The 6 positions that power Sepp Straka’s Ryder Cup-worthy swing

Q: Who is the first Austrian to win a PGA Tour title? You guessed it: Sepp Strakawhich actually has four.

Born in Vienna to an American mother and an Austrian father who is a golf course architect, Straka, now 32, moved to Valdosta, Ga., at age 14. He and his twin brother both played collegiate golf at the University of Georgia, where Sepp earned a degree in business management. The brothers had strong junior careers, representing Austria at the 2011 European Boys’ Team Championships, finishing joint second.

Straka turned professional in 2016 and made his Tour debut at the 2019 US Open, finishing T28 and ending the season at 107th in the FedEx Cup standings, securing his card for 2020. He represented Austria at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (T10) and the 2024 Paris Olympics (T35). His coaching staff includes GOLF Top 100 Teachers John Tillery, who has worked with Sepp since late 2021, and shortstop specialist Tim Yelverton.

Although he’s a big guy (6’3), Straka has recently changed his driving strategy to prioritize distance accuracy, utilizing his elite approach game. Under Tillery’s direction, the approach has fueled four PGA Tour victories: the 2022 Honda Classic, the 2023 John Deere Classic and the 2025 American Express and Truist Championship. He may not be a household name yet, but he has reached No. 7 in the world as of this writing. A quick study of his swing below shows why.

1. Address

Great setup for a tall guy, with more knee bend and upper body lean than shorter pros. His left arm extends slightly outward to keep him from staying too close to the ball. His slightly open shoulders are now a tournament standard.

2. Takeaway

Straka’s swing is dominated by his trail arm, which he subtly rotates. This allows him to track his hands slightly inwards as he rotates the face of the open arm into a close toe-up position. The clubhead rests between his elbows. Perfect.

3. Ball

Because Sepp limits his trailarm rotation to the garage, both elbows reach the same height when he reaches the top. A flat left hand wraps things up nicely. Despite his large frame, he fully rotates his upper body, prompting him for a powerful strike.

4. Discount

Sepp flattens his left wrist slightly, keeping the shaft between his elbows and over his right forearm. Copy this! Here’s a visual: When you reach this position on the downswing, the dot lines on your clubface should be vertical and pointing skyward.

5. Impact

Straka proves that you don’t need to over-rotate your trail arm or over-steer with your trail elbow to achieve the desired “trail arm under lead arm” hitting position. Even with his chest and hips open, daylight remains between his arms. I love him.

6. Release

Sepp’s arms are folded back in front of his chest as they snap straight at his release. Notice how he’s driving his backhand towards the target, with the butt of the club pointing away from the target – a good way to keep any drive on the fairway.