Two-time LPGA Player of the Year Jin Young Ko is one of the best ball strikers in golf.
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I’ve always admired Jin Young Ko’s swing. Watching her, I’m reminded how in control the World No. 1 really is.
She’s “metronomic” with her moves — rhythmic with all the ingredients you need for a great swing. Ko is extremely athletic and deadly accurate with an iron in her hand. She’s got the rotation, the tilt and the proper lean in the shaft at impact.
If you want to hit solid shots, just copy what you see here.
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1. Flexed lead wrist
Jin Young gets her lead wrist in flexion and in great position at impact. This means her wrist is “bowed” with a square clubface at the moment she strikes the ball.
2. Ball-first contact
Ko produces ideal ball-first contact. Many players tend to “skip” the club into the ball, but, in her case, she hits down hard into the ground, producing loads of spin.
3. Quiet trail leg
Jin Young’s trail leg is relatively quiet — important for a wedge shot like this. Notice how she’s bumped her hips toward the target — that creates the side bend (right shoulder lower than left) needed for consistent strikes.
4. Straight leg
Ko has extended and straightened her front leg, which fuels the rotation you see in her hips and torso. The move begins in the transition from backswing to downswing, where Ko shifts the bulk of her weight into her left heel.
Jonathan Yarwood is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher and is the director of instruction at Alpine Country Club in Damerest, N.J.
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