Who Is He?

Fred Couples is the guy that the boys want to be and the girls want to be with. He is one of the most charismatic, smiley and effortlessly relaxed golfers on the tour. He seems to be almost a permanent fixture at most tour events and in particular at the majors. His golf swing has been one of the smoothest and nicest to watch over the years. And like a fine wine, seems to be getting better with age.

What He Does

Over the years, Fred Couples' golf swing has sometimes depended too much on good timing. This often left him with a relatively streaky golf game – it was either on or off. As he has developed his swing under the tutelage of Butch Harmon, he has shortened his swing slightly and reduced his distinctive lift in the takeaway. He is still able to maintain a full backswing turn without too much leg action. In his early days, Fred was known as 'Freddie Boom Boom', this was a nickname he was given due to his prestigious distance, something that he still possesses to this day.

What Can You Learn?

Learning to produce a silky smooth golf swing like Fred Couples would be great for most club and amateur golfers. Next time you are at the practice range, focus on hitting 50 balls without a tense muscle in your body. Notice how at the address position everything should be stable but relaxed. Notice how your grip should be comfortable but not tight, your breathing should be slow and you should not feel tired after 50 balls. Do you think Fred Couples looks like a guy that sweats?

However, it would also be a positive step to copy Fred's attitude and demeanour around the golf course. He seems to saunter around the golf course as if he is taking a stroll on a beach on a sunny day. He smiles as if he has no care in the world and strikes the golf ball with the confidence of a man knowing where his result will finish.

What Should You Avoid?

For many golfers, Fred's overswing would cause them to lose any control that they have and result in more wayward shots. Most club and amateur golfers should aim to swing the golf club short of the parallel position at the top of the backswing. This would result in more controlled, if slightly shorter shots.