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denispughThe UK's top tour coach writes exclusively for GN
denisThe UK's top tour coach writes exclusively for GN
in association with...
P
aul Casey's rise to the lofty
position of world number three
has been a long-time coming,
but is no less deserved for one
of the hardest working and most
driven players in the game. His recent win
on the PGA Tour, which he followed up with
his front-running victory in the BMW PGA
Championship, is just reward for all the good
work he put in over the winter in Arizona with
his coach, and all-round guru, Peter Kostis.
The pair have been working together since
Paul's first year at Arizona State University in
1997, and have formed a great relationship
on and off the practice range, based on
mutual admiration and respect, as well as a
willingness to try new things.
Paul has always been a great shot-maker,
and has the ability to shoot the lights out (as
he did when blitzing his way to victory in the
World Match Play in 2006), but has been let
down in the past by his consistency, or lack
of it. He's always been one of the best drivers
in the game, but Kostis has helped add that
vital element of control into his game, which
allows him to not only be long, but accurate
too, which has turned around his fortunes on
the distance-obsessed tour venues. Because
of his power, he is also able to hit higher-lofted
iron shots into greens than many of his rivals,
which gives him added control around the
putting surface � a great asset when trying to
get close to tight pins.
How does he do it? Well, it helps that he's
strong. Paul's physique is perfect for long
hitting, blessed as he is with a compact frame,
combined with Popeye-style forearms and
stocky, powerful legs.
One of the key elements of his swing is
his great balance. He distributes his weight
evenly on both feet, which are both planted
firmly on the ground during full swings. This
forces him to release his hands and arms
past his body, and gets him turning properly.
His set up is what I'd call `athletic' - poised
for action � with the knees flexed, weight
balanced over the balls of his feet, with no
hint of tension anywhere in his body. His
arms hang naturally and his hips are neutral.
His knee flex is ideal, with his shoulders,
knees and feet perfectly lined up.
In the backswing, he's worked hard on
making sure that all parts of his body start
to move at the same time in the takeaway.
Hands, arms, shoulders, and hips all start to
move and turn simultaneously.
At the top, Paul is as perfect as you can get.
The clubface is square and the underside of his
left forearm is even with the top of his shoulder.
Paul's perfect top position allows him to start
his downswing with his lower body. He retains
the flex in his right knee and a release of his left
knee allows the left thigh to move behind the
ball. This is a classic power position. Also his
hips begin clearing, but his shoulders are still
back, creating tons of rotational speed.
A full turn is crucial to powerful hitting, and
this comes from your upper-body position
at the top of the backswing. The equation
is simple: the more you turn away from the
target, the more torque you generate. It can
feel like you are almost screwing yourself into
the ground. You don't want to create a fake
turn by only swinging with your arms and using
too much wrist action. You will never hit the
ball consistently that way. Think `turn and coil'
and load yourself up like when you pull back a
rubber band and let it go. If there's one thing in
Paul's swing that you should try to imitate, it's
how he blends the swinging of his arms with
the turning of his body.
In the downswing (see top picture), he
replants his left heel, with the left leg in position
to accept the swing coming forward. The
belt buckle is still facing the ball, the hips are
clearing, yet his shoulders are still closed.
Creating this separation between hips and
shoulders allows him to retain a 90-degree
angle between the club's shaft and arms.
His follow-through (see second picture)
is a mirror image of his backswing. When
these two positions match, it means you're
swinging on plane. His left elbow is lower
than his right and that shows he's totally
released the club, which is a great move to
copy. So is the way he's maintained his spine
angle throughout his swing.
At impact the best players don't think about
the hit - it's simply about letting the ball get in
the way of the clubhead. Aim to swing through
the target for as long as possible. A golf swing
is a combination of balance and co-ordination
and the top drivers rarely topple over. The
speed of the clubhead will pull you through
after contact and you should finish the stroke
with a perfectly balanced, high finish.
Mentally, Paul is a tough customer and has
a fearsomely positive attitude, which is clear
to see as he strides down the fairway. Some
people have mistaken this for cockiness, but
those that know him know that it is down to
focus. Only when he holed that five-footer on
the 18th at Wentworth did he allow himself that
slightest of celebrations, but you could see
what it mean to him. A major title beckons.
Denis Pugh gets to grips with the power-packed
swing of Paul Casey, the highest-ranked English
professional in the world since a certain Nick Faldo
Casey's compact swing is built around
great rythym and raw strength

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