Table of Contents
- Who is Patrick Reed? (The Polarizing Champion)
- The Mechanics of the ‘Reed Swing’
- His Signature Draw Shot Explained
- Ryder Cup Captain America: Leadership on the World Stage
- Equipment: The Callaway Connection
- How to Improve Like Patrick Reed
Patrick Reed is one of the most recognizable faces in professional golf.
He’s known for his intensity, his specific style of dress, and that patented draw shot that seems to curve miles left-to-right when he needs it to.
But underneath the controversy and the camera flashes, there is a incredibly disciplined, almost robotic approach to the game.
From what I’ve seen analyzing the pros, Reed is the definition of a ‘dogged’ golfer.
He doesn’t just hit the ball; he attacks it.
And while his swing looks a little unorthodox to the naked eye, it works because of his mechanics and his grip.
Who is Patrick Reed? (The Polarizing Champion)
You probably know him as ‘Captain America’ because of his leadership during the 2014 and 2016 Ryder Cups, but his career is actually built on a foundation of victories at the WGC events and the Masters 2018.
He hasn’t always been the most popular guy in the locker room.
There are always stories about his fiery personality.
Sometimes it works in his favor, pushing him to win when everyone counts him out.
Other times, it gets him into trouble off the course.
But for the sake of this analysis, we’re going to look at what makes him a winning machine on the tee box.
The Mechanics of the ‘Reed Swing’
If you try to copy Patrick Reed’s swing without knowing what you’re doing, you’re going to hurt yourself.
It’s not a classic Ben Hogan motion.
It’s a bit more upright and reliant on upper body strength.
The key here is his grip.
He plays with a very strong grip on both hands.
Your left hand (for right-handed golfers) is rotated way to the left, and the right hand is over the top.
This sets the clubface in a position where it can easily rotate over quickly through impact.
Also, notice how low his center of gravity is.
He creates leverage by bending his knees significantly at address and staying in that low posture throughout the swing.
This keeps his hands lower, allowing him to compress the ball against the ground rather than scooping it.
His Signature Draw Shot Explained
This is the move that pays the bills.
A draw is essentially a controlled hook.
It starts left of the target and curves further left, landing on the target side.
Reed does this by closing the clubface relative to the path at impact.
Since he has that strong grip, the clubface naturally wants to close. Now think about that for a second.
He just has to time it perfectly.
He often keeps his left arm relatively straight longer than most pros, which creates a slot for the club to enter the ball from the inside.
It’s a powerful ball flight.
But it’s not for everyone.
If you try to replicate this without proper sequencing, you’re going to hit a huge hook or a slice.
Ryder Cup Captain America: Leadership on the World Stage
It wasn’t just his golf game.
It was his attitude.
In 2014, at Gleneagles, he was the X-factor.
He wasn’t afraid to get in an opponent’s face or talk trash.
It energized his team.
Fast forward to 2016 at Hazeltine, and he took over as the leader of the American team.
He had the swagger. Here’s the interesting part.
He made big putts when the pressure was on.
It’s hard to argue with the results: the U.S.
retained the cup both times.
His ability to handle high-pressure situations is arguably his greatest trait, separate from his swing.
Equipment: The Callaway Connection
He’s been with Callaway for a long time now.
It makes sense.
They like the aggressive, powerful style of his game.
He’s been seen using their ERC drivers and Prototype irons.
If you want to mimic his setup, you might look into their best golf drivers for distance.
He loves the forgiveness and the ball speed.
But remember, just buying the clubs doesn’t make you Patrick Reed.
The mental game is just as big.
How to Improve Like Patrick Reed
- Check Your Grip: You don’t need a super strong grip like his, but a slightly stronger grip can help you turn the ball over.
- Stay Low: Reed stays in his posture.
Try to keep your knees flexed throughout the swing to maintain your pivot.
- Swing Through the Ball: He doesn’t snap the club back; he drives it forward.
Focus on extending your arms.
- Mental Toughness: Reed is tough.
You need to be able to ignore bad breaks and keep grinding.
Most people overlook the fact that Reed practices obsessively.
His low center of gravity is a result of thousands of hours in the gym and on the range.
You can’t fake that consistency.
Is his swing the ‘perfect’ golf swing? Probably not.
But it is an incredibly effective tool for winning championships.
If you can learn to control that aggressive energy without losing your temper, you might just see your scores drop.
Image source: pexels.com
Image source credit: pexels.com