Fulton Blog: Learn from the top of Rose's swing

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Just when it looked like things were going to get away from Justin Rose on Sunday, the Englishman closed the deal with a chip-in for birdie on the 71st hole followed by a solid par at the last to win the BMW Championship at Cog Hill. Rose is another good example of keeping things as simple as possible in the golf swing and movements of the body.

One of the criticisms in today's game is that with all the improved technology with 2D and 3D video, force plate technologies, launch monitors, etc. players can get too inundated with how perfect their golf swing can be. After all, if you can get your body motion to be biomechanically sound from the set-up to its pivoting action, then in theory this should be more powerful and consistent. Moreover, if you can keep the club shaft on plane throughout the swing, with sufficient club head lag and a club face that is staying square to the arc at all times, than this too should be more powerful and consistent.

Things don't always work this way in the world of golf instruction. One could argue that if you got Jim Furyk's swing more on plane during his backswing that he wouldn't hit it any better, or if you changed Dustin Johnson's clubface from closed to square at the top of his swing, that he would probably go backwards too. Although the science suggests that these are where things should be, there is definitely more than one way to swing the golf club and be successful.

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This improved technology, as it pertains to the science of the game, has definitely helped the performance of so many and is a key reason for the depth of the PGA TOUR. Like any other industry, this information has suggested new ways to make things more effective and efficient when it comes to hitting a golf ball.

When I watch Rose swing the golf club, I see someone who is very sound when it comes to the positions of the golf club (geometry) and the movements of the body (biomechanics). Rose and swing coach Sean Foley have done a nice job of combining these movements to make Rose's golf swing as powerful and simple as possible to repeat -- helping define the modern swing.

One of the key positions for Rose is where he is at the top of his swing. Learning to get closer to this position can help so many of us not only gain more consistency but power as well. Here are a few things to take notice of from the top of his swing.

1. Centered Turn -- One of the buzz words in golf instruction is keeping things "centered" during your backswing. Rose is a good example of someone who makes a good turn allowing the left shoulder to move down and across where it points slightly behind the golf ball. When doing this, the top of spine stays relatively in the same position so there is very little head movement off the ball. This "centered" spine not only makes his coil more compact and efficient but allows him to return the club head back to the golf ball more consistently.

2. Club shaft on plane -- At the top of Rose's swing his club shaft on most shots stops just short of parallel where the butt of the club is still pointing at the extended target line. When you view this from the target line, you will notice how the club head is still slightly left of the hands. This may appear to be laid off but is indeed on-plane setting the stage for a more direct path back to impact.

3. Club face square -- With the club shaft on plane, Rose has a great chance to achieve a square club face. A square club face is when the angle of the club face is parallel to the angle of the left forearm. This face angle really allows Rose to be aggressive through impact with no compensation.

Again, there are different ways to swing the golf club. You certainly don't have to have a centered turn or have the club shaft on plane with the club face square at the top to hit a good golf shot. However, when you look to make things simpler and more repetitive, Rose would be a good golf swing to learn from.

Just Because

It really is funny how you wait all summer for football to come back around and then when it is finally here, you can be so quickly deflated. With just two weeks now under the belt, I find myself already looking to next year and hoping we get Andrew Luck.

Not only are my Seahawks 0-2 to start the season but after getting blown out the first two weeks on the road, they managed to do it without avoiding embarrassment. After all in Week 1 it took us until mid way through the third quarter to finally get across mid-field. It's Week 1 -- things will get better right? Well, Week 2 it took us until the fourth quarter to achieve this very difficult obstacle.

Someone please wake me up from this horrible nightmare.