Todd Anderson tutorial: Breaking down Scottie Scheffler’s fancy footwork

In this tutorial, GA Tour Performance Center Director of Instruction Todd Anderson breaks down World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler’s unique footwork which helps him create ground force during impact.

In this tutorial, GA Tour Performance Center Director of Instruction Todd Anderson breaks down World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler’s unique footwork which helps him create ground force during impact.

Introduction

When you talk about Scottie Scheffler, who is the reigning Players Championship winner, one of the things everyone speaks about is how he uses his feet in a unique way to create force in his golf swing.

Photo 1. Todd Anderson instructional photos were taken at The Stadium Course, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. [PGA TOUR]

If you watch PGA Tour players, each players’ footwork is a bit unique to their individual swing. You see a lot of toes and feet kind of twisting around to different degrees with different players. For Scottie, he uses the ground to his advantage because he uses his feet to push off the ground to create force. Although, he is one of the best ball strikers in our game, I would not try and copy his footwork, and then again, I won’t be telling Scottie to change it either!

Photo 4. Todd Anderson instructional photos were taken at The Stadium Course, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. [PGA TOUR]

Loading on his trail foot

Photo 3. Todd Anderson instructional photos were taken at The Stadium Course, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. [PGA TOUR]

The key to Scottie’s action is you need to have the same pattern of movement with your feet. Scottie has a very constant pattern, and being the consistent player that he is, he can repeat this action all the time. When you watch his position at the top of his back swing, he loads his weight into his trail foot (Photo 1). As his arms are swinging down (Photo 2), he then shifts his weight to his front foot and his front foot kind of rolls over (Photo 3).

Now, as he starts to push off his back foot, his front foot rotates towards the target, his trail foot pulls back and kind of twists as well (Photo 4 and 5). Scottie has a beautiful rhythm with his golf swing which helps him sequence the movement of his feet.

Photo 4. Todd Anderson instructional photos were taken at The Stadium Course, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. [PGA TOUR]

Point to the target

When he finishes his swing, both toes are almost pointed to the target (Photo 6), which is very unique. He does this the same way every time and he has this movement grooved to a point where the timing is perfect and he is able to strike the ball solidly.

Photo 5. Todd Anderson instructional photos were taken at The Stadium Course, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. [PGA TOUR]

It’s okay to have something unique in your swing, if you can consistently do the same movement over and over again, even if it's a little unorthodox. If you can produce a consistent, efficient and powerful motion, I wouldn't suggest you change it. So, Scottie, keep working those feet the way you're working them and keep collecting those PGA Tour titles!

Photo 6. Scottie Scheffler tees off on the 14th hole during the second round of The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua in Maui, Hawaii on Jan. 5. [GETTY IMAGES]

Anderson is the Director of Instruction at the PGA Tour Performance Center at TPC Sawgrass, home of The Players Championship. The 2010 National PGA Teacher of the Year has seen his students amass more than 50 victories across the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour, including two FedExCup titles. He is currently rated by Golf Digest as one of the top 20 golf instructors in the United States.

BY TODD ANDERSON [kjdsports@joongang.co.kr]