Steve Stricker takes a six shot lead into the Northern Trust Open, shoots 70 and hangs onto a 2 shot victory over Luke Donald. This moves him into the 2nd place in the world rankings and is currently the best player in the world that is actually playing golf. I have heard that Tiger is out of sex rehab and is making his début at the World Match Play but can anyone confirm this? I don’t know?  Phil Mickelson continues to be a little rusty as he shoots 73 in the last round and finishes 45th. Phil currently has Butch on speed dial as well he should. Will this be the year that Stricker wins his first major? He is full of confidence and with this positive attitude and his steady game, I would not be surprised if he won several more tournaments and even a major. What major would his game be suited for? Masters, U.S. Open maybe? As simple as his golf swing appears, he really held it together coming down the stretch with a wonderful short game and rolling the ball beautifully. So what can we learn from Steve Strickers technique?

Here is my analysis of why his swing works:  1) A simple one-piece takeaway with a very late wrist hinge. His shoulders and torso must rotate properly to set the club at the top. Great shoulder turn and perfect spine angle tilted slightly away from the target. But this is only the half of it.

2) An excellent transition as his body unwinds in the proper sequence in the forward swing. Lower body starts as the upper resists and hands remain passive. This is his key to success. If Strick had a passive body rotation or the upper body was too fast, the club head would surely pass the handle too soon and he would lose power. So mental note: One piece takeaway with limited wrist hinge must be coupled with a strong body rotation in the forward swing (his main power source).

Strickers Pitching and Putting:

Steve incorporates his one piece move in his pitch shots as well. He  controls his distance with the length of his swing on both sides (symmetrical) with passive hands. The Key Move: He leads with his lower body and allows the arms and hands to follow suit. Without this key move, he would break down at impact. Again, you must have a good body pivot to be an effective pitcher of the golf ball but especially if you have none or limited wrist hinge.

Putting: Strick is a straight line putter. This is not my preference but it works for him because he does too things: 1. sets up with his wrists arched and the heel of the putter off the ground. This sets the shaft more vertical to the ground which is critical for this type of style. 2. rocks his shoulders a little steeper than most players on tour which creates a straight line path.

So the number one thing we can learn from Mr. Stricker is to match your style to what your body will allow. Be consistent from full swing to short game to putting. But the most important thing is to be Confident and To Own It. See you next time and don’t forget to breathe, preferably in your backswing like Steve Stricker or when you hold the trophy over your head. Oh and don’t forget to thank your instructor in your victory speech.

God Bless,

Guru