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At 18 Brooke Henderson has risen to #2 in the world rankings behind 19 year- old Lydia Ko. The differences in their swings couldn’t be more distinct. Ko is measured and precise (even though her new “A” swing technique has her making an unconventional backswing), and plots her way around the course keeping the ball in play off the tee, hitting greens and putting the eyes out of it. Henderson, on the other hand, has a swing reminiscent of John Daly and Carlos Franco, with a dash of old Hogan thrown in for good measure. I’m pretty sure that there is not a longer swing on the ladies’ tour, and now that Daly is on the Champion’s Tour that goes for the PGA Tour as well. Henderson separates her right thumb and index finger when she grips the club, which allows the club to keep moving backwards as it approaches the top, and with her extra-large upper trunk turn and her right arm and shoulder pulling behind her she takes every full swing at least 2 feet past parallel. The coolest thing about the swing is the position of the shaft in transition and her ability to move her body well enough to take a right arm that should be trapped and move it around to achieve a solid impact, albeit with a throw release. She flattens the club behind her more than even Sergio, her hands moving down and behind her with her right arm squeezing into her side, and the position at left arm parallel in the downswing is pure Power Golf without the right upper arm and elbow leading. Her pivot movement saves her as she is able to create depth in the hips in the downswing even after setting up a bit in her heels and moving toward the ball at the start of the swing. She obviously has great touch around the greens and is an excellent putter, and it will be interesting to see if her swing evolves into something more controlled or if she just keeps doing it like she is doing. Whatever the case she is already a star and a major champion, and she has injected some needed excitement into the women’s game.
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