[Kim Hyunjun's Photo Lesson] 'Number 2' Ram's 'Piercing Iron Shot'..."Head is the Central Axis"

Keep the backswing concise, deliver a powerful downward strike in the downswing, and maintain a solid left leg throughout the swing process

This is the "dagger iron shot" of Jon Rahm, ranked 2nd in the world. He has already passed the impact and entered the follow-through phase, but his head remains still.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Keep your head steady."

World No. 2 Jon Rahm (Spain) combined a long drive average of 307.60 yards (22nd on the PGA Tour last year) with a greens in regulation rate of 70.31% (18th), demonstrating both power and precision. This is the turning point to gauge a world star's performance, known as the ‘300-70 Club Power.’ Among the top 5, only two players, including Xander Schauffele (305.40 yards, 70.87%), belong to this group. It is noteworthy that No. 1 Dustin Johnson (USA) recently entered this group by raising his greens in regulation from 69.27% to 73.33% (9th) in the 2021 season.

Rahm turned professional in 2016 and immediately won the Farmers Insurance Open in January 2017. He also won the CareerBuilder Challenge in January 2018, the Zurich Classic in April 2019, and notably the Memorial Tournament in June 2020, becoming the first Spaniard in 31 years since Seve Ballesteros (1989) to reach World No. 1. The highlight was the BMW Championship, the second playoff event in November, where he sank a dramatic 20.1-meter winning birdie after a playoff battle with Johnson.

This year, Rahm has focused even more on accuracy. He switched from TaylorMade, which he used for the past five years, to Callaway. After thorough testing of his new equipment at the end of last year, he successfully landed with a tie for 5th place at the Genesis Invitational, which ended on the 22nd. Above all, his textbook swing stands out. . Even though he is already in the follow-through phase past impact, his head remains perfectly still.

The key to an iron shot is the triangle formed by the shoulders and both arms. The head must not move to maintain this triangle throughout the backswing and downswing. The backswing is concise: the upper body rotates so that the left shoulder moves under the chin, and the weight smoothly shifts onto the right leg. The downswing, on the other hand, is a powerful downward strike, known as ‘downblow,’ which is essential for generating spin on the green.

In this process, the left leg acts as a wall. Rahm’s lower body is solid, and his hands unfold above his left thigh. Amateur golfers often err by letting their left knee collapse. Here is a simple practice method: place your left leg against a wall or chair and swing. During the downswing, when the weight shifts to the left foot, the knee should not pop out. If the follow-through is accurate, the finish position will naturally form.