Shane is such a natural player who can comfortably control the shape and trajectory of his ball. Coaches often talk about the ability of a player who can hit all nine shot shapes/ windows and Shane can certainly do that with ease.
He focusses on good setup rather than the swing and I feel that’s what amateurs can learn most from – his naturally instinctive movement.
Shane displays some characteristics which may go against the grain when you listen to modern-day coaching and I love that.
His full swing characteristics such as narrow stance, left knee and club head working in, early wrist set, arms lifting, club face open and across the line, left wrist cupped, hips staying closed are points you’re maybe trying to correct in your own swing but sometimes thats not what’s needed!
Maybe it’s better to check your basic setup. Posture, ball position, alignment, grip and take it from there. Follow Shane’s example and allow the body and arms to swing the natural weight of the club with great rhythm and timing with no rush to strike the ball from the top. Develop an unrestricted, free-flowing action first then start to look at how you can improve things from there.
1. Shane sets up with a narrow stance with his arms hanging naturally under his shoulders. He implements a strong left hand grip.
2. He keeps his head still as he lets his left knee work in and right leg work back to start his swing. He allows the club to work in, similar to the great Sam Snead.
3. The right leg straightens further allowing his hips and chest to open naturally as his wrists set early
4. He continues to allow his chest to open as he freely allows his arms to lift.
5. At the top he’s created a superb chest turn with very relaxed arms similar to Fred Couples. He’s maintained the natural cupping in his left wrist due to his strong grip, allowing the face to stay open and move slightly right of target.
6. In transition he moves his lower half beautifully to the left, not allowing his hips to open early as his arms naturally fall.
7. As his arms continue to fall back in front of him, he stays closed to the target and, again, doesn’t allow his body to open early.
8. Again, he hasn’t excessively opened his hips as he approaches the ball – he simply continues to allow the arms to drop and stay relaxed while the club moves into a beautiful 45 degree angle with his shoulders still closed to his target.
9. Impact: his upper body stays well behind his lower body, allowing lots of time for the club face to square up. You can see how square his shoulders and club face stay well through impact as his arms beautifully return under his shoulders, just like in his setup.
10. There’s no stall in the motion as his right side continues to follow his free-flowing arms as his left elbow bends.
11. He continues to allow his right side to move through as his arms work beautifully around his body.
12. A full arm and body release as he balances perfectly on his left heel and right toe, showcasing an unrestricted and free-flowing action of both his arms and body through the ball.
Written by Stephen Deane –
Head International Development Coach for Dubai Golf
Stephen is an ambassador for Dubai Golf and coaches at their wonderful array of facilities whilst in Dubai. Stephen also spends a proportion of his time developing professionals, amateurs and VIPs internationally.
He has a passion for coach education and sharing knowledge and ideas with his colleagues and students.
