Swing Sequence: Bubba Watson Face-On Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Face-On This is a strong grip, Bubba's hands turned back, but all power hitters do it. Plus, it's easier to work the ball. Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Face-On His swing is upright, which is why his hands get so high. Worked for Nicklaus. Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Face-On Here's the power move: Hips turned to the ball, back still facing the target. Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Face-On Look at this huge stretch off the ball. He's creating a massive arc. Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Face-On The way he straightens his front leg forces his head back so he hits it on the upswing. Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Face-On Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Face-On Everybody talks about his front foot spinning out. How about watching the ball go 350 yards? Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Up-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Up-the-Line If Bubba's like me, when he sees the clubhead out of the corner of his eye, he knows it's time to start down. Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Up-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Up-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Up-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Up-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Up-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Up-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Down-the-Line I don't hover the clubhead like this, but Bubba likes it as a tension reliever. Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Down-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Down-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Down-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Down-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Down-the-Line The clubhead is lagging behind for a last-second burst before impact. Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. Down-the-Line Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. BUBBA SAYS: LONG AIN'T WRONG Like John just told you, don't listen to the talk about shorter backswings. There's nothing wrong with taking it back as far as your body allows. Just don't exaggerate it. The most important thing is making solid contact. If you hit it off the toe or heel of the clubface, you might be swinging too hard. WITH A KISS If you can kiss your shoulder at the top of the backswing the way I do, you'll know you've maximized your turn away from the ball. It should feel as if your back is facing the target at the top. This requires a fair amount of flexibility, but I recommend you give it a try. LET IT COME UP You've probably heard teachers say not to lift your front heel like this. That's why I don't listen to teachers. Letting the heel come off the ground is especially helpful for amateurs who lack the flexibility to make a full turn. Down-the-Line When Bubba's older, he might need to focus more on balance, but right now his coordination is so good, he can just rip it. Analysis by John Daly, winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open. BUBBA SAYS: ALL IN THE RELEASE I won't try to convince you that I haven't rotated my hands a lot here, but the truth is, my strong grip actually reduces the amount of hand action required. Try gripping the club so you can see another knuckle on your left hand (for right-handers) when you look down at address. You'll need less hand action to square the clubface through impact. SKATING AWAY This might look like an off-balance finish, but it doesn't feel off-balance to me. I suspect my funny finishes relieve pressure on my joints. If my front foot stayed glued to the ground from start to finish, the stress on my knee might lead to problems. I'm not saying copy this move, but staying healthy isn't a bad idea. HIT UP ON THE BALL Most pros hit their driver on the upswing, and you should, too. Teeing the ball high and keeping your head back through impact are the big keys. You want to launch the ball higher with less spin. That's the combo that lets you max out your distance.
