Standard stanceAlthough she’s not long off the tee, Mo Martin tries to get every yard she can out of her drives by setting up for a higher launch angle (right shoulder lower than the left; no forward lean to the shaft), says coach Ian Triggs. “She also stands athletically, knees in line with the feet to maintain balance.”
Unified movementMaking the same swing over and over is paramount to accuracy, and Martin’s takeaway repeats because it’s so simple, Triggs says. “The upper torso is doing all the work, taking the hands and club away in unison.” Another accuracy booster is minimal movement of the lower body—no sway.
Feel it rightAs Martin’s torso continues to wind away from the target, she creates an even bigger turn by letting her left knee drift inward and her right hip rotate. The feel for proper loading in the backswing is that the muscles on the inside of the right leg are firing, Triggs says. “That’s how to store power.”
Coil to recoilOne thing you’ll rarely see is Martin transition from backswing to downswing awkwardly. “Her lower body is leading, pulling her upper body while her arms stay relaxed,” Triggs says. She also has retained the wrist angles set earlier, giving her the potential for more speed at impact.
Center squareA good swing thought to square the clubface and find its sweet spot: chest over the ball at impact. “She’s making sure her ball contact is high quality,” Triggs says. Another way to ensure you don’t strike the ball with a glancing blow is to maintain balance and not let weight move into the lead foot’s toes.
No resistance“Continuing to rotate her body through the shot allows the arms to stay out in front of her upper body, releasing naturally,” Triggs says. Another indication she’s not trying to hold off the finish of the swing is how her head rotates down the target line. “When that happens, the body releases better.”
Stare it downMartin’s swing is the definition of “freeflowing,” Triggs says. She finishes balanced on her left leg, looking as if she just made a practice swing. A great indicator of the quality of a swing is how much tension you feel as it ends. Martin is relaxed, no doubt looking at another fairway hit.
