A recent poll of top golf teachers in America rated Ernie Els’ swing among the tops in the game. Some rank it as one of the most envied swing not just of his time but also of all time. Others say that if Els didn’t play in the Tiger woods era his swing would have gotten the recognition it deserves.
Whatever the case, we often talk about Els’ swing in our golf lessons. It’s helped him to 66 professional wins (19 PGA/47 International) and 3 majors. He also finished second twice to Tiger in two majors in 2000. In 2014 he finished in the money 24 times and 3 Top 10 finishes.
Els’ swing is so productive because he stays consistent and connected. More important, he stays within himself and uses his shoulders to generate power—not his hands. This combination produces a shorter but wider swing that’s power laden. It’s a key reason why Els drives the ball just as far (288 yards average drive) and just as straight (62% in the fairway) as he did as a youngster.
Below are five golf tips on Els does to generate a swing that’s consistent and connected. These are tips that have helped him build a hall of fame career.
• Employs an athletic stance
Success for Els starts with his stance—something we emphasize in golf instruction sessions constantly. Taking an athletic stance is critical when hitting driver. Like many Tour pros, Els practices his setup religiously. That’s how important he considers it. You could do a lot worse than copying his setup keys.
• Uses his shoulders to power his swing
Else uses his shoulders to start his swing more to start the club back and keep the clubhead low to the ground. This move loads the swing with power and keeps it on plane. You can achieve this using your wrist and arms. It’s something we seldom see in our golf instruction sessions.
• Pins left arm to his chest
Using his shoulders to power his swing also lets Els pin his left bicep to his chest during his takeaway. That helps him keep the connection between his left arm, grip, and clubhead. If you lose this connection, your chances of falling off plane or overswinging increase dramatically.
• Makes a smooth transition
Els’ transition is among the smoothest in professional golf. Good transitions aren’t forced. They’re natural. It happens automatically when your body and mind recognize that your swing is complete. You want to feel that your left shoulder is behind the ball before coming forward. When you overextend your swing, your body senses this and speeds up the transition.
• Drops his arms straight down
Els transition is smooth because he drops his arms and shaft straight down immediately from the top without doing anything else. This move is among his biggest keys. In fact, everything drops straight down—hands, arms, and club. One warning: You can get away with dropping your arms and shaft a little behind you, but never in front of you.
• Syncs up his upper and lower halves
Another solid key for Els is syncing up his upper and lower bodies when swinging. You can move these as fast or as slow as you want, but you must keep them in sync. Golfers run into trouble when one outraces the other.
Syncing up creates a little bit of hang back which helps you max out your power. You know you’re doing this correctly if your chest is over the middle of your stance as you strike the ball.
These six keys help keep Ernie Els’ swing connected and consistent. They’re also the reason he is still one of the Tour’s top golfers after two decades of plaything.
The keys are solid fundamentals that you should ingrain in your swing now. They’ll not only help you max out your power, they’ll help you cut strokes from your golf handicap.
