The right start The first few feet of the backswing are crucial to driving it well, Cameron Smith says. “If my arms get disconnected from my body, moving independently, it’s going to put me in a poor position at the top of the swing —laid off, arms too long and wide. I want to feel narrow going back.”
Narrowing up Another goal in the backswing is for Smith to hinge his wrists early, swing coach Grant Field says. “This feeling of an earlier set also plays a part in having the narrower swing radius Cam talks about.” Adds Smith: “Allowing the wrists to hinge up earlier helps me keep connected.”
The new feel Although he’s not completely comfortable with a “feel” for his backswing that Field gave him to work on, Smith says it’s taking hold: “I’m trying to keep my arms and my body in the same motion for as long as I can. When that doesn’t happen, I know right away. I just need more reps.”
Stop like Hideki The top of the swing here is a touch too long, Field says, but it has improved a lot since these photos. As he’s about to transition into the downswing, Smith says he likes to feel a pause. “Like Hideki [Matsuyama] does, but just a bit quicker. Then I want my arms to start to work down.”
Widening out The goal when Smith moves into the downswing is to widen his radius, Field says. “I want him to release the club earlier, with the right arm fully extending. Also, he should hold a little pressure in the trail leg and have a feeling that the arms are working more down and in front of his body.”
Made for a fade Smith’s preferred ball flight starts a few yards left of his target and works back toward it. “He typically gets it to fade by setting up a little left of his target and letting the club exit through impact a little to the left,” Field says. “As long as the face is slightly open to the path, it will fade.”
Exit stage left If you were standing behind Smith on his target line, the handle of his clubhead would disappear from view just after impact—blocked by his body. “You won’t see that extended follow-through look down the target line like you see with some pros,” Field says. “But that’s the exit we want for his fade.”
CAMERON SMITH 26 / 5-11 / 172 pounds Brisbane, Australia
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