The Swing Change That Helped Xander Win Two Majors—And How You Can Copy It

As much as amateurs think golf professionals have it all figured out, they don’t. Golf pros change their swings, make adjustments and work to get better all the time. Even some of the best in the world.

Xander Schauffele won two out of four golf majors in 2024. Before that incredible year, he identified a setup flaw that caused some issues with his tee shot.

By fixing it, he was able to reduce tension, get the club on the right path and improve power and accuracy. If you think your game could benefit from that, here’s what you should know.

What was wrong with his setup?

Schauffele’s main problem off the tee was that his shoulders were too open and he had too much tension in his forearms, leading to inconsistency.

Shoulders too open

His main challenge revolved around his shoulders which tend to be open at address. The overly open position forced him to pull the club across his body. While he could sometimes get the club on the right path, this move didn’t hold up when faced with high-pressure situations.

“Reverse K” setup issues

The “reverse K” setup with the trail shoulder lower than the lead shoulder is generally considered standard for all golfers. However, Schauffele noticed that his exaggerated drop of the trail shoulder caused him to make too much lateral movement off the ball in the backswing. This large shift impacted both his timing and alignment.

Tension in the forearms

Schauffle was a little uncomfortable at setup. He wasn’t dialed into swinging back using his natural abilities. He gripped the club tighter than necessary, locking in the forearms and preventing smooth takeaways.

The changes that fixed it

To fix this issue, he built a brand-new setup routine for his driver that addressed all of the issues and left him feeling more confident about the ball.

Here’s the new routine.

Square the shoulders

His first step was to ensure the shoulders were not open at the address. He tucked the lead shoulder slightly to square them.

Pick a specific aiming spot

Schauffele picks a leaf or mark in the turf just a few feet in front of his ball. He sets his clubface first and then builds his setup around that with the new square shoulders.

Waggle the club

To relieve the tension, he gives the driver a waggle. This helps him take some pressure out of his hands and arms and focus it on his core and body. It’s a good way to ensure the proper muscles are doing what they need to.

Adjust the shoulders when necessary

While he still technically plays with a reverse K setup, Schauffele has toned that back a little. When he needs to carry a bunker or hit one more than 300 yards, he may hike the lead shoulder up a bit to increase the launch angle and gain a few extra yards.

Proof it worked

Here’s how Schauffele’s performance off the tee has changed since making these adjustments.

Stat Category	2023 Season	2024 Season	Change
SG: Off The Tee	47th (0.265)	10th (0.557)	▲ Improved by 37 spots and +0.292 strokes
Total Driving	101st (199)	20th (128)	▲ Improved by 81 spots
Driving Distance	68th (304.1 yds)	33rd (308.5 yds)	▲ +4.4 yards and 35 spots
Driving Accuracy	131st (57.46%)	95th (60.84%)	▲ +3.38% and 36 spots

Final thoughts

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it: amateur golfers do not give their setup enough attention. The majority of what Xander Schauffele did was tweak his setup. It completely changed his stats off the tee and helped him win two majors. While you likely won’t win a major by tweaking your driver setup, it may save you a few shots.

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