Rory McIlroy’s 5 ‘game-changers’ for improving your ball striking

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we look back to our October 2014 issue when Rory McIlroy shared five tips for improved ball striking. For unlimited access to the full GOLF Magazine digital archive, join InsideGOLF today; you’ll enjoy $140 of value for only $39.99/year.

Rory McIlroy grabbed a piece of history over the weekend. With his Masters victory in a playoff over Justin Rose, the Northern Irishman became just the sixth golfer ever to complete the career Grand Slam.

The journey to reach that milestone didn’t come easy. There were plenty of obstacles and heartbreaks along the way. Back when McIlroy completed the first three legs of the Slam in 2014, that would’ve seemed absurd to suggest. With three legs of the Slam complete in just three years, it appeared as though he’d be on golf’s Mt. Rushmore in no time. As we all know now, it wasn’t quite so easy.

In honor of McIlroy’s grand achievement, we are looking back to our October 2014 issue of GOLF Magazine when he shared his five keys for improved ball striking. If you implement them in your own games, we can’t promise you’ll win the Grand Slam — but you will be hitting the ball better than ever. Check them out below.

Rory’s 5 keys for long drives

Michael Bannon is the only coach I’ve ever had. It’s scary — he knows my swing better than I do. So when things started sliding south 18 months ago, he knew exactly what to do: Get back to the basics that rocketed me to No. 1 in he first place, using checkpoints and feels that Michael taught me when I was a little kid. Now my driver, iron and wedge swings are again on autopilot. My performance stats are about the same as last year, but I can sense a difference. Every shot feels flush. Copy my fixes and you, too, can rediscover your best swing.

Game-changer No. 1: Activate your address position

You’d think I’d be able to get into a solid address position without thinking, considering the tens of thousands of swings I’ve made in my lifetime. The truth is that it’s as easy to fall into bad habits here as it is in any other part of your swing. So l work on my address every time I practice. 

The key: Settle in so that your arms hang freely and are far enough in front of you to whip the club through the impact zone without your body getting in the way.

Michael’s fix: A sloppy setup leads to a sloppy swing. The best thing Rory did to improve his address position was to increase his hip tilt. Try this: Get into your setup with your hands on your hips and your knees flexed as shown. Use your fingers to push your hips back. Your rear end should “pop” out a bit, creating a crease in your pants just below your belt. You’re doing it correctly if your belt buckle points just beyond the ball, not straight out in front of you. The right amount of hip hinge stabilizes your turn for a tighter coil during your backswing.

Game-changer No. 2: A 1-piece takeaway

The first two feet of my swing are critical. If I start the club back on plane, I won’t have to reroute it on the way down, so I can just rip it without fearing a mis-hit. Granted, my takeaway isn’t perfect. I occasionally yank the club too far inside (then come over the top in the downswing), or “lift” it up and out (which gets me “trapped” coming down). But I can fix those flaws. 

The key: “Push” the club straight back. Picture a wall running parallel to your toe line and straight up through your hands  As you start your swing, keep your hands and the clubhead on the wall.

Michael’s fix: Get into your address position without a club, then crisscross your arms, left over right, so your palms face away from each other. Start your swing by pulling your right hand straight back. See how this forces your left shoulder to turn, and how connected your arms feel to your upper body? If you notice the same feeling when you take real swings, you’ll make a perfect takeaway.

Game-changer No. 3: Turn and load

I’m flexible enough to turn as far back as I want without discomfort. In fact, I often turn too much. I can rotate my shoulders past 90 degrees without thinking, which makes it difficult to get everything back to where it needs to be at impact. I’m not doing that as much this season. 

The key: I stop my swing when my left shoulder hits my chin. If that’s plenty of turn for me, then it’s plenty for you. If I stop my shoulder turn at 90 degrees while keeping my right knee flexed — which lets me load a lot of energy — there’s not a par 5 on earth I can’t reach in two. Your swing will feel tighter, not shorter — a great feeling to have.

Michael’s fix: We always work on limiting Rory’s turn, but you should work on rotating more — and not just your shoulders. The next time you practice, turn your lower body more than you normally would. Try to get your belt buckle to point away from the target when your reach the top. This extra hip turn is what allows your shoulders to rotate a full 90 degrees. The only rules? Keep your right knee flexed and your hands on the right side of your head. If your hands end up behind your head, you’ve lost control.

Game-changer No. 4: Hit irons with your lead knee

When I’m hitting driver, reaching a solid W top position is my only goal. If I’m good at the top, all l have to do is unwind and the ball will go far. When the ball’s on the ground instead of teed up, however, there’s an extra step. 

The key: To hit solid irons, move down and forward from the top as you unwind, so that the bottom of your swing occurs slightly in front of the ball. It’s easy to do if you start your downswing by driving your left knee toward the target, then straighten it as you approach impact. This gets your energy and swing power moving in the direction of the hit, so you leave nothing behind.

Michael’s fix: To feel the way Rory leans into his irons, make your regular backswing but allow your left heel to come off the ground as you reach the top. When you start back down, replant your left heel. Do it hard — so hard that you feel your weight move immediately to your left side. Once you plant, push off the ground with your left foot, firming up your left leg. This creates a post strong enough to support a strong turn through the ball.

Game-changer No. 5: Wedge it close with your body

If there’s one area of my game where the stats show obvious improvement, it’s my full wedges. Last year I ranked 153rd in proximity to the pin on shots from 125 to 150 yards. This year I’ve moved up 139 spots to No. 14! And I’m knocking shots from this range almost four feet closer to the hole. 

The key: Move your body and arms as a single unit. This turns your normal power swing into a control swing, and control is far more important than power from short range. Here’s a visual that’ll help: At address, your shoulders and arms form a triangle in front of your chest. Your goal? Keep the triangle intact and in front of your chest from start to finish. It helps to swing with “dead arms” and use your torso, not your legs, as the engine of your swing.

Michael’s fix: To get a feel for connecting your arm swing to your body turn on full wedges, hold a wedge in each hand at address and swing them simultaneously. The trick? Keep the shafts parallel to each other the whole way while also keeping your arms and hands in front of your chest. At the end of your backswing and your finish, both shafts should point straight up and down. If you have trouble, try feeling as though your chest turn is hitting the shot, and that your hands, arms and club are coming along for the ride.