It started with silence.
No galleries. No tee times. No obligations.
Just Justin Rose in his backyard in The Bahamas during the eerie quiet of the COVID-19 shutdown, a bag of golf balls, and the creeping realization that something had to change. For a player who had once reached World No. 1, the results weren’t cutting it anymore. The swing that had won him a U.S. Open and Olympic gold suddenly felt… off. Not broken. But not right either.
So, Rose did what most pros wouldn’t dare mid-career.
He tore it all down.
The Pause That Sparked a Reset
Before 2020, Justin Rose was still a factor on the PGA Tour, but his results were streaky. He hadn’t won since the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open, and by 2020, he was slipping out of contention at majors and drifting down the FedEx Cup standings.
Then came the pandemic. With tournaments on hold and no fans in sight, Rose found himself with something that’s rare for top golfers — time. And he used it to reflect.
“I felt it was a good time to take complete ownership of my swing and game,” Rose said. No coach. No cameras. Just reps, reflection, and rebuilding.
Saying Goodbye to Foley
For over a decade, Rose had worked with Sean Foley — the same coach who once teamed up with Tiger. Together, they built a powerful, ball-striking machine. Under Foley, Rose won 10 PGA Tour titles, claimed the 2013 U.S. Open, and stood atop the world rankings in 2018.
But by June 2020, their chapter had run its course.
Rose quietly split with Foley, not in anger, but in search of fresh perspective. “More change,” one outlet noted. That phrase undersold it — Rose wasn’t tweaking his setup. He was starting over.
Mark Blackburn and a New Blueprint
In late 2022, Rose turned to swing coach Mark Blackburn, a data-savvy instructor known for translating feel into measurable movements. Instead of a full reinvention, Blackburn’s approach was clear and practical:
✔️ Reintroduce the patterns that worked in Rose’s prime
✔️ Layer in a few tech-driven upgrades
✔️ Build a swing that would hold up into his 40s
And the result? A win at the 2023 Pebble Beach Pro-Am — Rose’s first in four years. Not a fluke. A statement.
The Drills That Made the Difference
Rose didn’t just change coaches. He changed his habits — and his muscle memory. Three key drills defined his rebuild:
1. Feel vs. Real Drill
Rose began exaggerating a “club-drop” at the top of his swing — letting the shaft fall behind him, then rotating through. It was weird to watch. But it fixed his biggest flaw: an over-the-top move that led to inconsistency and pulled shots under pressure.
2. Tennis-Ball Drill (Yes, Seriously)
By squeezing a small tennis ball between his forearms, Rose trained his arms and torso to move together. No more disconnection at the top. No more flailing arms. Just a compact, centered coil and release.
3. Hip-Push Drill
This one’s all about ground force. Rose worked on driving his lead hip forward and down at the start of the downswing — using his legs, not just his arms, to generate power. It kept him from standing up early and helped maintain spine angle through impact.
Each drill had a purpose. And more importantly, they gave Rose something he hadn’t felt in years: trust.
The Payoff
Let’s break it down:
| Metric | Before (2019) | After (2023–24) |
|---|---|---|
| Driving Distance | 303 yards (Top 30) | Still top 30 on Tour |
| PGA Tour Wins | None since 2019 | 2023 Pebble Beach Pro-Am |
| FedEx Cup Ranking | Outside Top 30 | Back inside Top 20 |
| World Ranking | Slipping | Back into Top 20 in 2024 |
But those numbers don’t tell the whole story.
What matters more is how Rose looks. Calmer over the ball. More committed to the shot. Less reactive when things go sideways — and they still do. Because golf.
He’s not chasing distance or trying to outmuscle younger players. He’s chasing something deeper — sustainability. Trust. Simplicity.
And it’s working.
Not Just a Comeback — A Reinvention
Plenty of players rebuild. Few do it with this level of honesty.
It would’ve been easy for Rose to keep coasting. To blame his putting. To change his clubs. To ride out the back half of his career on reputation alone.
Instead, he got curious. He questioned everything. And he turned that curiosity into clarity — one drill at a time.
If you’ve ever stood on the range wondering if your swing is salvageable, just know this: even major champions have to start over sometimes.
The difference is, they don’t let ego get in the way.
“I felt it was a good time to take complete ownership of my swing and game.” — Justin Rose
