x
Skip to main content
Golf Logo
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
6 steps to Daniel Berger’s pure ball-striking and pinpoint accuracy
SHARE
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
Golf Logo
  • News
    • Latest
      • News
      • Features
      • Shows
      • PGA Tour Schedule
    • Series
      • Tour Confidential
      • Monday Finish
      • Hot Mic
      • Rogers Report
    • Shows
      • The Scoop
      • Subpar
      • Seen & Heard
  • Instruction
    • Game Improvement
      • Driving
      • Approach Shots
      • Bunker Shots
      • Short Game
      • Putting
      • Rules
      • Fitness
    • Series
      • Top 100 Teachers
      • Rules Guy
      • The Etiquetteist
    • Shows
      • Warming Up
      • Play Smart
      • Short Game Chef
      • Pros Teaching Joes
  • Gear
    • Clubs
      • Drivers
      • Irons
      • Hybrids
      • Fairway Woods
      • Wedges
      • Putters
    • Other Gear
      • Balls
      • Shoes
      • Apparel
      • Golf Accessories
    • Series
      • ClubTest
      • Winner’s Bag
    • Shows
      • Fully Equipped
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • Travel
      • Course Finder
      • Courses
      • Resorts
    • Lifestyle
      • Accessories
      • Celebrities
      • Food
      • Style
      • Betting Advice
    • Shows
      • Super Secrets
      • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Shop
      • Clubs
      • Shafts
      • Training Aids
      • Balls
      • Bags
      • Technology
      • Apparel
      • Accessories
      • Our Picks
      • Shop All
    • Collections
      • The GOLF Collection
      • The Birdie Juice Collection
      • The Fully Equipped Collection
      • Shop All
  • Newsletters
    • Sign Up for GOLF’s Newsletters
      • Hot Mic
      • Monday Finish
      • Play Smart
      • Our Picks
      • Top Stories
      • Sign Up for All
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Features
    • Shows
    • PGA Tour Schedule
  • Instruction
    • All Instruction
    • Driving
    • Approach Shots
    • Bunker Shots
    • Short Game
    • Putting
    • Rules
    • Fitness
  • Gear
    • All Gear
    • Drivers
    • Irons
    • Hybrids
    • Fairway Woods
    • Wedges
    • Putters
    • Balls
    • Shoes
    • Apparel
    • Golf Accessories
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • All Travel
    • All Lifestyle
    • Course Finder
    • Courses
    • Resorts
    • Accessories
    • Celebrities
    • Food
    • Style
    • Betting Advice
  • Series
    • Tour Confidential
    • Monday Finish
    • Hot Mic
    • Rogers Report
    • Rules Guy
    • The Etiquetteist
    • ClubTest
    • Winner’s Bag
  • Shows
    • The Scoop
    • Subpar
    • Seen & Heard
    • Warming Up
    • Play Smart
    • Short Game Chef
    • Pros Teaching Joes
    • Fully Equipped
    • Super Secrets
    • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Clubs
    • Shafts
    • Training Aids
    • Balls
    • Bags
    • Technology
    • Apparel
    • Accessories
    • The GOLF Collection
    • The Birdie Juice Collection
    • The Fully Equipped Collection
  • Newsletters
    • Hot Mic
    • Monday Finish
    • Play Smart
    • Top Stories
    • Our Picks
    • Sign Up for All
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
InsideGolf
Instruction

6 steps to Daniel Berger’s pure ball-striking and pinpoint accuracy

By: Jonathan Yarwood, Top 100 Teacher
September 26, 2020
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
daniel berger swings

Daniel Berger saw a career resurgence during the 2019-20 season.

Getty Images

Daniel Berger is one of those players who quietly goes about his business. After a few slumping seasons, he returned to his old form in 2020, recording seven top 10s and winning the Charles Schwab Challenge. This glut of success has happened on some pretty tricky courses, which should give you an idea of the 27-year-old’s ball control and artistry.

Berger is coached by fellow GOLF Top 100 Teacher Cameron McCormack, whose approach to learning is both holistic and agnostic. To his credit, McCormack hasn’t tried to alter Berger’s swing, as many coaches would have. Instead, he forged a plan to work with Berger’s innate talents and simply hone it based on Trackman data.

Instruction
viktor hovland swings
Follow these 6 steps to pound the golf ball like Viktor Hovland
By: Dana Dahlquist

Under McCormack’s guidance, Berger has learned what moves produce what numbers to keep things on track. Additionally, he’s kept Berger on his toes by creating high-quality practice sessions and learning environments. Pounding ball after ball in a block-style practice session has proven to be counterproductive if that’s the only method the player uses. Mixing different styles of practice (such as random and interleaved drills) exercises the swing in a more robust way and gets the player “competition ready” rather than “range competent.”

My advice: Take a lesson from the Berger-McCormack playbook and mix up your training. Golf is a problem-solving game in an ever-changing environment, and your practice should reflect that.

Here are six steps to Berger’s sweet swing.

1. Address

Solid setup (as you’d expect) with the exception of more knee flex than most Tour players and greater pressure on the toes.

2. Start

Pretty conventional here, too. Berger’s club and arms start back while his body remains passive. There’s very little club or forearm rotation. Copy this.

3. Top

Berger’s arms have now lifted to the top with his lead wrist in flexion, producing a laid-off look. Note: The club’s center of mass is left of his hands, which helps it “shallow,” and the clubface is strong, which means less need to flip the hands through impact. And let’s not overlook that massive upper-body turn.

4. Transition

Great kinetic sequencing here as Berger lets his body lead the action. His front side is spinning and extending, which pulls his arms and club down with great force. Note that his clubface hasn’t changed much since frame 3 — a key to consistency.

5. Impact

You can see how Berger has now gone into “side bend” and continues to extend his front side and rotate his body out of the way. All this helps generate torque and vertical force, but it also allows him to manage face angle, path and angle of attack, creating the Trackman numbers that count.

6. Finish

A bit of an ungainly, wraparound finish with a standing-up look, but it obviously works for Berger. The bigger lesson: Good shots don’t happen by magic. They’re the results of physical ability and skill. Berger has both!

Latest In Instruction

6 hours ago

Why telling a player to 'accelerate' through the ball could be bad advice

8 hours ago

5 keys for flushing your long irons

10 hours ago

Why focusing on hitting fairways and greens can be counterproductive

1 day ago

Struggling with short pitch shots? Try this top teacher's simple keys

Golf.com Photographer

Related Articles

Instruction
Michelle Wie West swings during 2024 u.s. women's open

3 ball-striking drills every golfer needs to do after a long break

By: Zephyr Melton
Instruction
GOLF's Top 100 Teachers in America

Calling all instructors: Apply to be a GOLF Top 100 Teacher in America!

By: Zephyr Melton
Putting
The grip Scottie used to win the PGA could cure your putting yips

The grip Scottie Scheffler used to win the PGA could cure your putting yips

By: Maddi MacClurg
Putting
How to adjust to changing green speeds mid-round

How to adjust to inconsistent green speeds mid-round

By: Maddi MacClurg
Instruction
golf instructor shows student how to properly grip the golf club

A clever (& legal!) trick to check your grip during the round

By: Zephyr Melton
Short Game
How to chip with your hybrid, a step-by-step guide

A step-by-step guide to chip with your hybrid

By: Maddi MacClurg
Approach Shots
5 keys for scoring from the rough

5 keys for scoring from the rough

By: Kellie Stenzel, Top 100 Teacher
Bunker Shots
Golfer in orange shirt hits a bunker shot on a golf course.

One simple key for hitting high, soft-landing bunker shots

By: Joe Plecker, Top 100 Teacher
Instruction
Alex Noren's drill for solid contact with wedges

PGA Championship contender's drill for solid contact with wedges

By: Maddi MacClurg
Sign up for GOLF's Newsletters
Get the latest news, the hottest instruction tips, new product releases, golf media insider reports and more delivered directly to your inbox. Choose your favorites now.
Sign Up
Categories
  • News
  • Instruction
  • Gear
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
Services
  • Masthead
  • GOLF Media Kit
  • GOLF Magazine Customer Service
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Opt-out of Ads/Sharing
  • Your Privacy Choices
Social
  • facebook
  • x
  • instagram
  • youtube
Membership
InsideGOLF Logo
More than $140 Value for JUST $39.99

INCLUDES 12 SRIXON Z-STAR XV GOLF BALLS, 1 YR OF GOLF MAGAZINE, $20 FAIRWAY JOCKEY CREDIT - AND MUCH MORE!

LEARN MORE

© 2025 EB Golf Media LLC. An 8AM Golf Affiliated Brand. All Rights Reserved. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy a linked product, GOLF.COM may earn a fee. Pricing may vary.

Go to mobile version