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Five Lessons You Can Learn From Ernie Els' Swing

By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on

One name that's firmly in contention at the 2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship is the legendary Ernie Els.
Rightly named the 'Big Easy' due to his buttery swing, Els has left an indelible mark on the golf world throughout his Hall of Fame career. His journey is a testament to his skill and dedication, with an impressive record of 75 worldwide professional wins and four major championships.
Els' golf swing is a fascinating study, unique in its smoothness and grace. It has captivated players and fans alike, offering a wealth of lessons for aspiring golfers. Here's what we can learn:
Tempo
Ernie's golf swing is a testament to the power of rhythm and grace over brute force. It's a valuable lesson for golfers, showing that by prioritizing fluidity and tempo, they can gain better control and consistency in their game.
Attention to set up fundamentals
Additionally, Els' swing demonstrates the importance of a balanced and stable setup. His posture and alignment are consistently solid, providing a strong foundation for his swing. This underscores the significance of proper setup and alignment in executing a successful shot. By emulating Els' attention to these fundamental aspects, golfers can enhance their own performance on the course.
The importance of "staying relaxed"
Els' golf swing exemplifies the value of a relaxed and tension-free approach. His smooth and unhurried swing is a testament to the benefits of staying loose and free of unnecessary tension. This serves as a reminder to golfers to avoid gripping the club too tightly or introducing unnecessary tension into their swing. By maintaining a relaxed and fluid motion, golfers can achieve greater consistency and rhythm in their swings.
A wide swing arc
Ernie's swing also includes a wide and consistent arc, which is important to his easy tempo and distance. His swing features a full and unrestricted motion, maximizing the potential for clubhead speed and distance. By maintaining a wide arc throughout the swing, Els generates significant power and achieves a fluid, connected motion. Golfers can benefit from this lesson by concentrating on developing a wide and consistent swing arc, ultimately leading to improved ball striking and distance.
Proper swing sequencing on the downswing, to the finish
Another notable aspect of Ernie Els' golf swing is his exceptional timing and release. He has a remarkable ability to synchronize his upper and lower body movements, resulting in a seamless transfer of energy through impact. This synchronization allows him to generate significant power without sacrificing accuracy. Golfers can learn from this by focusing on the coordination of their body movements and the timing of their release, ultimately leading to more powerful and controlled shots.
Brendon R. Elliott, PGA

Sorrento, FL

Brendon Elliott

Director of Instruction, Freelance Golf Writer

[Brendon Elliott, PGA](https://brendonelliott.com/), is an award-winning PGA Professional, player-development coach and nationally recognized golf writer with three decades of experience in the golf industry. As of 2026, he has been a PGA Professional for 17 years and has earned more than 25 PGA Section and Chapter honors for his work in coaching, education and player development. In 2017, he received the PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award. ## Coaching Competitive Teenage Golfers Through [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home), Brendon specializes in working with competitive teenage golfers who want to improve their performance, better understand their games and prepare for the demands of high school, junior tournament and college golf. His primary focus is [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching), which allows him to remain actively involved in a player’s development regardless of location. Rather than relying on occasional lessons or isolated swing fixes, Brendon works with players throughout their competitive journey. His coaching covers much more than the golf swing. Players receive ongoing guidance in structured practice, short-game development, putting, course management, tournament preparation, performance analysis, goal setting and the mental and physical habits required to improve over time. Using video analysis, virtual coaching sessions, performance data and regular communication, Brendon helps each player understand what to work on, why it matters and how to make meaningful progress between practices and tournaments. Brendon accepts only a limited number of in-person students in Central Florida. His priority is building long-term [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching) relationships with competitive teenage golfers and their families. The goal is not simply to help a young player hit better shots. It is to help that player become more prepared, more accountable and more capable of navigating everything competitive golf demands. Brendon’s career has included serving as a head golf professional, general manager, college golf educator, career development director, academy owner and longtime junior golf leader. He founded Little Linksters Golf Academy in 2008 and led the organization for more than 16 years before selling the academy in late 2024 and launching [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home). ## Golf Writing and Media Brendon is also a nationally recognized and prolific golf writer and storyteller. He is the Senior Golf Writer for [Athlon Sports](https://athlonsports.com/author/brendon-elliott) and has written extensively about professional golf, instruction, player development, equipment, golf history and the people shaping the game. His work has also appeared with PGA.com, GolfWRX, PGA Magazine, MyGolfSpy and several other prominent golf media outlets. Through [One More Roll Golf Media](https://onemorerollgolf.com/), Brendon provides editorial content, feature writing, consulting and media services throughout the golf industry. His background as a coach and educator shapes the way he writes, while his work as a writer strengthens the way he coaches. He understands how to explain complicated ideas clearly, ask better questions and connect the technical, strategic and personal sides of golf.

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