Jack Nicklaus Golf Swing Compared to the Peak Performance Golf Swing

Mon, 03/13/2017 - 20:43 -- Don Trahan

We stumbled upon a great video of Jack Nicklaus on Youtube and we wanted to share this with everyone. Often we are asked what golfers use a vertical golf swing and there is no better example than the Golden Bear. Today's tip is an analysis of his swing and comparison to the Peak Performance Golf Swing.

Jack Nicklaus is definitely Peak Performance vertical in his backswing and forward upswing. He varies from PPGS in that in his backswing he turns well to if not more than 90 degrees due to left foot lift in the bs and this causes an EBRT end of backswing reverse tilt.  His forward upswing transition is real good and arms swing down and to ball real well for impact and his forward upswings is real good all the way to the top.  At the top is varies from PPGS as he finishes with a reverse C which is the equal and opposite of his EBRT.  He is 3/4 with most of his clubs and only gets close to and to parallel with his woods.

His plane, arm lift both BS and FUS are classic PPGS.  With his irons, he takes the club away shut and more toe up with his woods.  He has in his BS a big left foot lift and left knee turning a lot inward toward his right leg which is the cause of the EBRT.  However, he does maintain real good balance with a very minimal head movement at the top of the backswing.

Overall. Mr. Nicklaus is a great model for the PPGS in plane, arms and club action (except shut club takeaway with irons) elbow triangle at the top of the BS and his finish.  He varies from PPGS in the top of BS with the EBRT and the finish with the Revere C which is the reaction to the EBRT.  He is on a perfect plane from takeaway to the top, then from the top to his finish.  Lastly, he has a good recoil and relax at his finish.  Mr. Nicklaus gets a solid A for overall PPGS swing motion and balance despite his lifted left foot and left knee turning inward in the backswing causing the EBRT. He still maintains great balance and is a Reverse C finish which again he maintains great balance and motion to his finish and recoil.

Comments

NeilofOZ's picture

Submitted by NeilofOZ on

Sorry Don, don't agree with you on a lot of things you wrote, your swing is
very compact and far less complicated, whereas his swing is far more
complex and includes a lot of body movement from the ground up and us mere mortals just cannot replicate this style. I can see at least 5-6 areas
where Jack is no where near PPGS.

I think this is the main issue with golf, in that we try to emulate gifted people
thinking that they hold a secret that we can copy, but it's futile and as you
know each and every one of us is anatomically different, so everyone of us
has to find a method based on our body.

Am starting to strike the ball now better than ever, due to me combining other people's ideas together with PPGS and it's a good to feeling to know that when I'm on the tee, I'm thinking of par's all the time.

resumez@cox.net's picture

Submitted by resumez@cox.net on

Glad to see that you like Jack's swing -- mostly. Like at least a million other golfers, for years I was trying to "swing it like Jack" !
I was originally taught a vertical rotational swing similar to Jack, but with shorter backswing than his. This swing served me very well for many years.
but alas, old age and various physical complications meant I could no longer use it due to lower back pain.
Then I discovered the PPGS. Since I was already very vertical, the transition was easy - and I hit the ball as straight as ever -- and no more back pain.

Thank you Don
Amos

A ndrew M's picture

Submitted by A ndrew M on

Looks a lot like vertical swing to me, add youth, dexterity, and physical prowess

robb60's picture

Submitted by robb60 on

Looks like a low stress, low maintenance golf swing to me. I think he just shot 71 at a charity event recently. Beat his age by 6 strokes. No SBG for Jack or Surge. Cool.

MikefromKy's picture

Submitted by MikefromKy on

Quote Jack N per the golf channel

Just when I was getting my handicap up there, I had to go and not only shoot just my second round under 80 since November, but better my age by six shots with a 71," Nicklaus wrote. "But seriously, it was a great day for golf and for raising needed money for the incredible work that my friends Ernie and Liezl Els do to bring attention and support for the estimated 1 in 68 children in the U.S. with autism. I’m delighted I could join the big-hearted amateurs and pros in the 9th annual Els for Autism Pro-Am. I just don’t recall getting a trophy this big for any second-place finishes in my career!"

richard@thoma-net.com's picture

Submitted by richard@thoma-n... on

Don, thanks for digging this up. I always thought that Jack mas mostly PPGS and the snap shots I took watching the videos prove it. And you are right he is not ¾ with the woods but he was (and still is) the N°1 player in the world.

lorinaa53@yahoo.com's picture

Submitted by lorinaa53@yahoo.com on

I have trouble slicing my T shots even though I purchased offset clubs from the Doc. Attached is a video from another site which has helped. Do you agree or disagree and if not what do you recommend?

brenda.bentz@telus.net's picture

Submitted by brenda.bentz@te... on

Where does Surge get his flat aiming lines?