Take a look at Cameron Champ’s driver swing, with analysis from GCA lead coach Tom Rezendes.
TOM REZENDES is a Golf Channel Academy lead coach and the owner of Tom Rezendes’ NorCal Golf Academy, with two Bay Area locations in Walnut Creek and Dublin, Calif. For more information about Tom, one of Golf Digest’s “Best Teachers” in the state of California, and to book a lesson, please click here
This is how you want to start your swing. Champ hinges (i.e., bends) from the hips nicely at address, which promotes a straight back and puts the hip joints in position to create energy.
Champ does a good job of loading into his trail side while maintaining the width to his arms. He’s also lifting his arms, creating more leverage.
Look at the bush in the background and how much lower his head is than it was at address. He’s gradually lowering himself so he can spring up and explode later, which is all done through hip hinge.
Champ continues to squat down while fully coiling his upper body. His hands are already higher than his cap, a key to generating more than 130 mph of clubhead speed.
BEST MOVE: The flat lead wrist promotes a square to slightly closed clubface position at the top, while the shaft being a little across the line helps him swing down from the inside for maximum power.
Champ’s first move down is to bend even more at the hips, applying additional pressure into the ground so that his hips can go into full extension at impact - a very powerful move.
Now is where Champ’s unloading all of the energy he put into the ground and the club. He’s cleared his hips and is practically leaping off the ground, very reminiscent of Justin Thomas.
Pure gold! Notice the full extension to his arms through impact and how he’s maintained the same torso inclination to the ground that he had at address.
A textbook release - Cameron’s weight is moving into his lead foot and the club shaft is exiting on-plane, underneath his lead armpit.
Hard to believe someone with his clubhead speed and ball speed (193 mph-plus) can finish in such perfect balance. Note the massive amount of torso rotation and return of the high hands.
TOM REZENDES is a Golf Channel Academy lead coach and the owner of Tom Rezendes’ NorCal Golf Academy, with two Bay Area locations in Walnut Creek and Dublin, Calif. For more information about Tom, one of Golf Digest’s “Best Teachers” in the state of California, and to book a lesson, please click here