile for "depth on the backswing" isn't enough to put him in that camp. And this isn't terribly "deep" to me:

his right leg virtually straigthens...

Now he's in the 30th percentile. 70 or 75% of golfers do this. Lee might do it more than most but S&T; never calls for your right leg to become "virtually straight" - it just has to lose flexion so your hips can turn on their inclined plane. How much is almost a matter of your setup position, flexibility, etc.

I don't think it straightens as much as you think:

and he tilts towatd the ball.

Yes, he tilts too much.

The players that maintain their head position are thus more "S&T;" ish than Lee.

I am no expert on the S&T; and even though I use the method since I have had no instruction maybe my visuals are not the same as someone who has taken lessons on the S&T; but when I watch Lee's backswing in slow motion (DVR) it sure resembles the things I think about in my version of the S&T; backswing...

If you're using S&T;, please do yourself a favor and find someone besides Lee Westwood as your model.

Who knows but I reiterate what I was told about his arm.

Yet evidence contradicts what you were told. I'll side with the evidence. His head dips so he HAS to bend the left elbow.

Nice. Fact of the matter is he's one of the straighter, longer drivers around

Not on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass. Bazinga!

Look, I don't know why you took offense (or seemed to) to what I said. I don't look at Lee's swing because he's talented and he makes a swing that violates some basic geometry that would making hitting the golf ball reliably very difficult for anyone but Lee Westwood.

[Tiger Spuds]

Big Westwood fan are we?No need to get defensive about it.I wasn't doubting your story about his arm, just hadn't heard it before.And the fact is, it

IS an unusual looking swing.He does have strange angles at address, and he does have a massive head dip that wouldn't generally be taught in a classic swing.And since when does your handicap dictate what you know about the Golf swing?Knowing it and doing it are two very different things.Zeph, for example.15 handicap and yet one of the more knowledgeable people on the forum for the Swing in general and ball flight laws etc.Might try keeping the toys in the pram.

[misty_mountainhop]

Not on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass. Bazinga!

Lol. Very true re. Sunday.

Big Westwood fan are we?No need to get defensive about it.I wasn't doubting your story about his arm, just hadn't heard it before.And the fact is, it

Fan, yes I guess so. I admire his no nonsense interviews as much as anything though. There are lots of things you wouldn't be taught. I'm sure LW wasn't taught it either.

And since when does your handicap dictate what you know about the Golf swing?Knowing it and doing it are two very different things.

True. But those in the higher handicap regions who know enough about a golf swing would, I suggest, be rare. I daresay that if you could plot handicap vs. understanding of the golf swing there would be a reasonable inverse straight line fit.

Zeph, for example.15 handicap and yet one of the more knowledgeable people on the forum for the Swing in general and ball flight laws etc.Might try keeping the toys in the pram.

If you say so. What makes me laugh (and this thread as much as anything illustrates it) is the fact that we, off our mish-mash hacker handicaps, propose that we can tell LW how to play the game; hysterical really when you think about it. Actually, what most people do is say what's wrong (in their humble opinion) but very few (none?) offer suggested fixes, how they'd influence striking etc and how to put them in to play. Anyone can criticise but it's a bit harder to be constructive.

[Tiger Spuds]

If you say so. What makes me laugh (and this thread as much as anything illustrates it) is the fact that we, off our mish-mash hacker handicaps, propose that we can tell LW how to play the game; hysterical really when you think about it. Actually, what most people do is say what's wrong (in their humble opinion) but very few (none?) offer suggested fixes, how they'd influence striking etc and how to put them in to play. Anyone can criticise but it's a bit harder to be constructive.

Well that would be quite true.Except for the fact that literally no one posting in this thread said anything about something in his swing needing to be fixed.As far as I can see, most just pointed out that there are unusual things in his swing, which there are.Didn't see anyone say that he needed to do something about them.There was one vague suggestion that some of his swing traits might 'cause him problems under pressure, which is a distinct possibility.

[misty_mountainhop]

...

Hmmm. Well, for starters, check out the post below:

...cost him the opportunity to win those majors.