Welcome to Teachable Moments, GOLF’s new weekly instruction column that will help you improve your game through the excellence and expertise of the Tour stars of the week. Class is now in session.
Ryan Fox‘s bid for his first-ever PGA Tour victory looked to be hanging on by a thread.
On the first playoff hole at last week’s Myrtle Beach Classic, Fox pushed his approach shot just right of the green at the par-4 finisher. Meanwhile, his two opponents — Mackenzie Hughes and Harry Higgs — knocked their shots within birdie range on the green.
Then, the unthinkable happened: Fox chipped in while Hughes and Higgs missed their birdie tries. Just like that, the Kiwi became the Tour’s newest winner while also punching his ticket to the PGA Championship this week.
“Obviously I knew the two guys had pretty good birdie chances; I just wanted to give the chip a run at it,” Fox said. “To be honest, it never looked like it was going anywhere else [but in the hole], and the rest of it is a bit of a blur from there.”
You gotta love the grind. A missed fairway and green, yet a circle on the scorecard.
Fox succeeded with a textbook a bump-and-run. With the ball on a downslope, right against the cut of the rough and fringe — and the hole on the opposite side of the green — Fox played the most high-percentage shot.
Below, I’ve outlined a few things I noticed from the epic walk-off birdie, and what you can learn from it.
1. The lie was tricky
Notice how far back in the stance he played the ball; his left foot is on the green and the ball almost in the rough! This indicates how much the downslope is a factor in his play here. By keeping the ball back with his hands and pressure forward, he can ensure a low, running shot. What I also like about this setup is how far down the grip his hands are placed on the club. This gives a bit more control of the face, increasing the likelihood of center face contact.
2. He managed the face beautifully
He uses his hands and wrists to control the club face, keeping the loft down. Notice the angle of the club face on the takeaway: the leading edge matches his posture. This indicates a square face and neutral loft. One mistake I see many players make after a clean set-up is to add loft to the club in the backswing by opening the face. Keeping the face of the club aimed at the ground is ideal for the bump-and-run.
3. A perfect finish
Ryan’s finish illustrates a crucial move that brings it all together; he releases out of his posture and rises towards the target. No sudden acceleration, just a smooth, fluid motion to rotate and rise to the finish. I like to think of this move as the athletic underhanded “toss” motion a player would make if they had to roll the ball to the hole. Put it all together and you have all the ingredients for a perfect bump-and-run.
