Rory: How to turn on the power
Carrick pro encourages the shoulder turn
Spencer Edwards is head of resort instruction at De Vere's flagship hotel, The Carrick on Loch Lomond. In this exclusive article he advises we try to improve our shoulder turn.
As Rory McIlroy tees it up today in the first round of the US Open he'll no doubt be wondering if this time he can stay the course and not allow his concentration to desert him as it did in the last round of the US Masters in April, when he led the field after 54 holes.
One area of his game that won't let him down, however, is his full shoulder turn - such a natural movement for the lithe 21-year-old and from which we can all learn.
Once the basics of set up have been corrected, one of the most common reasons for a club golfer struggling to find distance is the lack of shoulder turn, which can often cause the club to be delivered slightly open in an out-to-in swing path.
Every golfer should be capable of achieving a 90 degree turn with most players, and especially McIlroy - it's between 100 and 110 degrees. And this makes it easy for them to drop the club into a swing plane and that gives them more time to square up the club face earlier, avoiding those unwanted weak slices.
Making a full shoulder turn encourages more free movement in your swing and allowing the club to increase in clubhead speed through impact while delivering a square clubface less hand activity.
We can't all be like Rory McIlroy but by watching the pros on TV, we can work on increasing that shoulder turn for next time we play.
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