Jack Nicklaus' swing didn't seem very familiar, but it always worked.
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Golf instruction is always changing, but the best advice is timeless. In GOLF.com's new series, Timeless Tips, we highlight the greatest pieces of advice from teachers and players in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we look at Jack Nicklaus' dynamic analysis from our January 1986 issue. For unlimited access to GOLF Magazine's digital archive, join Inside GOLF today; you'll enjoy $140 worth for just $39.99 per year.
Jack Nicklaus is the greatest champion in golf history. With 18 titles – and another 19(!) runners-up – no one was more united on Sunday afternoon than the Golden Bear.
To achieve that level of consistency, you have to have one heck of a golf swing – and Nicklaus had that. But while his moves worked well, there were a few quirks that were, well, Nicklaus-esque.
In today's edition of Endless Tips, we're going back to 1986 when veteran instructor Johnny Myers wrote a description of Nicklaus' “secret” move. GOLF Magazine. You can check it out below.
Jack's “secret” power move.
Jack Nicklaus is the most successful golfer of all time. The Golden Bear holds almost every important record, from championship wins to all-time winnings. He is still an outstanding champion in this sport.
Since his rise, Nicklaus has been criticized by all experts and from all angles. Yet all these critics – even Nicklaus himself – missed a subtle movement that is essential to the consistency of his shots. Simply put, he changes the position of his left foot during the swing to create power and strength.
Nicklaus said he turns his left toe at address to get more free hip rotation at impact. And as you will see in the following pages, he starts with his left toe pointing right. But after lifting his left heel at the top of the backswing, Jack brings it back to a different position so that when he steps back his left foot is almost perpendicular to the target line. This new surface creates a strong left side to hit while eliminating any spin that can lead to the ball breaking.
Let's take a look at Jack's “mysterious moves” below.
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In the first photo, Nicklaus at address, his left foot is thrown at least 30 degrees to the left of the perpendicular to the target line. His right foot is very close to perpendicular, only 10 degrees out to the right.
From this setup, Nicklaus is well positioned to make a full but contained backswing turn. The almost square toe on the right keeps it from moving to the right which can lead to misdirection and loss of accuracy. Jack can make a bigger turn if he puts his left foot toward the target line, but he probably won't be able to contain his recoil.
Look at the 2nd photo, which shows Nicklaus at the top of the rebound. His left ankle is inverted and the little weight he has on his left foot is on the inside of the big toe. Jack's big backswing windup pulled the left heel down – a key feature of Nicklaus' swing. Despite all this movement, however, the angle of his left foot in relation to the target line has not changed – it is still found to be about 30 degrees.
The position of Nicklaus' right leg has remained constant going back and forth. Almost all of his weight has shifted onto the inside of his right foot, but notice that he hasn't moved an inch to the right. Also note that if Jack's right foot was out sharply at address, he would have trouble keeping his right side steady. At this point, his left foot is set up to give the same effect of combining with the left side. With that, Nicklaus has to remove his left heel – which he does starting in the next shot.
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As Nicklaus starts down, in photo 3, he slides his knees to the side and shifts his left heel to a new position, a little closer to the target. Now the left foot is almost perpendicular to the target line.
It's a small move but it gives big results. By shifting his heel closer to the target, Jack makes his winged hips (and knees and shoulders) shift so that they are closer to the target than to the address. It also allows his arms to come straight down, bringing his right elbow back to his side. As a result, Nicklaus throws down a little inside his backplane, while his wrists stay together.
So far, Jack's “pieces” are working together. His knees moved to the side and his hips didn't move at all. The shoulders move back, but they, too, still point to the right of the target. At this point, Jack is a hostage to his “mystery move” – he must hit the ball with the club from the inside to the target line.
The last photo shows Nicklaus approaching. The left foot now braces the stiff left side. Jack's legs and hips surprisingly just started to turn to the left of the target, allowing his hands to free the clubhead freely to hit the ball square before moving back inside the target line.
When you pull or cut, you may be “wandering” your left hip before impact, when you should create a strong left side. Reorganizing during the swing is a lot to ask, so try to set your left foot square to the target line. As Jack points out, the results can be great.
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