#golfsportofperfection#golf#sport Driving it a LONG has always come naturally to Fred, but now he's hitting it straighter than ever. Some of that's the new equipment, but he's also improved his mechanics with Butch Harmon. Fred's swing is less dependent on timing these days, and that's made the driver probably his best club. Fred's also more comfortable hitting the driver at different speeds. Now he might bomb it on a par 5, but on a tight par 4, he'll smooth one out there at 80%. One thought that has helped Fred with the driver is, "Smash It", but he doesn't mean swing hard; he simply tries to compress the ball with a dead-solid hit. That image works at any speed.
At 64, Fred Couples still makes it look effortless! It's hard to believe it has been 30 years since Fred Couples won his Masters, and the fact that his golf swing looks as smooth and powerful today as it did then only adds to the confusion. In a word, his action is relaxed, starting at address and remaining so all the way to his perfectly balanced finish. Working with Butch Harmon starting in 2010, Couples has lessened the distinctive lift in his takeaway with a lower and wider sweep back that starts the club more along the target line, rather than outside. This allows him to accomplish a deeper, fuller turn. "We had him setting up with the clubhead a foot behind the ball, getting a head start on the takeaway," says Harmon. "He even played some rounds like that."
Couples' improved takeaway also has reduced the amount his driver shaft goes across the line, pointing right of the target, at the top. The result of these changes is that Couples now swings down on the correct plane, with the club more in front of him, not trapped behind his right side. When Couples was prone to dropping the club behind him, he had to release his hands aggressively through the hitting area to square the clubface. That pronounced inside-out action held the threat of a hook, which he counteracted by opening his stance and playing a fade. But he still missed too many fairways. Now with a more on-plane swing, Couples clears his left hip -- a move he still executes as quickly as anyone in golf -- and he's free to fully release his body and swing the club down the line. He hits one fearless draw after another. "We also watch his ball position, keeping it back, which squares his shoulders to the target," says Harmon. "From there, he can turn it over for more distance." For the guy who has always made it look ridiculously easy, it seems easier than ever.
AI Generated·May contain errors
First appearance, but speaking of champions.
Here is the man who was presented
a green jacket in 1992.
This will be his 34th Masters
appearance. Fred couples.
Bobby, we've watched him.
On the three prior days.
Having conversation talking it over.
Paul Marchand is coach right there.
No conversation right now.
He's got his game face on exactly.
I remember first playing golf with
Freddy when we were 18 years of age
in Santa Hanna, PA is where we met
for the very first time we later
became roommates at the All-American
Banquet in New York and became friends and.
So many things that Freddie does well,
but we all know this rhythm and tempo.
You could pick it up.
I mean you can.
You can spot Freddie's swing.
Holes away. And Bobby,
it still looks as fast.
Though it's not, it still looks as
fast and effortless as ever.
I remember a couple of years ago,
Freddy and Tiger played a practice
round together and I caught up
with Tiger afterward and I said,
how's Freddie hitting it?
He says he's longer than I am.
Might be different now,
but it is incredible how flexible
and we know that throughout his
career he's had some back issues.
And you know this swing has.
Again, benefited from flexibility,
but also been hurt by it.
Watch the initiation of the body.
Good full shoulder turn that elbow is right.
Elbow flies a little bit at the top,
but watch the initiation of the lower body,
keying the downswing and then it's
almost like he's just flinging the ball.
Great rotation.
Look at that trail heel.
I've always admired his footwork.
And then into just a wonderfully
balanced position at the end, it's just a.
You can watch it all day.
Doesn't look like a 59 year old
swing in a golf club, but no.
2122 is what I'm seeing.
You do wonder how many more trophies
he might have if he was healthy
throughout his career,
but it looks like he's swinging
well now and comfortable.
One of the few players who elects not
to wear a glove during his full swing.
It's one of the really great stories about.
Not wearing a glove as we look at Freddie
swing you can see in the footwork.
The lead foot is flared out a little bit.
And then he's just going to kind of rotate.
You can see the weight shifting to the
trail heel and then into the lead toe lead heel.
More and more you see how important
that lead foot the left foot is for
these players and and how they work
into that heel on their downswing
for their posting.
Is that something you might consider
recommending for a player with less
flexibility or someone who's got a
little more maturity? Let's say you
talk about flaring the left foot at address.
Yeah, so what flaring the left foot does?
Michael, isn't it?
You you are able to get the hips to
rotate more through the ball as the
left foot is flared so you're not
working against the hip joint.
You're working more with it.
Absolutely.
And what I would say is is that if I
was working with somebody that was.
I had a little less mobility.
I would flare the lead foot,
but I would also narrow the stance
quite a bit because when you flare
that lead foot and that toe sort
of at that 3540 degree angle,
you restrict hip turn in the backswing.
You invite hip turn in the
downswing in the through swing,
but you restrict hip turn in the
backswing and so if you narrow up
that stance now you can kind of
get the best of both worlds and.
You know, you think of like a
Raymond Floyd comes to mind when
I start seeing a narrow stance
with that foot foot flared that way.
Nice fluid motion and he's he's made so
many great swings here over the years.
And of course.
In 1992 they were all very special,
but let's take a look back to last year
and a fluid motion from the bunker
at 12 from Fred Couples.
This was such a hard shot to
do very little green to work with.
Opening the blade barely
gets it out of the bunker.
Made it look easy.
Boy, does that take touch?
He went early call and by the way.
How good is the 12th?
How good has hole number 12 been to
Freddy Couples through the years?
That's for sure.
But to make that shot,
he almost needed to decelerate
through the ball.
It was amazing feel and touch and a
nice two last year for Fred Couples.
I remember watching Freddy play a
bunker shot from the right green side
bunker on hole number 16 to that
back right hole location and when
he came down into the shot.
And you know, Bobby,
how delicate that shot is and how soft
he took his right hand off of the club.
As that sometimes, yeah,
it was fabulous to watch and to no surprise,
hit it up there to a foot and a half.
He holds onto the club so loosely.
I remember talking to Johnny Miller
years ago and it was one of Johnny's keys.
He said he would hold on to the club
as if he were holding a baby bird.
And when you look at Fred Couples
in his hands the way they they're
so soft on the club, aren't they?
Well, how about just his demeanor?
I mean, you look at his demeanor
and it's just he's not in a rush.
I think he plays to his personality.
I think that's one of the most
important parts of being a great
player and a great champion is
playing to your personality.
No question about it.
He's not wearing himself out
on a practice facility.
You know, I think of a modern day.
Dustin Johnson, who does not move quickly.
He moves at his own pace and
that was a great point.
Why did you gotta play to your personality?
Don't rush it.
Don't be something you're not.
As we take a look at the most cuts
made here at the Masters, that's amazing.
30 Fred Couples looking to get
number 31. And become second only to
Jack Nicklaus, who has 37 cuts
made here at the Masters.
That's a record that will never be broken.
Beautiful swing to watch.
So the story that I was told about
Freddie Couples and his not wearing
a glove was that he had been wearing a glove.
He was a young, you know,
sort of teenage golfer.
Went into a restaurant,
put his hands up on the counter
and the woman behind the counter
said why is your hand?
Why is one hand tan and the other hand not?
And he said, well, I'm a golfer.
And she goes, well, why is that?
And he said, well,
you wear a glove on on one hand
and you don't on the other and she goes.
Well, that looks kind of ridiculous
and he went OK and then he stopped
wearing his glove. Wow, is that I
expected something else?
And by the way, is that typical Freddie?
Yeah.
That is typical of Freddie.
I've never heard that story
and the rest is history.
Well, growing up in Seattle,
it was never very hot there,
so you know one of the advantages
of wearing a glove is if it gets hot,
the glove will actually take up
some of that perspiration and help
you with your grip in hot humid conditions.
Well, it is amazing at at age 59,
the amount of shoulder turn and the
amount of flexibility he does have.
Well, and particularly for a
guy who's had a bad back, that's right.
See his coach Paul Marshawn there
speaking with David Ledbetter.
Likely means that Patrick Reed.
Practice facility.
That's right, David Ledbetter.
Now doing some work with Patrick
and we can take a look at the.
Shape of this shot on the
right side of your screen.
Come to get some numbers.
Numbers are a big part of
instruction these days, guys.
Look at that 90 foot apex.
146 mile miles per hour ball speed.
Freddie Yannick like.
OK, I'll hit another one.
Look at these one after another,
just laying him on top of each other.
Very similar to I mean, you know,
80 foot 84 foot apex.
One prior was 91.
Beautiful swing here.
So Fred getting a little energy there.
Yeah, I was. I was talking to Al
Guy Burgess here here this this week
and Alan was famous for putting a
peanut butter and jelly sandwich
in his golf bag for energy.
And it was kind of groundbreaking
in some senses because it was almost
taboo years on the tour to eat
during your round of golf.
Yeah, you you wanted.
You didn't want to change
anything you were afraid to.
And now you see all these players.
With energy drinks and energy
bars eating during the round.
There's so much more science
than the nutrition.
