Ian Woosnam OBE
Energy packet, the big five, and the Woosie waggle.
Known affectionally as "Woosie," Ian Harold Woosnam was one of the best players on the Tour on either side of the Atlantic during the eighties and nineties. Born in 1958 in Shropshire, he was recognized as one of the big five European stars who were all born within 12 months of each other.
The others were Seve Ballesteros, Bernard Langer, Nick Faldo, and Sandy Lyle. The European five were the nucleus of the Ryder Cup team of the era that shook the match up and changed the history of the Tournament forever.
The Woosnam swing is worth studying for several reasons, not least the prodigious lengths in which he hit the ball with his stocky, concise body frame. At just 5 ft 4.5 inches, he was a regular 300-yard hitter before the metal heads entered the market.
Energy factors in the start position.
The most influential source of energy was his very tall and upright posture. By standing almost straight with the driver he also gained the advantage of 'grooving' his upper arms to the torso, an important element in reducing the overuse of small muscles, particularly the hands and wrists.
Power packet 2
Woosnam's backswing was unhurried and athletically comfortable as he swung his arms freely and turned his torso together in unison. The power factor was the benefits of flow and better coordination resulting from a lack of tension. The photo shows the natural upward bending of the wrists as Woosnam's body pivots around his right knee.
Power packet 3
At the top Woosnam is 'set' in a tightly coiled spring. Here one can sense where the power will be coming from. His rib cage seems to be almost at bursting point as his upper body completes the full turn while the lower body resists the pressure build-up. At the summit, the left thumb points toward the target and the right palm sits under the shaft.
The early days.
Like most of the big five, Woosnam joined the European Tour in 1978 while still in his teens with little financial support. The young Welshman would be spending many nights sleeping in his car and budgeting everywhere else during the day.
After four years of struggling, he finally broke through with his first win at the Swiss Open in 1982. The year turned out to be his turning point as he went on to finish eighth on the money list.
Power packet 4
Woosnam returns from the backswing in a high-tempo action. The legs are used more to support rather than drive. His swing engine was a powerful upper torso, acting as the hub and turning rapidly through the ball. The energy flowed out to the arms and hands, passive until a split moment before the ball is struck.
Power packet 5
The massive power unleashed at the ball results from a chain of coordinated elements rather than a single applied action.
Woosnam talked about using his right hand to release the clubhead, but he would have been more aware of such a feeling after ball contact. The legs and foot action continue to play a supporting role.
Power packet 6.
The Woosnam swing remains on the plane as the path of the club and shaft go back to the inside, mirroring the plane on the backswing.
Lee Trevino used baseball to describe the feeling of swinging the club to third base while the ball takes a direct route to the second.
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A magnificent career.
Woosnam had an outstanding career and would go on to a total of 52 wins on the various Tours. Despite regularly challenging in the top ten he was only to win one major, the 1991 Masters. In the same year, the Welshman achieved first place on the world rankings. He was able to keep the spot for 50 weeks.
Power packet 7
The finish position is an indication of the quality of the SWING that has proceeded it. The finish of the Woosnam swing is as good as it gets. The sound footwork and rotating body ends with nearly all weight over the left knee. The arms are now resting and he is enjoying the ball-flight trajectory, the previous feel, and the sound of contact. Knowing these elements and constantly looking to repeat them is a powerful force in itself.
A last thought.
One of the elements I found impressive in the Woosnam swing was how he used the forefinger and thumb of the right hand, particularly the right forefinger joint. It seemed to dominate his whole movement. Once set up he made a very strong waggle of the club head, fanning the shaft back and forward. He was preparing for both his high-tempo movement and the element that would dominate his feel. In the swing, his right hand commanded the whole action, taking over past the ball and onto the finish. Woosie`s waggle
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