Why Not Try Copying Ryan Fox?
How many of you watched the British Open and Ryan Fox’s sensational finish? What impressed me most wasn’t just his aggressive play, but the speed with which he played. He rarely stood over the ball for more than ten seconds. Even on the final green, only 22 seconds passed between Sam Burns holing out and the New Zealander draining his 11-foot birdie putt to lift the Claret Jug. In an era of increasingly slow play, it was a refreshing sight.
Ryan says he grew up playing fast-moving sports, and that mentality carried into his golf. He’s never been overly methodical. As he puts it, “I pick a shot quickly, choose the club quickly, and the less time I have to think, the less bad stuff can creep in.”
His performance coach, Karl Morris, describes Ryan’s mindset as one of pursuit rather than avoidance. Instead of thinking, “Don’t hit it into trouble,” Ryan commits fully to the shot he wants to create. By playing quickly, he gives doubt and negative thoughts very little chance to appear.
Which brings me to the point of this article: don’t become static over the ball.
From Address Position to Address Motion
Brian Sparks never liked golfers freezing at address. If you’ve seen his swing, you’ll remember his waggle and forward press. He felt he was already moving before the backswing began—as if the engine was already running rather than being switched on.
Brian often said:
“You can’t have positions in a motion.”
Perhaps it’s time we stopped talking about the address position and started thinking about an address motion. The address position may simply be another unnecessary position we can eliminate.
For many golfers, standing still invites swing thoughts—a mental checklist of positions and mechanics. Yet if tension is golf’s greatest enemy, and thought creates tension, shouldn’t we do everything we can to reduce thinking?
Brian believed the answer was simple: stay in motion. Ryan Fox appears to believe the same.
A Simple Drill to Stay in Flow
Start with a ten-foot putt. Stand behind the ball and picture it rolling into the hole. Now set the putter behind the ball and put your focus fully on the target.
While still looking at the hole, begin the stroke. As the putter moves away, slowly let your eyes return to the ball. By the time your focus reaches the ball, your backswing will be complete. Then simply allow the forward swing to happen—without thought or effort.
Explore this putting exercise for at least 10-15 minutes before moving onto chipping. With bump and runs you might find it easier to return your eyes to the ball just before taking the club away rather than taking the club away and then returning your eyes to the ball. Be open to explore what works for you and remember, the core purpose of this exercise is to free yourself of swing thoughts.
The objective is simple: begin every swing with a vivid picture of the target, then allow the swing to unfold free from conscious control. Keep your awareness on the swinging club, while the body simply responds. You may discover something many golfers rarely experience—flow. A swing that feels natural, effortless and authentic.
Why not try it? Start on the putting green and see what happens. It’s an enjoyable way to practise, and for many golfers it opens the door to a completely different way of playing. If it works for you around the green then you can explore something similar with the longer clubs.
Ultimately, it’s about exploring the connection between an address in motion and a mind free from technical thought. The quieter the mind, the freer the movement.