I’ve always been a good putter, especially starting the ball on the correct line. But putting is a lot more than that. Perhaps most crucially, you’ve got to control speed. Sometimes my stroke is fast going back, slows in transition, and then speeds up again through the ball. But you don’t want to accelerate through the ball. You want your speed to be steady. My putting coach, Phil Kenyon, and I have worked on a drill for rhythm that promotes consistent contact. That’s a prerequisite for speed control. I put a penny on the back of my putter and make a stroke. If the penny falls to the ground as I start my through-stroke, my speed will be steady into the ball.
For great distance control, put a steady stroke on it
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At the end of last year, we broke down my statistics and found one glaring weakness—my approach play. Look at the top players in strokes gained/approach the green on the PGA Tour, and it’s all the guys at the top of the world ranking. If I was going to compete with them, my iron play had to improve. One of the big problems with my irons was bottom control. The low point was inconsistent, and I wasn’t clipping the ball off the turf cleanly enough. Mike and I decided to take some wrist set out of my backswing for better consistency. My left wrist used to be a little extended or cupped at the top of the backswing, and we wanted to get it in a much more neutral (flat) position. When I started taking the club to the top with a flatter left wrist, I felt like I had Bryson DeChambeau’s swing—my arms felt straight and rigid. Now it feels normal, and my contact with irons has been much better. Try keeping your lead wrist flat when you swing back. If you cup it, you’ll have to let it flatten in the downswing. That move might hurt your consistency.
Flatten your lead wrist for cleaner contact
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I first started chipping “cack-handed” (that’s what we call it back in England) as a drill. It worked so well, I put it in play. Holding the club with my left hand lower than the right helped eliminate my tendency in chipping to drag the handle toward the target through impact, which leads to inconsistent contact. If you drag the handle cack-handed, you will shank, skull or fat it every time. Another thing I like about using this grip is that you usually know what the ball is going to do. When I held the club the normal way, I’d sometimes get a ball that rode up the clubface and spun a lot or one that would tumble forward with virtually no spin. The variance was frustrating, and it cost me shots. I realize it might take some convincing—and courage—for you to switch to this unusual grip, but I think you’ll be amazed how effective it is for improving contact. I actually like it so much that I’d like to eventually be able to hit cack-handed shots from as far out as 75 yards.
Try left-hand low for a tidier short game
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I first started chipping “cack-handed” (that’s what we call it back in England) as a drill. It worked so well, I put it in play. Holding the club with my left hand lower than the right helped eliminate my tendency in chipping to drag the handle toward the target through impact, which leads to inconsistent contact. If you drag the handle cack-handed, you will shank, skull or fat it every time. Another thing I like about using this grip is that you usually know what the ball is going to do. When I held the club the normal way, I’d sometimes get a ball that rode up the clubface and spun a lot or one that would tumble forward with virtually no spin. The variance was frustrating, and it cost me shots. I realize it might take some convincing—and courage—for you to switch to this unusual grip, but I think you’ll be amazed how effective it is for improving contact. I actually like it so much that I’d like to eventually be able to hit cack-handed shots from as far out as 75 yards.
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I have worked with performance coach Steven Robinson for a few years to help me get the most out of my practice and identify areas for improvement. Steve does a great job of keeping things fun and gamified—I’d get bored otherwise. Here’s one of my favorite games. Start by hitting a shot that carries as close to 70 yards as possible, but no less than that. Then hit one as close to 100 yards as possible, without going longer than that. You then repeat the process. Say your first shot went 74 yards and your second 96 yards, that means the landing area is now even tighter—74 and 96. The goal is to hit as many shots as possible until meeting in the middle. Whether it’s this drill or another one—say, alternating chipping short of a flag and past it—try to simulate real-round pressure. You’ll feel more comfortable when it’s time for the real thing.
Shoes: Skechers GO GOLF Pro 5 Hyper
Challenge yourself for meaningful practice
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Earlier in my career, there were many weeks I’d show up to the golf course knowing I couldn’t contend because of my distance shortcomings. I wanted to get longer, of course, but I didn’t want to fundamentally change my swing and sacrifice accuracy. My coach and I decided to consult biomechanist Sasho MacKenzie, who helped us craft a plan to add speed gradually. I also worked with my trainer, Matt Roberts, to make sure my body could support the changes. It’s worked wonders—I’ve added about 8 miles per hour of clubhead speed during the last three years, and I’m averaging 15 yards more off the tee (303.8-yard average this year). Part of my speed comes from my fast takeaway—yes, the takeaway. You might have been told to take the club back slow, but as long as you’re in sequence, ripping the club back faster just gives you a head start on building power. Don’t be afraid to add a little speed to your backswing. My takeaway for my stock driver shot is much faster than what you usually see on tour. If I really want to crank one I’ll use a trick Dr. MacKenzie taught me and lift my left heel high off the ground in the backswing. It allows me to make a bigger turn, loading up on my back foot, before I start down and explode through the ball.
For power, get more out of your backswing
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Earlier in my career, there were many weeks I’d show up to the golf course knowing I couldn’t contend because of my distance shortcomings. I wanted to get longer, of course, but I didn’t want to fundamentally change my swing and sacrifice accuracy. My coach and I decided to consult biomechanist Sasho MacKenzie, who helped us craft a plan to add speed gradually. I also worked with my trainer, Matt Roberts, to make sure my body could support the changes. It’s worked wonders—I’ve added about 8 miles per hour of clubhead speed during the last three years, and I’m averaging 15 yards more off the tee (303.8-yard average this year).
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