Trevino, the winner of six majors, used a strong grip and an extremely open stance with a flared out left foot. He took the club back shut and a little to the outside — but more upright than most people think. The re-routing of the swing into what Jim McClean likes to call “the slot,” was dramatic.
The key to the swing, according to Trevino himself, was a pronounced forward flex of his knees at the beginning of the downswing. To swing the way he did, Trevino said he needed and “a terrific pair of legs. You can’t stand flat-footed.”
Lee Trevino swing sequence
This is a sequence of Trevino’s swing that probably was made in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Note how much his spine angle changes and how much his head dips, from frame 4 to frame 9.
Trevino says he hit a fade, but interestingly, many of the accounts I have read say Trevino hit the ball straight. Trevino says he didn’t hit the ball far, compared to those of his generation, but he always knew how far his shots would travel. He was widely admired for his accuracy. His swing produced a low ball flight.
Lee Trevino’s Swing Secret
This Golf Digest blog post explains Trevino’s swing “secret”:
At impact, square the back of your left hand to the target. That’s how, when he was learning the game, his swing went from that of a 4-handicap to Tour-pro caliber, virtually overnight.
How Lee Trevino’s Swing Can Help You
If you’re like me, a player with a tendency to come over the top, then Trevino’s swing could help. When swinging like Trevino, you’ll feel like you’re making a figure eight with the club — and at the end of the figure eight you’re coming at the ball from the inside. My results with the Trevino swing have been middle-of-the-face contact and improved accuracy.
And consider this article on the Trevino swing, titled “Golf’s Forgotten Prophet.” The author, Lawrence Henry, writes:
“In the golf swing, you can’t have everything — unless you’re an athletic prodigy like Tiger Woods, and there’s only one of those. Instead, you have to find one fundamental that works, that creates a strong, reliable, square hit on the ball. Lee Trevino found it.”
Compare Lee Trevino’s Golf Swing To:
● Jim Furyk (roughly the same swing shape)
• Dustin Johnson (bowed left wrist)
● David Duval, Fred Couples, Paul Azinger (grip)
● Ryan Moore, Tom Lehman, Fred Couples, Paul Azinger, Mark Calcavecchia (stance)
● Ben Hogan, Tiger Woods, Peter Thomson, Matteo Manassero, Paula Creamer (head dip)
Video Vault of Lee Trevino’s Golf Swing
Craig Hanson analyzes Trevino’s swing:
In a made-for-TV event:
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