Justin Rose's Practice Swing: Feel vs. Real
Before playing in a tournament, Justin Rose often practices a test swing where the club seems to go way behind him. He explains why: once rotation is added, that exaggerated feeling becomes the correct position at impact. See for yourself in two minutes.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
Justin Rose's practice swing shows a club well behind the body on the downhill. He doesn't want it there at impact—that would be way too far back. But As soon as the rotation toward the target comes into play, that sensation changes in the proper position to strike. Think of a water skier. He is the boat; the club is the water skier. When the boat turns, the skier is thrown outward. As the boat turns left, centrifugal force propels the club, which “rides for free” all the way to impact.
He isn't looking for specific positions; he's looking for a feeling. A big part of that feeling is Keep your weight on your right leg and right hip any longer. His well-known flaw: moving to the left side too early, which causes the club to end up too far in front of him. By staying on the right, his left arm drops while his back remains turned toward the target. He’ll never reach the exaggerated position shown in the demonstration, but the feel is there, and with speed, everything falls into place. Feeling and reality are two very different things.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- Take a slow practice swing, letting the club swing all the way back behind you.
- Keep your weight on your right leg and right hip as you begin the downswing.
- Let your left arm drop while keeping your back turned toward the target.
- Add rotation toward the target and feel the club being propelled forward.
- Follow through on the ball with the same feel, at normal speed.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- To really want to put the club so far behind in terms of impact.
- Moving to the left side too early: the club ends up too far in front of you.
- Turn your back toward the target as soon as you begin your downswing.
- Trying to control positions rather than a sensation.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- An exaggerated practice swing before every shot, like Justin Rose does in tournaments
- Watch the video to see the difference between a practice swing and a real swing
- Key sensation: Stay on your right hip, with your back to the target
Your Questions
Does the club really have to be so far behind me in terms of impact?
No. Justin Rose makes it clear: at impact, it would be way too far back. It’s a feeling that the rotation then transforms into a good position.
What does the image of the water skier mean?
The golfer is the boat, and the club is the skier. When the boat turns, the skier is thrown outward: as the boat turns toward the target, centrifugal force pulls the club back toward the ball.
For which flaw is this practice swing useful?
For Justin Rose's swing: moving to the left side too early, which puts the club too far in front of him. Keeping your weight on your right leg and right hip corrects this issue.
When should you take this practice swing?
He often does this at the driving range, and also before hitting a ball in a tournament, to get the feel back.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Justin Rose). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.