In this Patrick Reed golf swing analysis, we take a look at the finer details as there are some interesting quirks well worth exploring.
He leads the US Masters by two shots at the half way stage and Patrick Reed looks every part the major champion in waiting. His long game has been imperious over the first two days, helping him build towards a highly impress 9-under par total through 36-holes. In this Patrick Reed golf swing analysis, we take a look at the finer details as there are some interesting quirks well worth exploring.
Ready for a draw
You will notice in this Patrick Reed golf swing analysis that he often addresses the ball slightly closed. Reed is a right-to-left, draw ball-flight player and he will set up for that shot-shape more often than not. It is fair to say that, whilst you do need to be able to hit the ball both ways, Augusta National slightly favours right-handers with a natural right-to-left shot shape (or left-handers with a natural fade).
Pause at the top
There are two things about his transition from backswing to downswing that mark Patrick Reed out. The first is the pause. Reed makes a full and powerful upper body rotation to reach the top and then his swing stops for a nanosecond. It is a small pause but it is noticeable. This ensures that the beginning of the downswing stays smooth even when the pressure starts to mount. For many golfers, pressure causes the swing to speed up and the transition to be rushed. The result is that the arms and body stop working in synchronisation and accuracy is lost. As the pressure of the US Masters mounts over the weekend, it will be interesting to see if this pause remains in Patrick Reed’s swing.
Shallowing out
The other key move in this Patrick Reed golf swing analysis is the shallowing out of the club at the very start of the downswing. There is a slight change in the angle of the shaft on the way down that allows the club to attack the ball from inside the ball-to-target line. Again, this is the move of a draw player.
At the top of the backswing reed’s club is pointing almost straight up here. As he starts down, the club shaft shallows out – denoted by the yellow line.
Footwork
The most idiosyncratic move in Reed’s swing is his footwork. As he drives through impact his left toe moves aggressively towards the target (you will see that move more clearly when he hits his driver) but, crucially, his right heel stays almost planted to the ground at the moment of contact. It is an unusual move that stems from the way his upper body remains over his hips during the swing (there is not as much lateral weight shift in this swing as you would see elsewhere). This particular move makes him a great wedge player – he is ranked 6th on the PGA Tour for shots between 125 and 150 yards.
Ever since he turned professional in 2011, Patrick Reed has been one to watch. With five PGA Tour victories and a Ryder Cup winning performance at Hazeltine to his name, the Texan is more than capable of winning a major championship. As you can see from this Patrick Reed golf swing analysis, he has the technique and the firepower to do it. The big unknown at this stage is whether he can handle the pressure. Watch this space.
This article Patrick Reed Golf Swing Analysis appeared first on Golf Monthly.