Golf tip: Waggles from Ben Hogan to Michelle Wie (Video)

Bubba Watson’s waggle returns to conventional timing. Watson, like Ben Hogan and Jason Day, waggles between his set-up and his backswing. The waggle may be the only element of Bubba’s game that’s subtle – just a couple of quick flicks of the club head.

In contrast to Hogan, Bubba has no wrist action. In contrast to Day, whose club moves back from the set-up position decisively and dramatically, Bubba’s club shaft seems almost static.

It’s hard to argue with Bubba’s flick-flick-static set-up approach, even if he did miss the cut at the 2017 Masters. After all, he generates an astonishing 194 mph in club head speed and drives the ball upwards to 350 yards.

At the same time, it could be that abbreviated waggle that’s holding Watson back. Bubba’s SG:tee-to- green is 0.230 and his SG:approach-the-green is -0.150. If Hogan was right, and the waggle provides a mental preparation for the swing, Bubba may cheating himself by rushing his swing and sacrificing direction for distance.