If you’ve ever watched Justin Thomas launch a drive and wondered how a guy his size generates that much power — without losing control — you’re not alone.
At 5’10” and around 160 pounds, JT consistently hits it over 300 yards with swing speeds over 118 mph. It’s not just brute force. It’s science.
Precision. And some wild footwork that defies everything you thought you knew about staying grounded through impact.
Let’s break it down.
The Secret Starts at the Top
Thomas sets up with what many coaches call a “high hands” position — arms lifted and loaded at the top of the backswing. His dad, Mike Thomas, swears by it. Why? It gives JT more freedom in his swing rhythm, more time to accelerate the club, and the steeper angle of attack comes in handy from the rough.
Basically, it’s a launchpad.
From there, Thomas doesn’t yank the club down. He lets it fall into the slot. Jake Thurm, one of the many coaches dissecting JT’s move, calls this the “Roll It” phase — where the lead forearm rotates like you’re turning your wristwatch to the sky. This shallow move sets the shaft pitch perfectly and puts the clubhead behind the hands for serious compression.
You’ll often hear about shallowing, but Thomas does it with finesse that most of us can only dream of.
Lower Body First, Always
The real engine room in Thomas’s swing? His sequencing.
It goes like this: lower body → torso → arms → club. In that order, every time. No early casting. No wasted motion.
He starts by planting the lead foot — hard — and pressing into the ball of that foot and big toe. And then? He pushes. Hard. That push generates ground force and kicks off a rotation chain reaction.
And yes, you read that right — he pushes so hard into the ground that he literally jumps. Watch closely and you’ll see both heels off the ground at impact. Mitchell Spearman described it best: “He springs up where actually both heels are off the ground.”
Not exactly your classic ‘keep your feet planted’ textbook move. But this is JT. Not a textbook.
The Wrist Game is on Another Level
Now for the fun part — wrist mechanics.
JT’s lead wrist goes into flexion — what Thurm calls the “Bow It” move. Think of it like bowing your wrist to keep the clubface slightly closed through transition. That’s key for controlling face angle, which is everything when it comes to hitting it straight.
While that lead wrist bows, the trail wrist extends. This creates torque — a sort of internal spring — helping to store and unleash energy into the ball. And when he releases it? That’s the “Throw It” moment.
You’re not meant to hold the angle forever. JT lets the club catch up post-impact, releasing max speed after contact. That’s what separates explosive from erratic.
Ground Force: The X-Factor
Let’s talk footwork — the thing that gets all the attention.
JT presses down hard through his left leg just before impact. But he’s not just pushing for the sake of it. That downward pressure creates an upward force — vertical thrust — which boosts rotational speed and adds velocity to the clubhead.
And that’s why he looks like he’s jumping out of his shoes. Because… he is.
It’s not for everyone (Spearman calls it “a young man’s swing”), but the principle is universal: pushing into the ground creates power. The ground fights back and launches you up — and that motion adds serious zip to your swing.
Feel > Mechanics (Sometimes)
Despite the biomechanics, JT isn’t glued to TrackMan numbers. He’s a feel player.
“My primary swing thought is some form of covering the ball,” Thomas once said. He keeps a mental bag of feels and picks the one that works best on any given day.
That’s also what makes him deadly — he adjusts fast. After a shaky round at the 2023 Fortinet Championship, he said, “I could tell in one video I was getting stuck underneath it.” One video. One fix. That kind of self-awareness is rare.
What Can You Learn From JT’s Swing?
Let’s be real — most of us aren’t going to be airborne at impact.
But there are a few lessons any golfer can steal from JT:
- Use the ground. Push off your trail foot like you’re squashing a bug — with purpose.
- Sequence matters. Start the downswing with your hips, not your hands.
- Bowed wrist = control. Keep your lead wrist flexed to square the face.
- Feel your swing. Trust your body and pick a swing thought that feels right, not just sounds right.