While just about everyone’s eyes were locked on Rory during Masters Sunday, I kept drifting back to Justin Rose and that quirky rehearsal he sneaks in before every shot. From a distance, he looks like a 20‑handicapper fresh off a lesson. The club is dropped way behind him, his body barely moving. Yet Rose, now 44, nearly slipped on a green jacket. He’s done this move for years so maybe it deserves a closer look. If you’ve wondered what on earth he’s doing and whether it could help you, read on.
What’s Rose actually doing?
Rose has built a rehearsal move into his pre-shot routine that helps him feel the club drop into place. He pauses at the top of the backswing and then lets the club fall well behind him while his chest and hips stay almost frozen.
We’ve heard this described as a “feel versus real” drill. Rose doesn’t want an extreme path or movement when he strikes the ball. He exaggerates the drop move so the club is on a neutral path when he adds normal speed.
“I don’t want the club to be here in delivery—that’s way too far behind me,” he says. “But as soon as I bring rotation to the target into play, this feel turns into that impact delivery … It’s a little like the water skier: I’m the boat and the club is the skier.”
How does this help his game?
This move can help in a few ways. He’s likely kept it around this long because it’s simple for him but it impacts several key components of his swing.