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The post 4 Masters champs explain how to hit their most epic Augusta National shots appeared first on Golf.

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. This week, we look back to our April 1985 issue when four former Masters champs provided breakdowns of their most epic shots at Augusta National.

The first major of the year is here — and the hype is palpable. With a green jacket on the line in northeast Georgia, it’s hard not to be excited.

Will Scottie Scheffler join the illustrious list of golfers with three Masters titles? Can Bryson DeChambeau finally break through at Augusta National? Does Rory McIlroy have a chance to go back-to-back? The storylines are seemingly endless.

As a primer for one of the greatest weeks on golf’s calendar, we are looking back to our April 1985 Masters preview issue of GOLF Magazine. In those pages, four previous Masters champs broke down the shots that helped them claim their green jackets — and provided some tips on how to hit them.

Claude Harmon, 1948

Situation: Final round. On the par-5 8th, Harmon faces a blind, uphill second shot from 260 yards.

Shot: Uphill 4-wood. “I was trying to lay up, so I selected a 4-wood and put a smooth, controlled swing on the ball. Next thing I heard was a roar from the crowd.” No wonder. Harmon’s clout finished two feet from the hole.

Technique: Because taking your stance for an uphill lie forces you to keep more weight on your right side, the tendency is to be lazy with the left side on the downswing. The right side takes over, and the result is a pull hook. You must offset the pull by putting a fade action into the swing. 

Stand open. With the ball back in your stance, start the swing normally, but through impact keep the left hand driving toward the target to ensure square clubface-to-ball contact. Striving for a high finish — encourages you to accelerate the clubhead. 

Arnold Palmer, 1958

Situation: Palmer needs to hit the par-5 13th in two and make birdie. A perfect drive leaves him 215 yards to the green. His lie is good, but he has to contend with a 10 mph headwind. With the pin cut on the top tier, Palmer must carry the water hazard guarding the front of the putting surface and land the ball on the green with enough juice to roll it up to the hole. 

Shot: Drilled 1-iron. “I was afraid that a wood shot would get caught up in the wind or land on the green’s bottom tier and back up,”’ remarks Palmer. “I needed to hit the running wind cheater, so the 1-iron was the club.” 

It sure was. Palmer made birdie and went on to win. He won again in ’60, ’62 and ’64. 

Technique: With the ball played back slightly, stand square and keep the feet shoulder width apart. In the backswing, make a full pivot, shifting your weight from even balance to the right side. Remember to move your left shoulder under your chin. In the downswing, make a pronounced shift to the left side and drive your right shoulder under your chin. Hit down and through the ball, making no effort to help lift it in the air with the club.

Billy Casper, 1970

Situation: Generally regarded as one of the greatest putters in the game, Casper also gets the nod from his fellows for his expertise in sand. Good thing, because he needs birdie at the par-5 15th if he’s to catch the leader, Gene Littler. He goes for the green in two and misses. Although his lie is good and the lip low, he faces a diabolical shot from sand. He must shoot downhill to a flag cut 60 feet away on a fast-running surface. 

Shot: Floating wedge. “Going downhill, I had to loft the ball high and judge the roll exactly right. To help me land the ball just on the green, I pretended the flag was cut 10 feet from the edge. Otherwise, it was all over for me.” 

Casper’s strategy worked. The ball finished close to the hole. An easy birdie putt helped him tie Littler at the end of 72 holes. In the playoff the next day, Casper won by five strokes. 

Technique: Stand open and open the clubface. With the ball played off your left heel, pick the club up quickly and swing back outside the target line using your hands and arms. Pull the club down with your left hand, hit two inches behind the ball, drive the clubface at the target and finish high.

Fuzzy Zoeller, 1979

Situation: Zoeller is the long-shot choice to win a playoff with Tom Watson and Ed Sneed. All three tie the first extra hole, the 10th. After a perfect drive up the 11th fairway, Fuzzy is 164 yards from the pin. He knows he must hit his second shot close because long putts are especially tricky on Augusta’s slick surfaces. 

Shot: Soft 8-iron. “I usually hit a 7-iron from this distance, but with the adrenaline flowing, I chose my favorite club, the 8-iron.” Zoeller visualized the ball flying high and landing softly — close to the pin. His dream came true. His shot finished eight feet from the flag. A birdie conversion earned him victory. 

Technique: Zoeller believes the game is almost 100-percent mental. He doesn’t preach any standard setup or swing to play the short irons. For him, comfort is the key, which is why he starts his swing with a push of the clubhead away from his body. For you, experiment with various stances, ball positions and swings. If one ball position makes you uncomfortable or if your practice swing feels awkward, go to an alternative technique. As Zoeller says: “If you’re not confident at address, it’s unlikely you’ll hit the shot you want to hit — especially under pressure.”

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The post Justin Rose has 4 tips to help you make more birdies appeared first on Golf.

The post Justin Rose has 4 tips to help you make more birdies appeared first on Golf.

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we look back to our June 2014 issue for some tips from Justin Rose on playing under pressure.

Justin Rose may be an elder statesman on the PGA Tour, but that doesn’t mean he can’t compete with the young guns. Since he turned 40, five years ago, the Englishman has three wins and six top-10 major finishes — including a runner-up at the Masters. Not too shabby for an “old” guy.

Rose’s secret? A game that was built to age gracefully, headlined by a swing that every golfer should be envious of.

Recreational golfers may never be able to swing quite as smooth as Rosey does, but that doesn’t mean they can’t emulate his game. About 12 years ago, he showed us how.

Check out below for a reproduction of a 2014 GOLF Magazine story where Rose explained four in-depth tips for making more birdies.

Rose’s tips for making birdies

I’ve birdied 3,025 holes in my PGA Tour career (through the 2014 Masters), including a career-high 384 in 2006. And my 15 birdies at the U.S. Open last year paced the field — and helped me bag my first major. The talent level on Tour is so high that you need a ton of birdies just to survive, let alone win majors. Circles on the scorecard are necessary to my day job, but for recreational golfers, birdies are like gold. I get it — most of my friends are mid-handicappers, and I see what birdies do for their games. Birdies erase mistakes, build confidence and, let’s face it — they make the game a lot more fun. 

I know how to birdie holes, so I’ll let you in on a little secret You can’t even attempt to make birdie if you don’t hit greens. And it’s difficult to hit greens if you don’t hit fairways. That’s why my scoring plan favors accuracy over all else. Follow my simple driving, iron- and wedge-swing secrets and you’ll be staring at more birdie putts than ever. And just to make sure you don’t waste a golden opportunity, I offer my best putting tip ever. Get ready to start seeing red — on your card.

1. How to hit more fairways

I was No. 1 in total driving (a combination of distance and accuracy) heading into the U.S. Open at Merion last summer, and I ended the season fourth. I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym in recent years to increase my power, and I even took a page from Jack Nicklaus’s book and started lifting my front heel during my backswing to get more hip turn. The five or 10 yards I’ve added is great, but really, distance is secondary to accuracy when it comes to setting up birdie opportunities.

My best driving tip: Drives fly straight when you swing with good rhythm. Take the club back so slowly that you can feel the segments of your backswing unfolding in succession. I even count them off sometimes “Shoulder turn, right elbow fold, wrist hinge, arm lift,” and so on. Swinging slowly allows your body and the club to reach the top of your backswing at the same time, which makes your transition extra-smooth. I believe that if you’re smooth and solid at the top, you’ll probably be smooth and solid at the bottom — which is where it counts. 

When you start back down, make sure to swing all the way through the ball. A lot of weekend players slow down at or just after impact with a kind of chopping motion; they think this will help square the clubface. It doesn’t. In fact, you’ll probably hit a slice! I picture a second ball a few inches in front of the real one, and try to “hit” both. This technique ensures that I swing beyond the impact point so that the face continues to square. For extra distance, reach top speed at the second ball. This way you’re always accelerating through the hitting zone.

2. How to hit more greens

One thing that’s helped me become a good iron player is learning to feel impact. Before I started working with Sean Foley, I’d strike the ball with the shaft standing almost straight up and down. It worked, but my shots didn’t sizzle. Sean has helped me add more shaft lean at impact. This compresses the ball more (my new feel for impact), and it stabilizes the club through the hitting zone, which helps the ball fly straight.

My best iron tip: Getting the shaft leaning forward at impact, with your hands ahead of the clubhead and the clubface stable, isn’t as simple as just “lean the shaft forward.” It’s really a whole-body event.

The key is to shift the vast majority of your weight to your front foot on your downswing — I’m talking 90 percent of your weight. Think of it this way: If you shift everything forward, then your hands shift forward — and stay ahead of the clubhead. Getting your weight forward also stops you from “hanging back” on your right side, where you’re forced to flip the clubhead with your wrists just to make contact with the ball. Flippers are usually slicers.

3. How to hit better wedges

When you’re swinging your woods and irons, it’s all about creating power from the ground up: You drive with your legs, then your hips, then your arms and finally your hands. That’s the ideal downswing chain of events. When you get to your wedges, however, it’s the opposite; your upper body does more of the heavy lifting, so to speak, while your lower half stays very quiet.

I’ve learned this just recently, and it has made all the difference in the world. Now when I want to hit a soft wedge shot, I turn all my focus to my upper body and make sure I rotate it first and fastest on my downswing. I even set up to encourage more upper-body turn, addressing the ball with my chest open and my hips square. My goal? To re-create this arrangement at impact. Do it right and it’ll feel like your hands are traveling to the left of the target after impact, rather than straight down the line.

My best wedge tip: I feel like the most accurate wedge players are the ones who can control trajectory, so it’s vital to develop more than one stock short-game swing. To hit a low shot (good for back pins), finish your swing with your hands and the clubhead in line with your forearms. This sharply reduces the launch angle. To hit a high shot, line up your hands and forearms in the finish, but release the club up and to the left.

4. How to make more putts

Over the years I’ve tried to be perfect with my putting stroke. That’s not the way to make birdies, because there were times when my stroke was perfect and I couldn’t buy a putt. You’re better off working on improving your green reading than overthinking your stroke.

The way I read greens now is to walk behind the ball in a semicircle. Using my feet, I’ll try to feel the point on the green where I go from walking downhill to walking uphill (or vice versa). Finding this “inflection point” (it’s not hard to do with practice and added awareness) gives you important clues about how the putt will break: If your ball sits left of the inflection point, it breaks right; if it sits to the right, it breaks left. And the farther the ball is from the inflection point, the more it will curve.

My best putting tip: I’ve tried a lot of putting tips over the years, but the one I keep going back to is “keep your eyes still.” As soon as you start peeking, you’re toast. If your eyes move, then so will your body, and this will ruin any chance you might have for centered contact. I challenge myself to watch every inch of my putting stroke — if I keep my eyes still, I won’t miss a moment of action. Even on long strokes I’ll use my peripheral vision to track the putterhead back and through. Listen for the ball to drop, don’t watch it.

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The post How Fred Couples swings fast while looking so smooth appeared first on Golf.

The post How Fred Couples swings fast while looking so smooth appeared first on Golf.

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we look at an article breaking down Fred Couples’ smooth — and powerful — swing from our October 1991 issue.

Fred Couples is quintessential cool — and he has the swing to match it. His languid back-and-through action has long been the standard for aspirational tempo. But don’t mistake his smooth tempo for a lack of power. Back in his heyday, Boom Boom was one of the longest hitters in the game.

Perhaps that’s why his swing has captivated so many golfers over the years. With the perfect mix of languidity and explosiveness, there are few moves that can match up with those of Couples.

Back in a 1991 issue of GOLF Magazine, teaching editor Dick Harmon broke down the secrets to Couples’ move — and explained how such a smooth swing could generate so much power. Check it out below.

The secrets to Couples’ swing

Everybody knows that Fred Couples hits the ball a mile. They’re just not sure exactly how. How can someone who looks like he’s swinging easy hit the ball so far? Television announcers, desperate for an explanation, have even been heard to say he must be double-jointed.

Trust me when I tell you it’s not true. I have worked with Couples since he joined the Tour in 1981. He gets his awesome distance from a huge shoulder turn, perfect leg action and a syrupy tempo that makes it all appear effortless.

It’s a package that has most amateurs scratching their heads. They try to swing slowly like Couples, but are so anxious to hit the ball hard that they fail to complete their shoulder turn and jerk the club down with their hands. That’s no way to generate clubhead speed. You have to have patience to hit the ball far. “Boom Boom” never tries to kill the ball the way that the average amateur does. He simply makes a big, easy turn, rotating as much as he can, then lets his body unwind powerfully into the ball. It looks like he’s swinging easy because his arms and hands are relaxed, but this coiling action unleashes clubhead speeds of more than 120 mph with a driver.

Be warned, though: Don’t try to “copy” Fred’s clubhead speed. He’s not double-jointed, but he is gifted, and the chances of an amateur reproducing his enormous shoulder turn are slim to none.

You can add yards to your drives, however, by emulating Couples’ power-packed fundamentals.

Start with address. From a balanced and comfortable stance, reach for the ball slightly so your arms swing freely. Stabilize yourself with your legs, then concentrate on turning away from the ball. No matter how flexible or inflexible you are, your turn is the power producer. So make it as big as you can. Then stay balanced and unwind. Don’t try to “hit” the ball. You have to trust your turn to produce distance and let your arms and club follow along instead of forcing it. That’s how Boom Boom does it, and so should you.

Check out below for a detailed look at all the key positions in Couples’ swing.

1. Address

Fred’s athletic setup prepares him to hit the ball long. His feet are slightly wider than shoulder width for stability and his knees are flexed. He stands about an inch farther away from the ball than normal, so he can extend his arms and make a huge turn.

2. Takeaway

Although he’s a long hitter, Boom Boom’s natural ball flight is a fade, so his first move away from the ball is noticeably outside the target line. At this point, he hasn’t turned his shoulders much, although he has begun his weight shift to the right side.

3. Three-quarters

Most amateurs would have finished the backswing at this point, but not Freddy. His wrists are fully cocked and his shoulders have turned 90 degrees — an ideal position for his iron shots — but for the driver, he strives for even more turn.

4. Top

Most amateurs would have finished the backswing at this point, but not Freddy. His wrists are fully cocked and his shoulders have turned 90 degrees — an ideal position for his iron shots — but for the driver, he strives for even more turn.

5. Start of downswing

As he starts the downswing, Couples pushes off with the right foot to shift his weight back to the left side and clear the hips while his back is facing the target in a “torqued” position. The right elbow has dropped toward the right hip, an ideal move for any swing.

6. Downswing

Look at this power move! Couples’ left leg remains flexed and rock solid as it supports his weight shift. His upper body is unwinding as his hands and arms stay loose, dropping the club to the inside and producing an extreme cock of the wrists.

7. Impact

The moment of truth. Couples’ powerful leg drive doesn’t carry him ahead of the ball. His weight has moved smoothly to the left side, and the hips are clearing beautifully. His head is behind the ball, and his arms are extended in a powerful position at impact. 

8. Follow-through

Couples’ spine angle remains constant throughout the swing, one reason he looks smooth, and a must for consistently square contact. As he extends into the follow-through, the club points slightly to the left of the target, consistent with his desire to play the fade.

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The post Bobby Jones explains the simple secret to his smooth swing appeared first on Golf.

The post Bobby Jones explains the simple secret to his smooth swing appeared first on Golf.

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we have an article originally published in the September 1980 issue featuring the teachings of Bobby Jones.

It’s impossible to build a Mount Rushmore of golf without including Bobby Jones. During his playing career, Jones amassed the most impressive resume assembled to that point, with four U.S. Open wins and three Open Championship wins, five U.S. Amateur titles and a British Amateur title as well. Even in the near 100 years since, few have come close to matching his CV.

Simply put: when Bobby Jones talks about the golf swing, you’d be wise to listen.

Back in the September 1980 issue of GOLF Magazine, our readers got a chance to do just that when an excerpt of Jones’ “Bobby Jones on Golf” was published in its pages, which you can read below.

Bobby Jones’ bests swing advice

Two of golf’s most eminent instructors, Macdonald Smith and Ernest Jones, built all their teaching around the one conception, “Swing the clubhead.” There are other details to be thought of, of course, in developing anything like a sound swing, but in the end it will be found that this is the prime necessity. Those who are able to sense what it means to “swing the clubhead” will find that they can thus cover up a multitude of sins, and those who sense it not will find that no amount of striving for perfection in positioning will take its place.

In order to make easier the discovery of this sense of swinging, the club must be swung back far enough so that there will be no need for hurry or quickened effort coming down. This is the one point I have tried to stress more than anything else — the necessity for an ample backswing if one is truly to swing the clubhead. The man who allows himself only a short backswing can never be a swinger, because his abbreviated length does not allow space for a smooth acceleration to get him up to speed by the time the club reaches the ball.

Rhythm and timing we all must have, yet no one knows how to teach either. The nearest approach to an appreciation of what they are is in this conception of swinging. The man who hits at the ball, rather than through it, has no sense of rhythm; similarly, the man who, after a short backswing, attempts to make up for lost space by a convulsive effort initiating the downstroke has no sense of rhythm.

The only one who has a chance to achieve a rhythmic, well-timed stroke is the man who, in spite of all else, swings his clubhead, and the crucial area is where the swing changes direction at the top. If the backswing can be made to flow back leisurely, and to an ample length, from where the start downward can be made without the feeling that there may not be enough time left, there is good chance of success. But a hurried backswing induces a hurried start downward, and a short backswing makes some sort of rescue measures imperative. A good golfer will not like to be guilty of either.

Two of the important points in the swinging machinery are the wrists and hips; if the wrists do not flex easily, or if the trunk does not turn readily, a true swing cannot be accomplished. Stiff or wooden wrists shorten the backswing and otherwise destroy the feel of the clubhead. Without the supple connection of relaxed and active wrist joints, and a delicate, sensitive grip, the golf club might just as well be a broom handle with nothing on the end. The clubhead cannot be swung unless it can be felt on the end of the shaft.

So swing, swing, swing, if you want to play better golf; fight down any tautness wherever it may make its appearance; strive for relaxed muscles throughout, and encourage a feeling of laziness in the backswing and the start downward. Go back far enough, trust your swing, and then — swing the clubhead through.

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The post Anthony Kim’s 3 tips for hitting your driver straighter than ever appeared first on Golf.

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Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s series Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we look back to our December 2008 issue when Anthony Kim shared his keys for hitting straighter drives.

In case you haven’t heard, Anthony Kim is back.

The man who once set the golf world ablaze with his birdies barrages and gaudy belt buckles is back in the winner’s circle. Sixteen years after his last victory, Kim once again hoisted a trophy high over his head, besting a field that included Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau to complete a stunning comeback tale.

Since that victory at LIV Adelaide, the golf world has been pontificating about what it all means — but we aren’t going to do that here. Instead, we are looking back to AK’s prime, when he graced the cover of GOLF Magazine and gave our readers his best tips for splitting the fairways.

Here’s Kim, in his own words:

AK’s driving accuracy tips

As you can guess, the Ryder Cup was a breakthrough event for me, but I really didn’t do anything special. Regardless of whom I was playing against or the format of the match, I focused on making the same swing that got me to Valhalla in the first place — moves I beat into my muscle memory at an early age on the ranges of Southern California. 

I’ve always been a bit smaller than my competitors, so my swing emphasizes squeezing as many yards out of my driver as possible. But that’s just half the story: my primary concern is accuracy — it’s not very often you make birdie from the rough. 

Copy my accuracy keys below (and heed the advice provided by my coach, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Adam Schriber) and you’ll hit drives that consistently find the fairway.

Tip No. 1: Choke up

The most obvious quirk in my technique is that I choke way up on the grip — about two full inches. And I choke up with every club in the bag. I started doing this out of necessity: I have a short torso and long arms, and if I took a “normal” grip I’d be too far away from the ball. Over the years, however, I noticed that the choke gave me more control — especially with the driver — and I’ve never looked back.

Since the choke automatically makes the club shorter, | sacrifice some distance. But it’s less than you think — 10 yards at the most (and I still average 300 yards off the tee). So I have to hit 7-iron into the green instead of an 8-iron. Big deal. I’d take a longer iron from the fairway than a shorter one from the rough any day. You saw the benefits of this strategy during the Ryder Cup. The guys who consistently hit fairways and greens were ones who won points for their side. When you’re accurate, your opponent feels it.

Schriber’s take

“When I first started working with Anthony, he had already worked the choke into his grip. And I’ve seen no reason to change it. His smash factor is excellent. You can try using it for more control on tight driving holes, but it’s also a good way to hit in-between shots. Take three clubs onto a par-3 and adjust for distance by choking down, not by changing clubs. It’s a great way to increase your imagination and add shots to your arsenal.”

Tip No. 2: Shorten the backswing

Whenever I’m playing in a pro-am, I’m amazed at the length of most amateurs’ swings — it’s like they’ve spent three months at the John Daly School of Driving. Over-swinging is a death move for me. I can get away with swinging the club to parallel and beyond from time to time, but on Tour, time to time means a string of missed cuts.

I’m more comfortable making a three-quarter backswing, with my hand stopping at shoulder height and my club way short of parallel. I knew from an early age that I wouldn’t be able to generate power with my arms alone on account of my size, so I don’t swing them back as far. Instead, I focus on turning my upper body as much as possible and keeping my legs stable, like I’m holding my hips back. So even though my arm swing is short, I’ve built up resistance between my upper and lower body, and that’s where my swing power comes from.

Schriber’s take

“The best backswing for you is the one that sets up your best downswing. Anthony has incredible torsional flexibility, and he takes advantage of it by resisting with his legs and turning his shoulders more than his hips. This stretches his torso muscles, a move that can be a big power spruce for anyone’s swing.”

Tip No. 3: Squat down

When you swing down from the top using only your arms, it’s easy to get off plane. The secret to swinging on plane and with power is in your legs. I start my downswing with my lower body, which pulls my arms into action. I feel like I’m pushing my body into the ground, making a strong connection between my feet and the turf. As I do this, my arms fall naturally, with my left arm hanging close to my chest.

After sitting down, I turn as fast as I can through impact, using the ground as leverage and getting my weight over my left foot. It’s a burst of energy at the bottom of my swing, which is why when I lift weights I only do “explosion” exercises, not high-repetition sets. You only need to be fast through impact.

Schriber’s take

“Anthony does an excellent  job of ‘using the deck,’ or interacting with the ground, to create leverage in his downswing. It’s a difficult concept to teach, but a good way to feel it is to make your backswing and downswing while standing on an unstable surface, like two balance discs. You’ll learn pretty quickly how to train your lower body to use the ground for leverage, stability and power like Anthony does.”

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The post Fred Couples’ 5 keys for laser-like accuracy with your irons appeared first on Golf.

The post Fred Couples’ 5 keys for laser-like accuracy with your irons appeared first on Golf.

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today, we look back at our July 1998 issue when Fred Couples shared five keys for accuracy with your irons.

There’s no one in golf quite as smooth as Fred Couples. His swing is much like his temperament: cool and calm. Watching him swing, you can even fool yourself into thinking hitting a golf ball is easy.

As we all know, however, that’s not the truth. Hitting a golf ball is a maddening exercise where success is the exception rather than the rule.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t strive to emulate Couples’ approach. And back in the July 1998 issue of GOLF Magazine, he showed us how, with the help of his then-coach Paul Marchand. Check out below for the former Masters champ’s five keys for accuracy with your irons.

Couples’ 5 keys for accuracy with your irons

Fred Couples is famous for his long blasts from the tee, but incredibly accurate iron play has been a keystone of his career. Throughout the 1990s, Fred’s name has peppered the top of the PGA Tour’s year-end stats not only for driving distance but for greens in regulation, low scoring average and eagles and birdies, all products of his laser-like precision with his irons.

Case in point: At last year’s Players Championship, he aced the fearsome par-three 17th at the TPC at Sawgrass. Later in the year, he holed approach shots at the Britsh Open, PGA Championship, and Ryder Cup. And at this year’s Masters, Couples led the field in driving distance, but more importantly, set up four under-par rounds with iron shots that appeared as if they were fired with the aid of a lens and cross hairs.

These kinds of results certainly involve some good fortune, but ball-striking skill is the backbone of any game that produces as many “lucky” shots as Fred’s has. In this article, I’ll explain the five accuracy keys that I’ve watched Fred masterfully execute since we were teammates at the University of Houston. As Fred’s coach, I’ve found that when all of these keys are working, Fred is tough to beat. His accuracy skills give him the ability to hit the ball where he wants, when he wants.

Whatever your ability, increasing your accuracy is a sure path to lower scores.

1. Freedom of motion

Fred’s mental and physical approach to golf can be summed up in three words: freedom of motion. It’s also the chief characteristic of his swing. He doesn’t force any movements or manipulate the club through impact. Fred understands that the great paradox of the swing is that the more you try to control the club through impact, the less control you have over the shot.

Trying to steer the club into impact is an epidemic flaw among amateurs, sometimes even among those with strong swing mechanics. Mechanics are certainly the foundation, but playing golf requires a swing that goes beyond positions. It needs to be a free-flowing motion to be effective.

Working on positions has its place: the practice range. When practicing your mechanics, don’t worry too much about where the ball goes. Your goal should be to develop a feel for the skill you’re trying to learn. Before you end a practice session, though, it’s vital to add freedom of motion back into your swing by trusting the new feeling you’ve been working on.

2. Rhythmic transition

Fred has a very long swing that gradually, almost imperceptibly, builds acceleration in the downswing. His trademark look of effortlessness is the result of rhythmic motion in the transition area, where the backswing ends and the downswing begins.

It’s in this transition area that most amateurs fall victim to “hitting from the top,” swinging the club out and away from the body while trying to rush the club back to impact. Fred does just the opposite: As the club reaches the top of his swing, he starts the downswing by moving his hips and his left leg diagonally right of the target line. Simultaneously, his right elbow starts to drop quickly, albeit smoothly, to his side and then his torso unwinds powerfully.

These synchronized movements result in a very shallow clubhead path from slightly inside his stance line. This path promotes a full release of the clubhead through impact, a consistent low point at the bottom of the swing, and the ability to repeat and control the speed of his swing.

3. Clubface (and body) rotation

The ability to consistently square the clubface at impact is the essence of accuracy, but conscious manipulation will never get the job done. In the hitting area, the clubface should rotate on an arc from open to square to closed relative to the target line. Trying to force this action — with your hands or right shoulder — will lead to wild inconsistency.

As the club swings through the hitting area, the clubface rotates at a rate similar to the amount the body is rotating — if you let the club swing freely. The more the two rotations match, the more accurate you will be. This takes the obligation of squaring the clubface literally out of your hands.

‘To understand how the clubface moves in harmony with the body, make a full practice swing, stopping the club at waist-high on the backswing and waist-high on the through-swing. At both points, the toe of the club should be pointing upward, and the shaft and clubhead should be in front of your body and parallel to the target line: If so, your swing is squaring the clubface through impact, and your body is rotating in sync with it.

4. Develop feel

Good mechanics and feel are like the chicken and the egg: It’s a puzzle to figure out which came first.

You should have some understanding of how your swing works mechanically, but you must know what it feels like when it is working. A popular term for this is “muscle memory.” Scientists might argue whether or not this term is accurate, but it does convey the notion.

To best execute your swing on the course, you need to be confident that you can repeat the feeling of a good swing from memory. Then the mind is free to let the body go. This is an intangible feeling that Fred trusts and relies on heavily, and you should too. Golf may be a thinking person’s game, but trusting your swing and letting it happen is where golf becomes a sport.

One of the best ways to develop this feel is to hit shots of different distances with the same club. Start with a 6- or 7-iron, making a full turn and complete motion, but swinging so smoothly and slowly that the ball flies half its normal distance. See how many balls you can hit solidly and that same abbreviated distance. Then vary the distance by gradually changing the speed of your body rotation.

The ultimate test is a favorite of Fred’s: hitting a driver or 3-wood to a short par three. In these photos, Fred is hitting a 3-wood from 147 yards, about half his potential with this club. The only change he makes is slowing his body and keeping the club moving in sync with the slower rotation.

Learning to vary the speed of your swing will give you a great feel for the club. This awareness will breed confidence in your ability to repeat the motion without thought, an instinct that leads to more consistent ball-striking.

5. Consistent pre-shot routine

One trait that all professionals share is a commitment to their pre-shot routines. Fred is no exception. Amateurs, on the other hand, rarely have a routine, which is puzzling since it is the easiest “pro move” to imitate. 

Once over the ball, a pre-shot routine triggers the mind and body to swing from memory, not from a list of mechanical instructions. When performed correctly, a routine will clear your mind of everything except target visualization and confident anticipation of how the shot will feel to execute.

Fred confines swing thoughts to the practice tee. And when he’s working on something, he doesn’t care where the ball goes. He just concentrates on his mechanical thought until it becomes part of his feel. Once that is accomplished, he switches his focus back to the target with the help of his routine and lets go of the swing thought. In addition, Fred often rehearses key shots he’ll need on the course while on the practice tee, complete with his pre-shot routine.

Throughout this article, Fred and I have defined key concepts like freedom, rhythm and feel that can make your swing more accurate. These keys, once a part of your golfing instincts, will combine to improve your accuracy. Use them in your next round, and you might knock one in the hole like Fred.

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The post Justin Rose’s 4 keys for playing your best golf under pressure appeared first on Golf.

The post Justin Rose’s 4 keys for playing your best golf under pressure appeared first on Golf.

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we look back to our November 2016 issue for some tips from Justin Rose on playing under pressure.

Once again, Justin Rose is showing that in golf, age is just a number. Fresh off a season that included a FedEx Cup Playoff event victory and a runner-up at the Masters, the Englishman hit the ground running in 2026 with a dominant victory at the Farmers Insurance Open. The win was Rose’s 13th on the PGA Tour and elevates him to No. 3 in the OWGR.

Not bad for a 45-year-old.

While most golfers that age are gearing down their schedules and prepping for life on the Champions Tour, Rose refuses to slow down. In fact, some could argue he’s playing the best golf of his career. For someone with a resume as strong as his (U.S. Open title, Gold Medal, former World No. 1), that’s saying something.

In honor of Rose’s career resurgence, we are taking a look back at the November 2016 issue of GOLF Magazine. In it, Rose shared four keys for playing your best golf under pressure.

Rose’s 4 keys to playing under pressure

“The bloke’s got bottle!” 

In England, that’s how we describe someone with guts — the guy who plays great under pressure. I’ve strived for “bottle” from the first time I laced up my spikes. Some players are naturally clutch. I had to work at it. With 20 worldwide wins, including a U.S. Open and an Olympic gold medal, I think I’ve figured it out. 

That’s right — you can learn to relax, have fun and hit great shots when the heat is on. And anyone can follow my four-step plan. So get ready — you’re about to start playing like an Olympic champion.

1. Build a process

My best clutch moment? Striping a 4-iron into the 18th green on Sunday to nail down the 2013 U.S. Open. Phil Mickelson was breathing down my neck. And hey — a 4-iron isn’t what I’d call my “go-to” club. | would have choked that shot earlier in my career. I used to let things get to me — a big crowd, fear of hitting a bad shot. Older and wiser, I now only pay attention to the process.

That word is bandied about a lot on Tour — and for good reason. Full focus on your process, or pre-shot routine, shields your confidence from fear and bad thoughts.

If you don’t have a set pre-shot routine — from picturing the shot to selecting the appropriate club and settling into your stance — get one. Stat. Your routine isn’t a precursor to a shot. Think of it as part of the shot — the part over which you have total control. And run your process at the same speed every time.

Pressure forces you to speed up, and that’s not good. How do I know I’m in a clutch state of mind? When it takes me the same amount of time to set up for a critical drive late on Sunday — with the world watching — as it does for an easy pitch on Thursday with nobody watching. Remember: Your routine is a “shot” you can nail every time.

2. Be a planner

I tend to shoot higher numbers in the afternoon than I do in morning rounds. The reason? Bad routine. Sometimes, I wake up too early, then do nothing but stare at the clock all day, creating a hornet’s nest of nervous energy in the process. By my tee time, I’m emotionally spent.

It can happen to you, too. For gold! When you’ve scheduled that post-lunch four-ball, make sure you go about your normal business, whether it’s dropping the kids off at school, attending to work matters or hitting the gym. The trick: Act normal while doing everything at a slightly slower pace, and plan your routine so you have time for a solid warm-up. Rushing through a busy day only speeds up your mind and swing, hardly helpful in high-pressure moments.

When you get to the course, avoid using pre-round practice as a means to fix your slice or to suddenly perfect that flop shot. You’ll get too “in your head.” Think simple thoughts, such as, “Swing my driver as smoothly as I do my 7-iron.”

Emphasize rhythm over mechanics — better tempo makes it easier to execute your process. If that thought doesn’t do the trick, there’s no need to panic. Check your basics. Bad range swings are often the result of poor alignment or an issue with your grip. Nail your fundamentals, and you’ll nail your shots.

3. Find a go-to drive

I’ve picked up a good chunk of yards off the tee the past few seasons. Not bad for a guy in his mid-thirties.

GOLF Top 100 Teacher Sean Foley, my coach since 2009, has taught me how to use ground-reaction forces to improve my weight shift and max out energy transfer to the ball. Eventually, you’ll need to work on these things like I have. In the meantime, try this: Swing harder! Trust me, it makes a difference.

A faster swing helps the club ascend into impact, which is critical for launching high, deep and straight drives. My one caveat? Don’t pour on the speed until later in your motion, or you’ll risk falling off plane. Start slow. On the final hole in Rio, I knew I had to put the ball in play, what with Henrik Stenson lurking. I did it by slowing my swing to a snail’s pace for the first two feet, then letting her rip! A free, fast swing keeps you from “steering” it.

You need trust to be clutch.

4. Lean on your wedges

Several years back, I ranked 171st in approach-shot proximity from 75 to 100 yards. Two seasons ago, I was first. I’ve turned a weakness into a clutch strength. Although my medal-clinching pitch on the 72nd hole in Rio was from just 40 yards out, it was a direct result of work I did in the other areas of my short game.

Try this: See the path of your wedge swing as a clock face — your hands at address and impact is 6:00; hands pointing at the target is 3:00; hands halfway back is 9:00. Practice stopping your backswing at 9, 10, 11 and 12 o’clock, always accelerating the club through impact. Note the distance you fly these four shots using all your wedges. If you carry four wedges like I do, you can now summon 16 different yardages on command! (To tweak your yardages, choke up on the handle one to three inches — but nail your backswing lengths first.)

Don’t change your rhythm or technique — let the length of your backswing and the loft of the club do the work for you. The beauty of this system? It lets you produce the same yardage many different ways — lower, higher, more spin, less spin — depending on what club/swing combo you select. It’s so simple. I don’t know why more weekend players — or my Tour competitors — do it!

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The post Want to become a better ball striker? Follow the advice of a major champ appeared first on Golf.

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Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we look back to the March 1970 issue of GOLF Magazine for a ball-striking tip from Julius Boros.

As a golfer in my early 30s, I did not get to watch many of the greats play during their primes. Sure, I had the fortune of growing up watching Tiger, Phil and Ernie, and I’ve made my living covering Rory, Bryson and Scottie, but with so many legends of the game, my understanding only comes from the history books.

That’s one of the joys of writing Timeless Tips. Every week, I get to dive into the GOLF Magazine archives and learn from the legends of the game. This week, I stumbled upon an article from Julius Boros — and it pre-dates my birth by 25 years.

Check it out below to see how a three-time major winner thought about the swing. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to note that the way the legends swung the club isn’t so different from the way the current greats do it.

Julius Boros’ tip for great ball striking

Whenever a golfer tries to muscle the ball, or hit it extra hard, he very often makes a movement with his body commonly called a “sway.” Imagine there are two vertical lines boxing you in. If both your right hip and shoulder move laterally on the backswing so much that they go outside the line, you have swayed going back. This is a very weak position that also tends to move your head too far out of position.

Once he has swayed “off the ball,” as the saying goes, almost every golfer inevitably compensates for this error with another one. On the downswing the body now moves too far forward laterally and the left side and left shoulder move outside the opposite line, and the sway is then complete. By moving the body too far forward the club strikes the ball at an improper descending angle, the left side has not stayed “behind the ball,” and the result is either a low slice to the right or a pop-up “skied” shot. In every case little power is generated because the body has not coiled.

To avoid swaying | think of my chin as the anchor point under which everything turns. I initiate the backswing by pushing the club back with my left shoulder and left side, and by turning my left knee toward the right one. This creates a rotating body movement in which the right hip must turn instead of sliding laterally. I have coiled my body properly so that my back faces the target. The entire right side remains within the imaginary line.

From this coiled position at the top it is now much easier to recoil going into the ball. The shoulders turn under my chin, the right knee pushes toward the left, which facilitates the weight transfer, and my left side turns as though on a swivel. Now I have generated real power with my legs and body, and further increase it by being able to release my hands properly, at the point of impact. To hit the ball hard, accurately, and with consistency, keep your body within the imaginary box. Make it work for, not against you.

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The post This is the simplest mindset for breaking 90 appeared first on Golf.

The post This is the simplest mindset for breaking 90 appeared first on Golf.

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we look back to our February 2001 issue for some advice on how to break 90.

Golf is a game of milestones. AT the outset, it’s all about making your first par. Then, you start to focus on scores. The first time you break 100 … 90 … 80. It’s an exhilarating pursuit.

If you’re reading this article, you probably find yourself in the same boat. And based on the headline, you’re among the many seeking to break 90 for the first time.

If that sounds like you — you’re in luck. Back in the February 2001 issue of GOLF Magazine, our editors put together a piece outlining an easy way to break 90 for the first time. Follow the advice and you’ll be well on your way to posting scores in the 80s.

How to break 90

Having a hard time getting your game into the 80s on a consistent basis? Perhaps it’s a mental problem: Very often golfers get stuck in a comfort zone (say, the low 90s), where the psychological hurdle of taking it to the next level feels insurmountable. Realize this: Unless you have a severe case of the yips or the shanks, there’s no reason why even the shortest of hitters can’t regularly score in the mid to high 80s. 

Here’s proof of how easy it is.

All you need is 1 par

If your course has par of 72, a score of 89 is 17-over par. That means you only need to make one par during the round to break 90. But remember that one par is all you need provided you bogey the other 17 holes. Anything worse than bogey, and you need more pars. This sheds light on the biggest key to scoring for the mid-handicapper: Eliminate your double bogeys (or worse), and breaking 90 is a snap.

What to work on

There are three likely culprits for double bogeys: penalty strokes (water hazards, out of bounds), flubbed shots around the green, and three-putts. 

As a straight hitter, you’re probably not flirting with the out-of-bounds stakes, so maybe your ball is finding the water a couple of times a round. If so, you’re taking unnecessary risks. Steer away from trouble in almost all circumstances, and play for bogey if necessary. It might feel conservative, but you’ll surprise yourself with how many fours you make when your target score is five. Besides, either number is much more satisfying than a six or seven.

Take a similar approach around the greens. If your good shots are mixed in with a few flubs, you’re either suffering lapses in concentration, or trying to hit those shots too precisely. Keep your short game simple: Stick to the basics of chipping and pitching, and try to put the ball as close to the hole as possible. But, above all, make sure you’re putting on your next shot. Don’t try to be a hero if failure means missing the green.

Eliminating three-putts is about awareness, and it starts before your ball is on the green. As you study your chip or pitch, look at the green’s undulations. Without putting too much pressure on yourself, know that leaving a flat or uphill putt dramatically reduces your chances of three-putting. The same goes for your first, or lag, putt. Always look for the preferred angle for your second putt, then allow for a miss that will finish on that side. You’ll be surprised at how many second putts you make when none of them are slick, downhill benders.

Put it all together

If you can eliminate these mistakes — penalty strokes, flubbed shots, and three-putts — breaking 90 won’t be an issue. You’ll be threatening to break 80 instead. Consider this a goal, and proof that good golf isn’t a question of hitting great shots, just not hitting disastrous ones.

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The post Brooks Koepka’s 5 keys that will help you bomb longer drives appeared first on Golf.

The post Brooks Koepka’s 5 keys that will help you bomb longer drives appeared first on Golf.

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today, we have a five-step plan for hitting longer tee shots from Brooks Koepka, which originally appeared in our September 2015 issue.

Brooks Koepka is back. After three years on the rival LIV Golf circuit, It was announced Monday that the five-time major winner will be taking his talents back to the PGA Tour.

In honor of the news of the day, this Monday edition of Timeless Tips features a piece Koepka wrote just over 10 years ago for GOLF Magazine. In it, he detailed five keys for hitting longer drives off the tee.

Check them out below and apply them to your own swing to bomb it like BK.

Koepka’s 5 power keys

I love hitting it far. What’s more fun than walking 20 yards past your opponent’s drive to reach yours? This year — my second full season on Tour — I’ve become one of golf’s biggest hitters, ranking 10th in driving distance through midsummer. I hit almost 60 percent of my fairways and about 70 percent of my greens. Trust me, it’s easier to knock the ball on with a 9-iron than it is with a middle iron. That kind of advantage helped me grab my first Tour win, at this year’s Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Sure, I’m 25 and in pretty good shape, but most of my distance comes from good mechanics that you can copy. So I’ll let you in on a few secrets, with help from my coach, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Claude Harmon III. We’re going to teach you to tap the muscles that create serious swing speed. Soon, you too will be able to crush drives that inspire awe in your playing partners and set you up for short approach shots. And there’s no pumping iron required. You already have the physique required for long, straight drives — you just need to know how to use it. 

Your power lesson starts now.

1. Flex your feet

There’s a lot to worry about at address: your grip, aim, distance from the ball, etc. But nothing’s more important than what you do with your feet. The reason you take a stance is to create a swing foundation, so as you make those last few waggles, be sure to physically drive both feet into the ground. You want to feel rooted to the turf. It helps if you balance your weight over the balls of your feet and then use your glutes and quads to pressure the ground under each shoe.

The more you connect to the ground, the faster you can turn. Think of the opposite extreme: If you swung while standing on ice, sure, you could rotate, but you wouldn’t be able to coil because your lower body would have to turn along with your upper. Coil is key, and it all starts with your feet.

At address, focus only on seeing the clubface smash the ball; the hazard on the left or the O.B. stakes dotting the right don’t matter. A good trick is to think about swinging fast but make slow, deliberate practice swings. Feel your weight move to your right side as you reach the top, then move to the left in your downswing. Pairing fast thoughts with slow body motions in my pre-shot routine helps me drive it my best.

2. Flex your glutes

A lot of people teased Tiger Woods for pulling out of the Farmers Insurance Open last February because he couldn’t “activate his glutes.” Well, he was dead on. Butt power is swing power. If you can’t effectively “load” your glutes as you swing to the top, you’re basically swinging on fumes. 

Your backswing creates potential energy, and your downswing spends it. All your potential energy gets stored in your right glute when you correctly swing back. The trick is to rotate while keeping your knees flexed and your feet pressuring the ground. Avoid swaying, and you’ll feel your right glute become tense as you near the top. I like it to feel so tense that a tackler coming from my right side couldn’t take me down. While gym work isn’t mandatory, any exercise that builds rear-end strength will pay off. 

Even simple squats in your home or hotel room will do your swing some good — no butts about it.

3. Flex your back

The bigger your turn, the faster you’ll swing. It’s simple physics. There have been a lot of theories on how to make the biggest windup.

What works? Turning my upper body as far to the right as my flexibility allows while keeping my feet dug firmly into the ground and my lower body stable. The secret is to turn your back, the hub of your upper body. Rotate it, and everything — shoulders, chest and core — rotates with it.

Picture a flashlight between your shoulder blades, and try to turn your back so far that the light shines on the target when you reach the top. This visual reminds you to use your big muscles, not your small ones.

4. Flex your knees

As you transition from backswing to downswing, drive your right knee toward the target while keeping your left knee flexed and stable. Major League Baseball stars like Giancarlo Stanton and Mike Trout do the exact same thing when they hit home runs. This knee action shifts your energy toward the target (good for any hitting activity) and helps put the club on the ideal path. It also stops the club from getting trapped behind you (leading to a push) or moving too far out in front of your body (a slice or a pull) as you approach impact.

In order to drive your right knee effectively, your feet must keep pressuring the ground. (I told you that was important!) Without a grounded stance, you won’t be able to drive forward off your right foot, and your left foot won’t be stable enough to accept the weight shift.

5. Flex your core

Technically, your core is active as soon as you start your takeaway, but it’s moving like crazy in those few critical feet before and after impact. Through the hitting zone, your primary focus is to rotate your core as fast as possible. Picture a laser beam shooting out of your belly button: You want the beam to bisect the ball along its equator as you turn through the shot — and fast!

When I really want to crank a drive, I imagine I’m hitting the ball with just my abdomen. Stronger abs mean a faster turn and longer drives. Sneak in a few sit-ups or crunches. Do it. Besides core power, it will help you maintain your posture through impact for squarer strikes and take pressure off your lower back.

At the same time, keep your arms soft and supple. Your goal is to let the rotational momentum of the clubhead pull your arms straight through impact, not actively extend them. Not only will consciously “snapping” your arms look unathletic, you’ll lose speed in a heartbeat. Arms are for holding on, not generating speed. 

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