Okay, let’s talk about trying to get that smooth Fred Couples swing down. I’ve been working on this for a bit, trying to capture some of that magic.
Getting Started Watching Freddie
So, first thing I did was just watch the guy. A lot. Found a bunch of old tournament footage, practice swings, anything I could get my eyes on. Didn’t really look for technical stuff at first, just wanted to soak in the rhythm. Man, that tempo is something else. Looks like he’s barely trying, but the ball just goes.
I paid attention to how relaxed he looked over the ball. No tension in the shoulders, arms just hanging loose. That seemed key. He doesn’t rush anything, especially that takeaway. It’s slow, wide, and smooth. It almost looks lazy, but it’s not.
Hitting the Range – Trying to Copy
Then, I headed to the driving range. Figured watching was one thing, doing is another. My first few attempts felt… well, pretty clumsy. Trying to consciously swing slow felt weird, almost like I had no power.
I focused on a few things I noticed:
- The Takeaway: Tried to make it really deliberate and wide. Felt like I was pushing the club straight back with my left arm, keeping it low.
- The Top: This is where Freddie has that signature pause, or near-pause. It’s not really a full stop, more like a super smooth transition. I tried to feel that moment of letting the club ‘set’ before starting down. This was tough, my instinct is always to rush from the top.
- The Downswing: Tried to keep it effortless, letting gravity help. Focused on rotating my body through, not hitting at the ball with my arms. That feeling of ‘lag’ everyone talks about? Yeah, trying to get that without forcing it.
- The Finish: Full, balanced, relaxed. Just like Freddie’s. Holding that finish felt important, like proof I hadn’t lunged at the ball.
Trial and Error (Lots of Error)
Honestly, it took a ton of swings. Hit some absolute stinkers. Topped balls, chunks, slices – you name it. It’s hard work trying not to work hard, if that makes sense? Trying to swing easy but still generate clubhead speed.
But then, every now and then, I’d hit one. One that felt different. Smooth. The ball compressed nicely, took off with that effortless ‘whoosh’ sound. That’s the feeling I was chasing. It wasn’t about hitting it miles necessarily, but hitting it pure with that easy rhythm.
I found that thinking less about specific positions and more about the overall flow and tempo helped me more. Feeling the weight of the clubhead, letting the swing happen instead of forcing it. It’s still a work in progress, big time. Some days I feel like I’ve got a piece of it, other days I’m back to my old habits.
But yeah, that’s been my process. Lots of watching, lots of trying on the range, focusing on rhythm over raw power, and just grinding it out. It’s a tough swing to emulate because so much of it seems natural to him, but trying to capture even a little bit of that smoothness has been a fun challenge.
