Jon Rahm. The 2021 United States Open champion. It has a nice ring to it. Rahm, who outlasted the field at Torrey Pines Golf Course (South) in San Diego, is the first Spaniard to capture the U.S. Open.
It’s been a memorable month along the California coast for the United States Golf Association (USGA) as well. It conducted two stellar national championships—the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open, which took place in early June in San Francisco. During both tournaments, the USGA collaborated with corporate partner Cisco and 4DReplay to bring first-of-its-kind interactive 4D swing technology to users’ fingertips. At Torrey Pines, 88 cameras were positioned around the perimeter of the 6th tee. As players teed off the dogleg-right par-4, their swings were captured in 4D. And, in a flash, the 4D swings appeared on the USGA’s U.S. Open mobile app.
Fans who download the U.S. Open app (or U.S. Women’s Open app) can enjoy—and learn—from the 4D swings. Even the contestants themselves are getting a kick out of it. “The 4D camera view of my swing was pretty awesome,” said Danielle Kang, currently sixth in the Women’s World Golf Ranking. “Being able to see my swing in a continuous motion from every angle can be very informative and I believe is a great addition to the U.S. Open.” You can check out Kang’s swing HERE, accompanied by expert instruction.
Users can start and stop the swing videos on demand, and on the mobile app, choose from 34 different camera angles. All of it is made possible by Cisco’s industry-leading networking capability. In addition, Cisco, the Official Technology Partner of the USGA, provided the connectivity for the 4D swings to be seamlessly transferred from the 6th tee to NBC’s on-site production center, where images were dropped into the live U.S. Open telecast. “Cisco is delivering new opportunities for fans to connect with players, to get closer to the action and to experience golf in a new way,” said Ashley Marusak, Global Lead, Sports Marketing, Cisco. “The 4D video technology is an innovative solution helping to make it possible. With the technology on display within the USGA mobile app, NBC broadcast and across social media channels, the fans experienced this year’s U.S. Open in a way that wasn’t previously possible.”
For a taste of the action, we’ve highlighted the 4D swings with five PGA TOUR stars—Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Matthew Wolff and Bryson DeChambeau. (All Tour stats and rankings are as of June 21, 2021.) Each video contains tips and analyses from Steve Scott, Director of Instruction, Golfweek. Scott, one might recall, had a legendary duel with Tiger Woods in the U.S. Amateur final at Pumpkin Ridge GC. Woods won the match-play classic—25 years ago!— in sudden death on the 38th hole. Relive the coolest moments in Scott’s new book, “Hey, Tiger—You Need to Move Your Mark Back.”
Jon Rahm
BIO: No. 1 Official World Golf Ranking; No. 1 PGA TOUR Official Money List; No. 2 FedEx Cup; No. 21 Average Driving Distance (307.6 yards); No. 2 Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee; 6 PGA TOUR titles; 1 Major.
4D SWING: Saturday, Round 3. Hole measured 534 yards.
BACKGROUND: Rahm came to No. 6 at -3. He hit driver 327 yards into the first cut of rough, leaving 206 yards to the hole. The approach shot found the green 36 feet from the cup. Two-putt par. Rahm would post -2 through three rounds. The final round 4-under par (67) vaulted Rahm to his first Major.
TAKEAWAYS
00:00:00 to 00:00:03 — The new U.S. Open champion shows the trigger that initiates a compact, powerful swing. A slight forward press with a neutral grip is how he starts the club in motion from a stagnant position.
00:00:04 to 00:00:06 — Even though the hands don’t get way above the head, Jon’s storing power in massive legs that are waiting to be shifted to and through impact.
00:00:06 to 00:00:08 — Jon’s lack of flexibility in the thoracic spine causes a shorter backswing. The bowed (bent forward) left wrist helps to square the clubface at the top. With a flat wrist, Jon’s clubface would be open at the top and require a compensating move on the downswing to square it up.
00:00:09 to 00:00:11 — Jon’s power move. The legs and hips are pulling the shoulders and hands around to impact, which means the stored power in his lower body doesn’t get lost.
00:00:12 to 00:00:13 — Notice that both heels are off the ground at impact, and all the weight has pushed to the toes. It’s difficult to play any sport well if the weight sits back on the heels too much. The left wrist maintains its bowed position, which keeps the clubface de-lofted through impact. I love that position.
00:00:14 to 00:00:17 — The right arm doesn’t straighten until after impact. Jon swings through the ball, not to the ball.
00:00:18 to 00:00:21 —Jon’s compact windup and massive explosion through the ball lead to a slingshot-like finish.
Next up: Brooks Koepka
Brooks Koepka
BIO: No. 8 Official World Golf Ranking; No. 11 PGA TOUR Official Money List; No. 15 FedEx Cup; No. 16 Average Driving Distance (309.1 yards); No. 12 Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee; 8 PGA TOUR titles; 4 Majors.
4D SWING: Saturday, Round 3. Hole measured 534 yards.
BACKGROUND: At -1, Koepka crushed the tee shot 337 yards into the middle of the fairway, leaving 186 yards to the pin. He hit it to nine feet but missed the birdie putt and settled for par. Koepka would go on to shoot even-par 71.
TAKEAWAYS
00:00:00 to 00:00:02 — Brooks sets up with a very wide base. The feet are much wider than the shoulders. This solid foundation is instrumental in producing average clubhead speed of 120 mph. I only recommend a wide base like this for very flexible players since it’s more difficult to rotate the body than with a narrow stance.
00:00:03 to 00:00:04 — You’ll see the left arm is very extended. He’s creating a wide swing arc as the club is working up to the top of the backswing. The wider arc helps to maximize power. In other words, the wider the “circle,” the more powerful the swing.
00:00:06 to 00:00:08 — The back of the left wrist is bowed (bent away) in relation to the forearm. This position causes the clubface to be closed. Brooks isn’t trying to hit a draw. Rather, he wants to fade the ball, and this wrist position allows the body to be more active on the downswing than the arms and hands.
00:00:09 to 00:00:12 — As the left hip unwinds, the right heel is pulled off the ground, identifying that his weight is almost fully transferred to the left foot just prior to impact.
00:00:13 to 00:00:14 — Notice the nice straight line formed from the left leg all the way up the torso. The line leans slightly away from the target because he’s trying to launch the ball high.
00:00:16 to 00:00:17 — The clubhead lags behind the hands while retaining the wrist angle. This is a sign of stored energy about to be unleashed on the golf ball.
00:00:18 to 00:00:19 — After impact, Brooks’ head stays down longer than most players. He’s in great position—a straight line from the right arm through the club shaft is textbook extension.
00:00:22 to 00:00:23 — The finish position is beautifully balanced. The torso is stacked on top of the left leg after releasing through the golf ball.
Next up: Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
BIO: No. 10 Official World Golf Ranking; No. 20 PGA TOUR Official Money List; No. 24 FedEx Cup; No. 2 Average Driving Distance (318.7 yards); No. 8 Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee; 19 PGA TOUR titles; 4 Majors; 2x FedEx Cup champ.
4D SWING: Thursday, Round 1. Hole measured 519 yards.
BACKGROUND: At -1, McIlroy pounded the drive 334 yards into the center of the fairway. His approach from 172 finished 33 feet past the hole. Two-putt par. He finished the round at 1-under par (70).
TAKEAWAYS
00:00:00 to 00:00:02 — Rory possesses a model golf swing. The current U.S. Women’s Open champ, Yuka Saso, was right in trying to copy this one. He uses a neutral left-hand grip. The feet are slightly wider than his shoulders and the knees have a slight bend. Rory’s ready to coil into the backswing.
00:00:03 to 00:00:06 — His extreme flexibility is on full display. Check out the massive shoulder turn and torque created during the backswing.
00:00:07 to 00:00:08 — The shaft sits at a perfect parallel position, allowing for consistent timing on the downswing. Rory creates a huge turn while barely lifting the left heel off the ground, which is further evidence of his spinal mobility.
00:00:09 to 00:00:10 — The clubface (neutral position) matches the angle of the left forearm. He’s beginning to squat and use ground forces just prior to starting the downswing.
00:00:11 to 00:00:14 — His footwork is nearly flawless. Rory maintains a solid hold on the ground while shifting into the front foot. The left foot barely moves in response to the hip rotation.
00:00:15 to 00:00:17 — At the same time, Rory’s head moves away from the target, seemingly resting close to the right shoulder. He’s positioned to launch the ball.
00:00:18 to 00:00:23 — The swing is a masterpiece and the balanced finish is picture perfect. Rory holds it for the cameras. Amateurs should do it as well. Make the swing with the finish in mind to help with balance and weight shift.
Next up: Matthew Wolff
Matthew Wolff
BIO: No. 32 Official World Golf Ranking; No. 40 PGA TOUR Official Money List; No. 53 FedEx Cup; No. 6 Average Driving Distance (315.3 yards); No. 174 Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee; 1 PGA TOUR title.
4D SWING: Friday, Round 2. Hole measured 507 yards.
BACKGROUND: Wolff came to No. 6 at even-par. He ripped driver 333 yards. It found the left rough, leaving 180 yards to the hole. He gauged it out to 41 yards short of the green. Wolff made a nice up-and-down for par, then birdied the next two holes. Wolff shot 3-under par (68) on the day.
TAKEAWAYS
00:00:00 to 00:00:02 — Matthew’s setup is fundamentally sound with a straight line from the left shoulder to the clubhead. His spine tilts slightly away from the golf ball prior to unleashing a unique swing that averages 122 mph clubhead speed.
00:00:03 to 00:00:05 — As he carries the club to the top of the backswing, the right arm stays unusually straight and he utilizes almost no wrist cock. Although this move is very unusual, it sets up the swing for what happens next.
00:00:06 to 00:00:08 — The late elbow bend causes the club shaft to point right of the target at the top of the backswing. Although the backswing may look unorthodox, it’s very natural and one in which Matt’s instructor never tried to change for the sake of looking “better” on camera.
00:00:09 to 00:00:10 — The magic in Matt’s swing happens from the top of the backswing down to impact. The right arm is bent and maintains its position to impact. (A bent right arm means stored energy!)
00:00:11 — Matt has tremendous flexibility in the lower body. The hips are unwinding at impact while the shoulders point down the target line.
00:00:12 to 00:00:15 — The spine angle is similar to the address position. He hasn’t lifted up or popped out of that angle.
00:00:16 to 00:00:17 — There’s a lot of torque in his swing. At impact, the hands are slightly ahead of the clubhead. He doesn’t throw the clubhead at the ball. Instead, the clubhead is pulled around the body and is last to reach the ball at impact.
00:00:18 to 00:00:19 — Notice the massive rotation in the lower body. The left foot jumps up and backward as a result of the hips unwinding.
00:00:21 to 00:00:23 — A perfectly balanced finish worth copying. The torso and left leg make one straight line, which indicates the body’s shifted through the ball. And, he’s on the toes of the right foot with virtually no weight on it.
Next up: Bryson DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau
BIO: No. 6 Official World Golf Ranking; No. 2 PGA TOUR Official Money List; No. 3 FedEx Cup; No. 1 Average Driving Distance (323.5 yards); No. 1 Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee; 8 PGA TOUR titles; 1 Major (2020 U.S. Open).
4D SWING: Saturday, Round 3. Hole measured 534 yards.
BACKGROUND: At -1 for the tournament, DeChambeau stepped on No. 6 and bombed the drive 352 yards into the middle of the fairway. From 170, he stuck it pin-high and rolled in the seven-foot putt for birdie. For the day, he shot 3-under par (68).
TAKEAWAYS
00:00:00 to 00:00:03 — As Bryson readies for launch, the ball is teed as high as possible. He hovers the club above the ground to free the tension at the start of the swing. (Both Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman used the technique.) Bryson’s right shoulder is well below the left one, which is a beautiful setup position for achieving high launch angle.
00:00:04 to 00:00:06 — Bryson has a very vertical swing plane. As he coils to the top, you see maximum extension of the left arm. He also lifts the left heel off the ground. This ensures the hands get as high as possible and have time to utilize the force of gravity to gain speed down to the golf ball. Many long-drive champions employ this move for maximum power.
00:00:07 to 00:00:09 — As he coils onto the right side, Bryson’s left shoulder gets well behind the ball, which contributes to tremendous power.
00:00:10 to 00:00:13 — He replants the left heel to start the transition to the golf ball. Using the ground to push up, his hips rise as the force moves both vertically and rotationally.
00:00:14 to 00:00:16 — At impact, the right shoulder is lower than at address, which is a sure sign of an upward strike. Typically, Bryson wants the ball to reach an apex of at least 130 feet. Plus, the shaft is bowing, which adds loft.
00:00:17 to 00:00:18 — All of the club’s force is traveling toward the target. Notice the arm extension and the clubhead is as far as possible from Bryson’s body. A great visual for power.
00:00:19 to 00:00:21 — Bryson alleviates stress on the left knee by allowing the left foot to rotate toward the target. These properly-timed motions enable him to achieve the fastest average clubhead speed on the PGA TOUR—132 mph!
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