Swing Sequence: Lee Westwood

Lee Westwood has won more than three dozen professional tournaments worldwide, played in eight Ryder Cups for Europe, and has twice been No. 1 in the World Golf Ranking (for 22 weeks total).He's widely regarded for his consistency, for which he credits good ball-striking: "Tee to green is the strength of my game."Golf Digest Teaching Professional Dean Reinmuth agrees, adding that few golfers know their swings as well as Westwood does. In other words, he has developed a very individual style. "At certain points he looks standard," Reinmuth says, "but he makes a few really unusual moves. Your eyes go to those idiosyncrasies."Most notably, Westwood's right leg straightens on the downswing, and his upper body dips to compensate, Reinmuth says. It's unusual, and it requires coordination. Still, Westwood's consistency is almost robotic.As I see it, you get leverage from your legs," Westwood says. "They're the biggest power providers, but you have to get your upper body synced with them."When Westwood's right leg straightens as he swings down, it shifts his hips toward the target. To counter that, his head moves away from the target. If it didn't, Reinmuth says, Westwood's body would be too far forward. "He'd be right on top of the ball, so his downswing would get very steep."Westwood is working on sweeping the ball off the tee to launch it higher and with less spin, and Reinmuth says keeping the upper body back will help produce that. But his head also moves down, which leads to another unusual move: His left elbow bends through the hitting area. Reinmuth says that shows Westwood has a great instinct for getting the club back to impact. "He has to bend his arm; otherwise he'd hit the ground behind the ball."Considering the timing needed to sync up these moves, you might wonder why Westwood doesn't simplify his swing."It's just the way I've always swung it," he says. "It's something that's ingrained, and it's very difficult to change."Much like other great ball-strikers with unusual swings, such as Jim Furyk or Lee Trevino, Westwood relies heavily on rhythm. You'll rarely see him throttle up to try to get 10 more yards out of a shot. That's because everything in his swing is so precisely coordinated."It's like an orchestra leader," Reinmuth says. "He has to bring in the right instrument at the right time or the whole symphony falls apart."

FACE-ONAnalysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

FACE-ONWith this early wrist hinge, Lee wastes no time storing power.Analysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

FACE-ONAnalysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

FACE-ONHis left arm is bending to make up for his head moving down.Analysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

FACE-ONWith the hips really firing, Lee's head drops more.Analysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

FACE-ONAnalysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

DOWN-THE-LINEAnalysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

DOWN-THE-LINEThis is a classic one-piece takeaway: club, hands and arms moving back as one unit.Analysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

DOWN-THE-LINEAnalysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

DOWN-THE-LINEHe's pushing with his right leg--that right heel is about to come up.Analysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

DOWN-THE-LINEAnalysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

UP-THE-LINELee sets his body open, but his address is pretty conventional.Analysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

UP-THE-LINEAnalysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

UP-THE-LINEHis legs are straightening, so his upper body has to contract.Analysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

UP-THE-LINEAnalysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

UP-THE-LINEHe finally gets back to a tall posture, with his body fully turned through.Analysis by Dean Reinmuth, who runs the Dean Reinmuth Golf School in San Diego.

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Swing Sequence: Lee Westwood

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