It looks strange. Overdone. Maybe even a little awkward. But if you’ve ever seen Alex Noren rehearse a golf shot, you’ve probably stopped mid-sip of your Gatorade and thought, “Wait… what is he doing?” Because the guy’s pre-shot routine looks nothing like a normal swing. And that’s exactly the point.
Noren’s rehearsal might look like a swing gone wrong, but it’s one of the most calculated drills in professional golf — and it’s turned him into one of the best ball strikers on the PGA Tour.
Let’s break down why this strange-looking move works so well… and how you can actually use it to fix your own swing.
From College Fade Experiments to Tour-Level Control
Back in his Oklahoma State days, Noren was fighting a nasty push-draw — the kind that looks great until it turns into a double-cross disaster. His swing shape was in-to-out, and under pressure, it got ugly.
As he put it: “You’ve got to hit it in-between the jungle. You’ve got to hit it in the fairway.”
So, he started chasing a more reliable fade. And the rehearsal you see today? It’s the direct result of trying to eliminate that in-to-out path and keep his hands from flipping through impact.
What makes it so good is that it’s not a technical checklist — it’s a feeling. A very exaggerated, repeatable feel that solves multiple problems at once.
What You’re Actually Seeing in That Rehearsal
Noren’s real swing? Smooth, controlled, and deceptively simple.
His rehearsal swing? Like a golf version of interpretive dance.
But every move is intentional. Here’s what’s happening:
1. Overdone Body Rotation
He turns way open — more than anyone actually would during a real shot. This creates the sensation of rotating through impact instead of flipping the hands. It’s not pretty. It’s powerful.
2. Hands and Torso Leading the Clubhead
Noren rehearses with his torso and hands massively ahead of the clubhead. This kills the flippy release and keeps the big muscles in charge — not the wrists.
3. That Elbow Way Out Front
This move helps get the trail elbow in front of his body through impact. It’s a feel that fights the club dropping behind him (a common death move for amateurs).
4. Left Shoulder Stays Down
By keeping his lead shoulder lower for longer, he creates space for that right elbow to move freely. This helps sync things up through the hitting zone.
5. Full-Body Transition (Not Arms-Only)
Noren’s motion blends his core, hips, and arms — all moving together. No independent arm yank, no mistimed lunge. Just clean sequencing.
And again — none of this looks like his actual swing. But that’s the secret sauce. It’s a drill, not a demo.
Why It Works (And Why You Might Want to Try It)
You don’t need a PGA card to get value from this.
What Noren figured out is that swing changes don’t stick unless you over-exaggerate them — especially during practice. His routine solves a handful of common problems at once:
- It stops the club from going too far in-to-out.
- It stops the hands from rolling the face shut.
- It reinforces body rotation over arm flailing.
- It improves sequencing and pressure transfer to the lead side.
Golf.com called it “one to try if you’re a golfer who tends to hit blocks or hooks.” That’s a lot of us.
A Word on Feel vs. Real
There’s a critical concept here: Noren’s feel is not his real.
That’s something most amateurs miss. We rehearse something that looks like our actual swing — but Noren exaggerates the fix. That exaggeration creates just enough correction to make his real swing more consistent under pressure.
It’s not about looking good. It’s about training your body to move differently.
How You Can Use It at the Range
You don’t need to copy Noren’s exact moves. But you can apply his principles.
Here’s how to test it out during your next practice session:
🔄 Step 1: Know Your Miss
Do you hook it? Block it? Slice it? Noren built his routine to fix a hook. Know what you’re fighting first.
💥 Step 2: Create the Opposite Feel
If you flip your hands, rehearse exaggerated body-led swings. If your path is too in-to-out, rehearse swinging left with your torso leading the way.
🌀 Step 3: Exaggerate Like Crazy
Don’t just mimic. Overdo it. Your practice swing should feel weird — otherwise, it’s not doing much.
🦶 Step 4: Try a Flared Front Foot
Noren flares out his lead foot to make rotation easier. You might be shocked how much it helps with balance and turn.
⛳ Step 5: Use It for Wedges Too
Noren even applies similar feels to his wedge game. Place a club behind the ball when practicing to stop scooping and promote better contact.
What Coaches Love About It
Coaches and analysts rave about Noren’s method for one big reason: it simplifies complicated changes.
Instead of trying to think about five things during a swing, he built one feel that solves multiple issues. That’s gold for amateurs — because the more swing thoughts you have, the worse you usually perform.
Golf Smart Academy summed it up: “It combines all of the new moves into one ‘feel’ or drill for him to focus on.”
Final Thought
There’s something oddly reassuring about watching Alex Noren rehearse a swing that looks nothing like a swing. It reminds us that improvement doesn’t always look tidy — it’s messy, exaggerated, even a little weird.
But if it helps you make better contact, stop flipping the club, or finally fix that over-the-top move? Who cares what it looks like.
You’re not out there to win style points. You’re out there to shoot better scores.
So next time you’re on the range, try your own version of the Noren rehearsal. Go big. Go weird. Then go hit it pure.