TOUR Life: Instruction
Travis Fulton Blog: Attitude adjustment for your game
By Travis Fulton, Director of Education, TOUR Academy
Travis Fulton is the Director of Education for all TOUR Academies nationwide. Over the years Fulton has worked alongside and learned from numerous GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teachers including Scott Sackett, Todd Sones, Craig Shankland and Martin Hall. These accomplishments and education have put Travis in a lead role with the TOUR Academy Brand where he has been a key figure in the overall performance and vision of the TOUR Academy brand. Travis comes from Kellogg, Idaho, where he had a stellar playing career in high school as well as college. In 1998, Travis won the Pacific Northwest Athletic Conference title. Full Bio and Article Archive
Learn More: TOURAcademy | Got a question? Send Travis an email
Audio: Fulton's XM interview 
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What Happened
Some very low scores were posted this week as the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup continued at the Deutsche Bank Championship at the newly-renovated TPC Boston. From a near-59 by Tim Clark during the third round to a flawless 63 by Vijay Singh on Labor Day's final round, TPC Boston was giving up some very red numbers.
What a difference a few weeks makes, as Vijay Singh has done a complete 180 with his putting. His shaky, steering motion from a month ago in Akron -- where he won the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational -- has turned into a magic wand. This win is Vijay's 34th on the PGA TOUR, now moving him one ahead of Phil Mickelson.
Vijay credited his huge improvement with the flatstick to a change in attitude this week. All week Vijay told himself, "You are the best putter in the world." After watching the three long birdie putts on the back nine drop during the final round, I was convinced Vijay was certainly the best putter in the world this past Monday.
This win puts Vijay in the driver's seat for the FedExCup and the $10 million dollar first place prize.
What Can We Learn
Clearly, Singh and Sergio Garcia are very comfortable being paired together. You can see over the last two weeks just how relaxed both of them are feeding off of the positive energy and good play of each other. This environment has really helped Vijay over the last couple of weeks.
What appeared to be rock-bottom for Vijay a while back with his putting, has -- at least for the moment -- rebounded to an all time high. It's amazing what a little change in attitude and some positive energy can do for somebody on the golf course.
It has been incredible what Vijay has accomplished on the PGA TOUR since turning 40. As a player passes 40 on the PGA TOUR, very seldom do they continue to improve and continue to win on a regular basis. Not only has Vijay been able to maintain his powerful ball striking and effective short game but he's been able to maintain his lean figure and, psychologically, continue to believe in his ability to win.
This belief system perhaps has never been challenged more then this year for Vijay. One of the more difficult things to do in golf is to believe and trust what you are doing on each shot. It seems simple on paper but for those of us that play golf regularly, we know this can be very difficult.
Have you ever read a putt from every angle and then quickly changed your mind once you got over the putt?
How about lining up an approach shot where you look at that target and you feel as if you are aiming way right or left, but then go ahead and hit it anyway?
Another fun one is when you have a good round going and you get to the remaining stretch of holes and then suddenly start thinking to yourself, "Well, even if I bogey the last three holes I will still shoot..."
It's amazing the games your mind can play and I would bet all of us have been in the situations described above. My advice is to take a page out of Vijay's new mental approach. Focus on your attitude and belief system, just like Vijay. It is important that your attitude is positive and that you believe in what you are doing in all phases of your game from the drive off the first tee to the final tap in on the 18th hole.
Here are three ideas to help improve your attitude:
1. Establish a game plan
Develop a plan with the help of an instructor for all phases of your game. Remember, improving at golf is a process.
We can all get better. With an organized game plan, it really helps your attitude and belief system to keep you focused on where you want to get to.
2. Time vs. expectations
Managing the amount of time you dedicate to your game versus your expectation level is very important.
The smaller the gap between how much time you have dedicated versus your expectation level will only lead to more enjoyment on the course. One of the biggest detriments to your attitude is when your expectation level is not balanced with the proper amount of preparation time and a proper game plan to match.
3. Challenge yourself, but create success, too
Play golf from different tee blocks. One week, challenge yourself from the back tees -- do this when things are going well and your attitude is positive and up for the challenge. Then mix it up a bit, the following week play one tee block up or maybe even two or three.
Play the course from a shorter distance where you hit different shots and put yourself in a situation to shoot great scores. Learning to play at a challenging length is healthy, but so is playing the game from a distance where you can go lower than normal and make some birdies.
Just Because
This just in. Vijay just dropped another 50-foot bomb from across the green. I've never seen so many long putts go in.
It has been a real treat watching Singh and Garcia play over the last two weeks. Some great ball striking and hot putting by two of the games greats is what these playoffs are all about. As a fan, I found that before the playoffs began I was getting frustrated because very rarely were we seeing the duels down the stretch from the game's top players.
Speaking of playoffs, college football is finally here. Can't wait for another controversial voting process to see who plays for the national championship this year. I still believe to this day that if the NCAA had a playoff system for Division I-A Football, it would be the single most exciting tournament in the country! That is all I am going to say about for the rest of the year.
We're now in the home stretch. See you from St. Louis next week.
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Aug. 27, 2008: Pressure points in Singh's swing
What Happened
Well, the Playoffs are here and The Barclays was the scene for the first eliminations. A couple of former Barclays champions found themselves in contention again on Sunday, as Vijay Singh outdueled Sergio Garcia for his fourth career Barclays win.
Both players shot a final round 1-under par 70 to get into a playoff with Kevin Sutherland. After a 27-foot bomb from Sergio dropped on the first playoff hole, Vijay answered by holing a 26-footer of his own to tie. He then defeated the two-time former champion on the next hole with a tap-in birdie.
This win is Singh's 33rd of his career on the PGA TOUR. After a lackluster first six months, the Fijian has turned his season around with his second win of the year and is currently in the driver's seat towards the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup's $10 million top prize.
What Can We Learn
After Vijay won at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational three weeks ago, I was able to discuss the more classical golf swing of one of the game's best players. It was great to get some feedback from readers of this blog as well as our students at the TOUR Academies on how Vijay's swing is different then some of the young guns that define the modern swing employed by today's youth.
However, I found it interesting that much of the discussion was related to Vijay's unique move with his right hand after impact.
If you haven't noticed, look closely during Vijay's swing on how his right hand comes off the golf club during post-impact. This move is not one that Vijay is attempting to create, but rather, one that just happens and usually has little effect on the shot's outcome.
With that said, I would not recommend anyone allow their right hand to come off the grip during post-impact or at any point during the swing. The effect of the right hand staying attached to the club's handle -- more specifically the left thumb -- is one that we promote at the TOUR Academies and makes up one of four pressure points that could be applied during the swing.
One of the keys in golf instruction is the concept of pressure points. Applying pressure in the proper areas influences the correct alignment of the club shaft, clubhead and the clubface. One of these critical pressure points should be applied from the heel pad of the right hand to the left thumb for a right-handed golfer.
This pressure point feels like a "pushing" effect from the trail arm through the right heel pad to the left thumb. This pressure point stabilizes the club shaft and keeps it angled toward the target at impact.
The importance of the shaft being tilted forward at impact is irreplaceable as it allows for the clubhead to move downward through the impact zone. Vijay loses this pressure point after impact, however, it is recommended that a player maintains this pressure point all the way through the bottom of the swing to ensure consistent contact.
A second pressure point in the right hand comes from the index finger, or "trigger finger." A good grip will see a bit of separation between the index finger and the thumb. This pressure is felt when the clubhead's weight is resting on the trigger finger from the top of the swing all the way to impact and even beyond -- another term used for this is clubhead "lag." Every PGA TOUR player has significant lag in their swing.
The other two pressure points worth noting are applied through the left side. The first is felt through the last three fingers of the left hand. These fingers should feel as if they are rolling under during impact. The effect of this pressure point is to promote a flat left wrist and deliver a square clubface at impact.
Finally, the fourth pressure point comes from the attachment of the left arm to the side of the body. This is very noticeable with PGA TOUR players, as many of them will practice with a head cover or towel under their left arm pit to reinforce this pressure point.
This pressure keeps the arm swing moving with the body's rotation. If the left arm is not attached through the impact zone, the body rotation will stall out and you'll lose the first pressure point (right heel pad to the left arm) resulting in a less than ideal scooping action.
You will see Singh often practice with something under his lead arm to train not only proper timing between the arms and body, but a more stable right hand during post-impact.
Just Because
Well, it has been a crazy couple of weeks for me with not only a much anticipated vacation but the arrival of the never-ending Tropical Storm Fay. After a short week off for me, I am now ready for the race for the FedExCup and the much anticipated Ryder Cup.
In addition to some great fall golf on TV and on the links - it is finally football season! Enough said.
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Aug. 13, 2008: How Padraig hits his lob shot
What Happened
Coming to a major near you soon -- The Paddy Slam! How about Padraig Harrington? He played some determined golf on Sunday as he fights back and wins the PGA Championship. This is now Padraig's third major championship out of the last six and back-to-back to close the 2008 season!
With the absence of Tiger Woods, no one has gained more than Harrington. The intense -- but under control -- Irishman has now positioned himself with the same number of major championships as the world's No. 2 -- Phil Mickleson.
Harrington was an amazing 8-under par over the weekend, carding back-to-back rounds of 66. After a lackluster start on Thursday, Harrington picked it up with better focus and hydration, as rumor has it he was dehydrated after the opening round.
With proper fluids, great ballstriking and sensational putting coming down the stretch -- dropping a 12-footer for par on the 16th, a 10-footer for birdie on the 17th and a 16-footer for par on the 18th -- Harrington found himself with another major championship trophy.
What Can We Learn
Sunday's performance around the greens from Harrington was some awfully good stuff. The guy was amazing out of the bunkers and absolutely sensational with the lob shot from the heavy rough at Oakland Hills. There were so many shots that not only ended up close to the pin, but looked as if they were going to go in.
The lob shot is such a high-risk shot that takes not only good technique, but a tremendous amount of practice and confidence. All PGA TOUR players are certainly capable of hitting this shot, but some use it more often then others. When successful, it is certainly one of the more exciting shots to watch.
At the TOUR Academies, instruction in the lob shot is one of the most popular requests we will get. It is a fun shot that allows any player to demonstrate their ability to take a full swing and only hit the ball a short distance.
The risk is apparent when we attempt to demonstrate this shot and catch more of the ball then we should. Suddenly, that lob looks more like a 5-iron shot. However, it is those few times we do pull it off like Harrington did at the PGA that keep us coming back.
So what are the secrets?
First, there are different levels of risk when approaching a lob shot. The key is we want to add loft to the clubface so we can launch the ball as high as possible. Here are three things you can do to add loft to the clubface at address.
1. Lean the club shaft slightly away from target and position the body so the club's butt end points at your belt buckle. This will preset the ball forward in the stance.
2. Open the clubface slightly as well as your body line.
3. Take a weaker grip than normal by rotating the hands farther to the left (for a right-handed golfer).
When applying the three setup characteristics above, I would recommend starting with only No. 1. This will effectively increase the loft of the clubface and produce a higher shot. If you need more loft, then add No. 2.
However, I would be careful with the clubface as the more you open it, the smaller the effective hitting surface at impact. Finally, if you are feeling very bold then add number three as well. With the grip weakened, the clubface will rotate even farther open during the backswing creating maximum loft -- I usually only recommend No. 3 to the more advanced player.
As you progress through the three setup characteristics above, the lob shot swing will begin to evolve. The best way to describe the lob shot swing is "long and lazy." Long in the sense that the arm swing is full in both directions while "Lazy" describes the sense of heaviness in the arms and the slower than normal feel of the body rotation. It is important that your arms are not tense when attempting this shot. Instead, view your arms as if they were heavy ropes. Any tension in your arms will ruin any chance of pulling off the lob.
• Article: Be long and lazy to master bunker shots (new window)
The body plays a key role as well. You may have noticed with Harrington on Sunday at the 16th hole that when he was faced with this lob shot he kept his upper body very still. Minimizing the shoulder turn promotes the arms falling back to the same spot they started from making solid contact probable.
Depending upon the severity of the rough and how far you want to hit the lob, the rate of turn with the upper body will need to match up. With all that said, this shot takes a tremendous amount of practice so if you're planning on winning three majors of your own, get a large bucket and head to the pitching green.
Just Because
Well, the 2008 majors are in the book, and I thought for a while I had picked the final winner in last week's blog (J.B. Holmes). J.B. held the 36-hole lead and was right there heading in the final round, but he struggled on Sunday afternoon.
The PGA TOUR now turns to the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup and the Ryder Cup. I must admit, I am very excited about the Ryder Cup this year and even without Tiger Woods, it will be a great event. The Europeans are certainly playing very well with another strong performance last week with not only Harrington but also Sergio Garcia who finished runner-up and the underrated Henrik Stenson who finished tied for fourth. With home field advantage this year for the USA, it should be very interesting.
Finally, I want to give a quick shout out to the USA Olympic team. I am borderline addicted to the Olympics this year cheering on the athletes. I never thought I could get so excited to watch the sport of swimming, but with phenomenal athletes like Michael Phelps, I find myself wanting to jump in the pool and swim a few laps.
On Monday night, the 4x100m freestyle relay was unbelievable. Down nearly a full body length heading into the last leg, Jason Lezak kicked it into full gear and came back to win it for the Americans defeating the over-confident French. Seriously, every hair on my body was standing up when Lezak touched the wall first. It was one of the most amazing comeback stories of the year.
USA! USA! USA!
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Aug. 6, 2008: Vijay provides a lesson in hip turn
What Happened
Sometimes I think we forget that Vijay Singh is 45 years old because he has made winning look easy since he turned 40. But over the past 18 months, Singh has not hoisted a trophy until this week when he won his first World Golf Championship title in Akron, Ohio.
The Bridgestone Invitational win gives Vijay a remarkable 20 wins in his forties, and 32 for his career on the PGA TOUR -- the most ever by a non-American. Although it wasn't pretty on Sunday, Singh was able to do just enough to squeak by Lee Westwood and Stuart Appleby.
The always-difficult Firestone Country Club was once again a great stage for the best players in the world. With narrow fairways and Vijay launching bombs off the tee, we were treated to some patented Vijay body-leans to the left as he steered his ball around the course.
With perfect conditions, Vijay averaged 316 yards (ranking: fifth) off the tee which allowed for some precision iron play where Singh hit nearly 71 percent of his greens in regulation (Ranking: tied for fifth). Even with numerous birdie opportunities, Singh never really got it going with the flatstick, as he struggled with the long putter, converting only nine of 19 putts between four to eight feet in length.
With dismal putting stats like this, Singh was fortunate to get back into the winners' circle. He should never let the end of that putter touch his belly again.
What Can We Learn
I have always considered Vijay a throwback classical ballstriker with his very active body motion and long arm swing in both directions. This motion is such a contrast to the modern swing you see in most of the younger pros today, where the body turn is more compact, leading to a shorter arm swing.
Some of the characteristics that Vijay and many of the classical swingers have are good examples for most golfers. For example, watch how Vijay uses his hips during his backswing to allow his body to coil, create depth with his hands and arms and deliver the clubhead along an inside approach back to the ball.
Like so many of the classical swingers, Vijay has a very active hip turn during his backswing. Often I hear students say that they think they should minimize their hip turn. With today's instruction, there is a lot of talk about shoulder turn, but often very little about hip turn. So what can adding some hip turn do for your swing?
First, it encourages a better shoulder turn. Many golfers are not physically capable of turning their shoulders enough without more hip turn than they are making now.
In fact, if your hips don't turn, then your right hip (for a right-handed golfer) will be too high during the backswing, leading to a sway or the dreaded reverse pivot. Either of which leads to poor, inconsistent contact. Allowing the hips to rotate approximately 45 degrees will allow the shoulders for most golfers to rotate a full 90 degrees resulting in a nicely-coiled backswing.
Secondly, some hip turn will create some much-needed depth in your swing. Depth is when the lead arm and hands travel behind the body during the backswing. With most players erring too steep with the plane of their backswings, creating depth is critical. A good checkpoint to make sure you're swing is deep enough is to use a mirror.
Once at the top of the swing, your left arm should be covering the right shoulder if you were to view from the target line. However, when adding depth, make sure you don't drag the clubhead too quickly inside the target line. Instead, it should move up and in gradually as the hips and shoulders rotate.
I often use the analogy of starting a lawn mower. When you pull the cord, you pull it up first and then back behind you. When using this same motion, the hips will get out of the way and create the necessary room to swing to the proper depth.
Finally, with the body coiled with the proper depth in the backswing, it becomes much easier to approach the ball from inside the target line. You may have noticed on Sunday that Vijay was swinging significantly from in-to-out on his downswing, especially with the driver. Oftentimes, Vijay's error is to swing too much from the inside, leading to the big block to the right -- hence his post-finish lean to the left.
Hip turn creates an important chain reaction. Letting the hips turn allows for a greater shoulder turn, which creates more coil of the upper body. With a stronger coil the left arm and hands can travel deeper behind the body which, in turn, makes it easier to deliver the club head from the inside and generate solid contact and more power.
Just Because
Well, we have arrived at the final major of the year -- The PGA Championship. I would have to say this year's tournament is as wide-open as it has been in a long time. First, you have no Tiger Woods, which immediately opens it up to the rest of the field.
One could argue that the experienced veterans will prevail this year. Vijay Singh seems like a logical choice if he can get his putter rolling. Then there's Kenny Perry, who has three wins this summer. Remember, Steve Lowery won earlier this year, and no one has been more surprising in 2008 majors than Rocco Mediate. Phil Mickelson looks as if he's once again close to playing some great golf and I think Stuart Appleby or even a Justin Leonard could make some noise this year.
So what about the younger crowd?
Like most, I'll give you an argument beginning with Anthony Kim -- he seems poised and ready for his first major to go along with his two wins earlier this year. Padraig Harrington could make it three of the last six majors, or the newly acquainted Chez Reavie could make it two wins in three weeks. Look out for Sean O'Hair, like Mickelson his game is getting closer or, maybe, it is finally Sergio's time? The PLAYERS winner has had a good year, but it could turn to great with a win at Oakland Hills.
So many options and angles for debate -- it is simply flat-out wide open. So who do I think will get it done in Michigan? Well, I'm taking J.B. Holmes. I can see it now, J.B. in his Sunday orange shirt holding up the Wanamaker trophy.
It should be a great week!
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July 31, 2008: Chez Reavie reminds me of Zach Johnson
What Happened
Well, a new name emerged on the PGA TOUR this weekend at the RBC Canadian Open, as Chez Reavie won his first title. The Arizona State graduate held off another ASU alumnus, Billy Mayfair, to win by two.
Reavie went wire-to-wire at the soggy Glen Abbey Golf Club, hitting a staggering 78 percent of his fairways which allowed him to take full advantage of the lift, clean and place rule that was being used due to the wet conditions. Once in the fairway, Reavie continued his consistency, hitting 75 percent of the greens in regulation. With accuracy off the tee and onto the greens, Chez was able to overcome the distance he gave up to much of the field.
It seems week after week, we have been talking about the modern recipe these days of bombing it off the tee with efficient and timely putting in order to win. This week was different. Reavie, who reminds me of Corey Pavin, used finesse and control all week to overcome bombers and prove -- once again -- that there are other ways to get the job done.
This win for Reavie earned him a cool $900,000, which is more than he had won in his entire PGA TOUR career.
What Can We Learn
No Kenny Perry or Anthony Kim this week? I must admit I am running out of things to talk about with these two, so Reavie is a welcome addition to this week's blog.
Reavie, who stands 5-foot-9 with a medium build, is a little easier to relate to for most of us. His body, golf swing and clubhead speed are not overpowering, but both are consistent and efficient in its own way.
I would compare Reavie's golf swing to 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson's. Similar in build, both Chez and Zach play with a closed clubface in their golf swings. Although not the norm on the PGA TOUR, both of these players set the clubface in a shut position at the top of the swing, which affects how they will hit the ball.
With the clubface closed at the top, both players hold off the release of the clubhead, creating lag on the downswing and allowing for the lower body to rotate aggressively through impact.
With players of medium build, this combination of increased lag with an aggressive lower body will generate more power (and everyone on the PGA TOUR has plenty of power, just some more than others).
Most amateurs in today's game will err on the side of an open clubface at the top of the swing. This open clubface at the top usually leads to compensations on the downswing to overcome the ball curving to the right. So many times at the TOUR Academies, we will teach players with an open clubface to shut the face -- like Reavie and Johnson -- so they can learn the combination of lag and proper body motion through impact.
With that said, it is not wrong to have an open clubface at the top of the swing, as many PGA TOUR players do. Good examples would be Ernie Els and Corey Pavin. However, what is different with these talents is they can still manage to swing along the proper swing plane on the downswing, with sufficient lag in the clubhead and the proper amount of rotation in the clubface to square the clubface at impact.
This is a mouthful, I know. When you are only playing once a week, as most golfers do, this is a lot to ask of your swing.
So my message to you is: Realize how important the clubface positioning is during the swing. Yes, it is relative to each player as some may need to open it a little bit, but most of us need to favor a closed position to maximize our distance and accuracy.
This clubface position at the top of the swing will have a big effect on your downswing and how you will hit the ball. Take some video of your swing to see where your clubface position is at the top of your swing and how it is affecting your downswing and impact conditions. From there, you can determine if you need to close the clubface like Chez Reavie to increase your chances of creating solid contact with plenty of power.
A good checkpoint to use at the top of the swing is to evaluate the clubface position relative to the lead forearm (left arm for a right-handed golfer).
If the clubface is parallel to the lead forearm at the top, then this would be considered square. If the clubface is facing towards the sky, this would be considered closed and finally if the toe is pointing down at the top of the swing, this would be open. Again, creating an environment between square to slightly close is recommended for most players.
Just Because
Well it has been awhile, but I must talk about football this week as we are getting closer to the kickoff of the season. As golf nears its final major at the PGA Championship, the NFL is ramping up and getting ready for Week 1.
August is such a great month for so many reasons, especially because it serves as a clean slate for all 32 NFL teams. Hope and expectations are so high for all fans as they analyze exactly what needs to happen for there team to win it all.
As most of you know already I am big Seahawks fan from growing up in the Northwest and, yes, I am -- like all other fans -- running my mouth these days explaining to everyone on the East Coast that not only do we have an NFL football team in Washington, but we will make another run to the Super Bowl.
All we have to do is control the line-of-scrimmage, don't miss any tackles, force a lot of turnovers, run the football, stretch the field when needed and limit our penalties. You heard it hear first.
Super Bowl 42 Prediction: Seahawks 35 Jaguars 17.
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July 23, 2008: How Padraig bombed his fairway woods
What Happened
Even without Tiger Woods in a major championship for the first time since 1996, the 137th Open Championship did not disappoint. I -- like the rest of the world -- was absolutely shocked when 53-year-old Greg Norman showed up on the leaderboard heading into the weekend. The veteran businessman/part-time golfer, who admittedly plays more tennis these days than golf, showed us all that he still has what it takes to compete on the biggest stage in the game.
Taking a two-shot lead into the final round Norman -- like so many others -- struggled with a 77 making way for the defending champion, Padraig Harrington, to steadily climb to the top of the pack. After making three bogeys in a row to finish the front nine, Harrington got it going on the back nine with two birdies and a timely eagle on the 17th to win his second Open Championship.
What Can We Learn
Harrington's stellar play on the back nine on Sunday was fun to watch. The difficult links style of golf is no mystery to him, as his experience showed.
You hear professional golfers talk about all they want to do is get in position to win on the back nine on Sunday. And Harrington was just that -- in position to win heading into the back nine. After parring the first three holes on the back nine, Harrington sprinkled in birdies on holes 13 and 15 and then hit that remarkable 5-wood into the par-5 17th that turned into the blow that put Norman down on the canvas at the end of another major.
The old trusty 5-wood came through as he launched it into the howling wind, landing it perfectly on the front of the green for a convincing eagle. At the TOUR Academies, we get many questions about how to hit fairway woods. So how did Harrington do it?
The first thing: Understand the angle of approach. You will notice when PGA TOUR players hit fairway woods, they still hit down on the ball, allowing for the loft of the fairway wood to lift the shot. Although the angle of approach is not as steep as that of an iron, the clubhead still needs to be moving downward when striking a fairway wood. Controlling this angle of approach into impact is the key to striking solid fairway woods.
Oftentimes, when working on fairway wood shots with students, I hear their analysis that the clubhead should be traveling upward or horizontal at impact. This approach can lead to poor impact conditions resulting in inconsistent ball flight.
The first step to generating the proper angle of approach is to setup properly. Here are the keys to check:
1. Ball Position forward (one ball-width inside of your left heel)
Ball position is critical, as it places the ball just before the swing's low point. This will promote the club head to strike the ball just before the low point assuring a descending blow through impact.
2. Hands in line with the clubhead
Positioning the hands in-line with the clubhead allows for a player to hit down but not to where the club head will stick in the ground. One of the most common errors at address with fairway woods is positioning the hands too far forward of the club head.
3. Tilt the upper body slightly away from target
With the upper body tilted slightly away from the target, your head will be behind the ball. This again helps to promote the proper angle of approach into impact. Get this angle correct and -- while I can't guarantee you'll be making eagles -- you will see more consistently solid shots and more power.
Just Because
Was it just me or could you not see the golf ball on TV at the Open? I have never in my life said, "Where's the golf ball?" after so many shots. The wind was certainly brutal, but jeez, that was a struggle just trying to track the golf ball -- tough on ratings.
Secondly, Kenny Perry almost won again at the U.S. Bank Championship back here in the States. As I mentioned last week, I just don't understand why Perry didn't attend the Open. I understand there are commitments that these players have, but I would bet U.S. Bank understands with their placement opposite a major, that if Perry would've said,
"Hey, I am the hottest player in the planet and I think I can win my first major this week," they would've been okay with it.
After all, it is one of the four biggest tournaments of the year and I think with his style of game and how well he is executing -- Kenny Perry may have given Paddy a run for his money.
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July 16, 2008: How to use the Hinge and Hold chip
What Happened
Kenny Perry is as unstoppable as the hero in a summer blockbuster now playing at a Cineplex near you. On Sunday, he won his third tournament of the year on the PGA TOUR by capturing the John Deere Classic. Perry closed the deal again on Sunday as he defeated Jay Williamson and Brad Adamonis in a one-hole playoff after both Williamson and Adamonis dunked their approach shots in the water at the difficult 18th at TPC Deere Run.
The consistent trend of long drives and timely putting continues to be the recipe for Perry winning golf tournaments. His current three-win stretch over five tournaments is what Perry did five years ago, when he won three times in four starts.
Ironically, in 2003 Perry averaged 295 yards off the tee, which is the same exact number he is averaging in 2008. These long drives were on full display at the John Deere Classic as Perry was bombing his patented high draw, with 72 percent of them finding the fairway.
With long drives and improved accuracy, Perry continued to take full advantage as he has been doing all summer with his efficient iron work, where he is now ranked ninth on tour in Greens in Regulation at 68.11 percent. In addition, Perry has used timely clutch putting, which kept him in it on Sunday for his 12th career PGA TOUR win.
What Can We Learn
Like so many TPC layouts, at TPC Deere Run you see lots of little challenging short chip shots around the greens. I tell people at our academy at Sawgrass, when you play TPC Sawgrass, you will have the hardest seven-yard shots of your life. Not only is it difficult to get the ball close -- but under certain circumstances, it is difficult to keep it on the green.
Although TPC Deere Run is not TPC Sawgrass -- this year, once again, we saw a lot of difficult short chip shots around the green. This week, I want to share some insight on how to hit the short chip from a good lie and also from the rough.
First, the definition of chipping is a short shot with more roll than carry. The goal of chipping is simple - fly the ball safely onto the near side of the green and rolling towards the target.
To do this consistently, setup to a chip with the clubshaft a little more upright and forward at address -- at the TOUR Academy we call this routine up four degrees and then over four degrees. Once you establish the shaft angle, then stand to the handle by positioning your body where the butt-of-club is pointing just left of your belt buckle.
You will notice the ball position at this time is slightly back in the stance and your shoulders are square to the target -- not open. With the shoulders square, it will be much easier to keep the club shaft on plane with the proper body support.
During the chipping motion, keep the wrists quiet using just your shoulders as if making a putting motion. With the hands quiet and firm, the club shaft will return upright and forward assuring a slightly descending blow at impact.
Support the clubhead moving down by rotating the upper body towards the target. Again, with the shoulders square at address, feel the lead shoulder stay relatively level as it rotates through impact, rather then moving up and if the shoulders were open at address.
Oftentimes, we have the same exact shot but the ball is buried in the rough. This is a shot at the TOUR Academies we call a Hinge and Hold situation, but it still lives within the chip shot family because once again, we want a low running shot. To hit the ball consistently out of the rough, we need to increase the angle of approach so the clubhead gets down into the rough and below the ball.
The setup for the Hinge and Hold is the exact same as the standard chip, except we don't lean the club shaft more upright. The clubshaft is still four degrees forward at address with the ball position slightly back. However, when the ball is in the rough, it is recommended you preset your weight slightly forward at address to help support the necessary downward angle.
For the Hinge and Hold, you will see TOUR players immediately hinge their wrists with a short arm swing. Most golfers that attempt this shot out of the rough have too much arm swing and not enough wrist hinge. Focus on moving your arms back less but with more wrist hinge. A good hinge will set the clubhead just above the hands at the completion of the backswing. On the downswing, keep the wrists firm so that the shaft returns to impact leaning toward the target.
Todd Jones: An equation for better chipping (new window)
Just Because
The standard chip and Hinge and Hold are two good shots for any course, but they seem to show up a lot on the challenging tournament courses in the TPC network. Another place you will see these shots is across the pond in Europe. Oh yeah, there is a tournament this coming week called "The British Open" or just "The Open" if you live anywhere outside the United States. Something tells me we will be seeing lots of low running shots around those greens.
I must say I am shocked that Kenny Perry is not going to the British Open. I understand his commitment to the goals he set at the beginning of the year, but it just doesn't seem right for him to not make the trip to the United Kingdom this year, especially since he's generally played well in recent British Opens. As good as he is playing, Kenny Perry would simply be the favorite at Royal Birkdale.
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July 9, 2008: Kim keeps it on-plane
What Happened
Who is going to be the first young gun to step up in the absence of Tiger Woods?
How about 23-year-old Korean-American, Anthony Kim?
The AT&T National hosted by Tiger Woods was the site of this week's PGA TOUR event at the famous Congressional Country Club just outside Washington D.C. Kim put on his own holiday weekend fireworks show with his second win in five starts.
Kim made up a three-shot deficit on Sunday with a sizzling final-round 65. This win positions Kim as the only American under the age of 25 to win twice in a single season since his childhood idol -- Tiger Woods -- accomplished the feat.
This week was another example of how power, along with making a boatload of putts, has become the current recipe to winning tournaments on the PGA TOUR. Kim was eighth in driving distance, averaging 301 yards off the tee but only 141st in driving accuracy at 60 percent. With plenty of length, Kim took full advantage with his putting, finishing 20th at 1.760.
What Can We Learn
When I watch Kim hit a ball, the first thing that comes to mind his how perfectly on-plane his swing is throughout the entire motion. The geometry of Kim's swing is about as simple as it gets. This simplicity allows him to get a lot out of his game in all areas.
One of the benefits that Kim reaps is power. At 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, power is not the first thing that comes to most people's minds when thinking about Kim's game. However, his swing is deceptively powerful and was on full display at the 7,255-yard Blue Course at Congressional.
How does someone without a large frame create so much power?
There are numerous power sources in the golf swing that can help to generate additional clubhead speed through the hitting area. One of the biggest power sources in the swing is the ability to create and maintain lag. The concept of lag is a component that Kim displays in spades in his powerful motion.
Players of a shorter stature with less weight need to be able to maximize there ability to produce lag (good examples are Charles Howell III and Sergio Garcia). With a perfect swing plane, Kim is able to create and maintain lag, resulting in a ton of clubhead speed that is consistently applied to the back of the ball.
Clubhead lag defines the condition of the clubhead trailing the hands in the golf swing. This condition allows for the clubhead to move on a downward angle into impact and beyond to the low point while retaining the maximum clubhead speed. The low point is defined as the outside of the lead shoulder.
It is critical that the clubhead continues to lag and move down not only to impact, but beyond all the way down to the low point. This will allow for steady acceleration during the downswing, assuring reliable distance control from shot after shot. It is absolutely imperative that clubhead lag is present to be a good ball-striker.
To accomplish lag, your trail wrist must be bent. For a right-handed golfer, if your right hand is bent back at the wrist then you have created an angle between the right forearm and the clubshaft. This angle is defined as hinging the wrist and should be created during the backswing. The key, once hinged is to hold on to this angle as long as possible during the downswing resulting in a forward-leaning club shaft at impact.
When training a bent right wrist at impact, we recommend at the TOUR Academies to start with small swings. You need to be able to control the clubhead and shaft with small swings first, then add speed to those smaller swings and increase their length. When done correctly, you will be surprised how far the golf ball will travel with such a small swing due to the lag of the clubhead.
Fulton: Sustain the down for better ballstriking (new window)
Just Because
Anthony Kim has brought up much discussion this week at the TOUR Academies on what it takes to make it on the PGA TOUR. Kim shared some great insight this week on some of the things he has learned over the last year that has helped him make it on the PGA TOUR.
This year has been a tremendous year for young players like Kim. However, it is truly amazing just how many young great golfers there are they never make it onto the PGA TOUR.
I run into players all the time that after you watch them hit golf balls and play, you find it hard to believe they can't make it. Last week, I was able to stop by home and see my family and friends in northern Idaho.
I ran into Ernie Hill, a golfer I grew up with in the Silver Valley who is still after his dream of playing professional golf. Currently, Ernie is competing on the Asian Tour and jumping around in the United States like so many others, just waiting for that stretch of great golf at the right time that could change their lives.
That day, Ernie posted an 8-under 64 at the Pinehurst Golf Course -- six shots higher then the course record 58 he posted last year. These fearless displays of golf are just more examples that at the end of the day -- with or without Tiger -- it takes extraordinary talent to even get a chance to play on the PGA TOUR!
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July 2, 2008: Perry's greenside bunker tactics
What Happened
The outstanding play of Kenny Perry continues as he wins in Michigan at the Buick Open. The PGA TOUR veteran continues his inspired play to make this year's Ryder Cup team by winning for the second time in 2008.
This win will surely lock up his position to represent the red, white and blue and play in front of his fellow Kentuckians in September.
Perry fired a final round 66 to finish at 19 under par, and that was just enough to hold off Woody Austin and Bubba Watson. This was Perry's 11th win on the PGA TOUR and one would think he is likely to pick up more before the season ends as he is now third behind only Woods and Mickelson, respectively, in the FedExCup race. Among these 11 wins, eight of them have come since Perry turned 40! Perry will be 48 when he tees it up at the Ryder Cup at Valhalla -- a place where he nearly won the 1996 PGA Championship.
Once again, Perry was consistent this week with his ballstriking off the tee and into the greens, but it was his putter that sealed the deal. The overall solid play produced 25 birdies and an eagle. The eagle came on the 14th when Perry holed a long greenside bunker shot.
What Can We Learn
The 14th hole at Warwick Hills was the scene for some great shots. Not only were players giving it a little extra off the tee trying to drive the green on the short par 4, but it also showcased some creative short games, especially from the massive bunkers surrounding the green.
On Sunday, there were two great bunker shots from the leaders coming down the stretch. One from Perry that was approximately 20 yards from the front bunker to a back flag and the other from Austin that was closer to 10 yards but with virtually no green between him and the hole. Two very different bunker shots that were executed perfectly down the stretch. Here is how they did it:
First, Perry was faced with a scary long greenside bunker shot. You know the kind: You make a big swing, catch the ball before the sand, and watch it whistle over the green while it's still gaining altitude. To avoid this result, Perry dialed down the bounce angle on his wedge and reduced the effective loft to help the ball fly farther than for a normal greenside blast with the same basic swing.
When creating this impact condition, the setup really writes the script. You may have noticed when Perry set up to this shot, he set the clubface and his body nearly square to the target. With his alignments relatively square, the shaft angle at address was just slightly forward with the ball position towards the middle of his stance.
For this length bunker shot, Perry executed it perfectly with an arm swing that was fairly long in both directions supported by an upper body that turned through the shot and towards the target. Impact was slightly behind the ball. allowing for plenty of height and distance - a great setup with the proper technique that resulted in a very timely eagle hole-out.
Shortly after Perry's masterful long greenside bunker shot, Woody Austin hit his ball further up in the same bunker and closer to pin-high. With the ball deep in the bunker, Austin was faced with a shorter shot, but one that needed plenty of height and spin. When hitting a short bunker shot, it is important to maximize the bounce and loft on the wedge.
When creating this impact condition, once again, it will be your setup that strongly influences the result. You may have noticed when Austin set up in the bunker on the 14th hole, that he set the clubface and his body very open relative to the target. With an open clubface and stance line, the shaft angle was vertical to angled slightly away from the target at address. This allowed Austin to position the ball a bit more forward in his stance.
Because you must move the club through a significant amount of sand even on this shorter bunker shot, the shot still requires a long arm swing in both directions but with more speed initiated by the upper body turning through the shot and towards the target. Austin executed the set-up and technique perfectly and got up and down from a difficult situation.
When you find yourself in a bunker, remember this checklist to best handle your situation:
| Greenside bunker recap | |||||||||||||||
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Just Because
It was another good weekend of golf as the Buick Open staged an exciting finish, and the U.S. Women's Open showcased yet another very young talent. Inbee Park, 19, became the youngest ever to win the Open.
I always think that we don't give these young athletes enough credit for what they accomplish. Think about the situation: 19 years old, and she just captured the United States Women's Open. It's absolutely amazing. The mental discipline, toughness and maturity they display both on and off the course are amazing.
I can't help but think about what I was doing when I was 19. I probably woke up around noon, had a little lunch, went to a couple of classes, played some intramural basketball and then worked on my golf. I like to think I had a lot figured out back then and really worked hard on my game, but seriously - winning a major championship?
Think of all the different things that go on in your life during this time, from the people you meet, situations you get yourself into, distractions, temptations, options, etc., etc., and on top of all this...go out and win a United States Open!
Oh, to be 19 again.
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June 26, 2008: Belly putter boosts Cink
What Happened
Stewart Cink continues his fine play in 2008, winning the Travelers Championship by one shot over defending champion Hunter Mahan and Tommy Armour III. This was Cink's second title at the Travelers Championship, where he recorded his first PGA TOUR win in 1997. Coming into the week, Cink had recorded six top-10 finishes in 2008, so it was nice to see him finally close the deal and get back into winners' circle for the first time in four years.
This win now puts Cink in some very lofty company. He is now third in the FedExCup points and third on the money list behind Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, respectively. His solid play all year has put him in contention every week.
With Tiger now out for the year, Cink now has a great opportunity to win his first major. Keep in mind that he finished tied for third at the Masters and tied for 14th at the U.S. Open, where he shot a sizzling 67 on the final day. With an all-around ranking of second on the PGA TOUR, one would think that he has a real shot to take home one of the final two major championships of the year.
What Can We Learn
When you look at Cink's stats, you will see another textbook example of the type of game that we are seeing more and more on the PGA TOUR these days. This style has two main ingredients: Awesome power and deft putting.
Currently, Cink is ranked 30th on the PGA TOUR in Driving Distance at 294 yards. Although Cink is long, he's not always accurate -- he is only ranked 140th in Driving Accuracy, hitting just a little over half of the fairways.
On the PGA TOUR, if you are going to miss fairways, then you better be busting it close to the 300-yard mark to allow yourself a more controlled short iron approach shot. Fortunately, Cink does this and takes full advantage of the shorter approach shots. He is currently fourth in Greens in Regulation.
Cink generates a lot of clubhead speed with his 6-foot-4 frame and his long swing with his driver. In addition, he sets up to the ball perfectly to maximize his power. One of the things that we can learn from Cink is how he tilts his spine away from the target at address.
At the TOUR Academies, we call this secondary spine angle -- this angle allows for the spine to tilt slightly away from the target. When doing this, the pelvis to counter-balances by moving slightly towards the target. Spine tilt positions your head behind the ball and encourages better alignment with the shoulders. This angle will definitely help you gain distance off the tee.
Another reason for Cink's success this year is his putter. Currently, he is 22nd in putting at 1.763 Putts per Green. Since changing to the belly putter, it seems as if he has instantly become one of the best putters on the PGA TOUR. Like some other prominent players, Cink made the change to the belly putter, and it has absolutely made him a better putter.
Belly putting has become more popular over the years with the success of those who have used it on the PGA TOUR. Students often ask if they should try it, too. The theoretical advantage of belly putting is that it creates a more on-plane putting stroke because one end is anchored to the belly, side or sternum. This would promote a free, uninterrupted motion of the putter head with less manipulation -- or steering -- with the hands and arms.
However, feedback tells us that a lot of players lose feel when using a belly putter. Although the stroke may improve as described above, distance control becomes a bigger challenge. Of the two, distance control is more vital to becoming a good putter. Although you are seeing more belly putters on TOUR, I don't think it will ever be the majority because of this tendency to sacrifice some feel.
With that being said, I do think the belly putter can improve stroke mechanics for some people. However, I do think one prerequisite is you need to have good feel for distance control if you do decide to make the change.
Just Because
Well, summer is here, and the golf season is in full force. People are playing golf now all across the country except for one guy: Tiger Woods. Just in case you were stuck in Antarctica for the past week and didn't have access to television, radio, phone, newspapers or smoke signals, Tiger is out for the season with his left knee.
I must admit, I am a bit bummed out knowing that there will be no Tiger dramatics in the near future. Oh well. I am still looking forward to the rest of the year. With two more majors, the FedExCup race and the Ryder Cup, there will be lots of drama from the best players in the world.
With the first half of the season now complete, the key word for the PGA TOUR players for the second half is "opportunity." Who will take advantage and win the two remaining majors of the year with no Tiger in the field? It is wide open as we get ready for the British Open in a couple of weeks.
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June 19, 2008: How Tiger managed his pain at Torrey Pines
What Happened
What seemed like a lopsided heavyweight boxing match on paper turned into the heavyweight fight of the year: Rocco vs. Tiger.
Let me first give out major props to Rocco Mediate. The 45-year-old veteran put on a show for the ages and won over the support of many. If someone on Thursday morning would've told you that Rocco Mediate will battle Tiger Woods for 91 holes for the U.S. Open title, you would've said, "Sure, and I'm going to win this week's lottery."
All week with Mediate on the first page of the leaderboard, I kept waiting for him to fade away like so many others have when Tiger is near. Not only did Rocco not go away - he kept fighting and moving forward. Rocco never flinched, and he battled the world's top player all the way to the end.
With Tiger three strokes ahead with eight holes to play on Monday, Rocco made three straight birdies to take the lead again. Rocco matched Tiger shot-for-shot until the 91st hole where he made bogey, resulting in Tiger's 14th major championship.
Not sure what else there is to say about Tiger Woods. The guy is simply amazing and by the end of his career will be the greatest of all time by every conceivable measure. This week at the U.S. Open was just another example of how great he really is -- and he added a new layer to the legend by winning on one leg!
What Can We Learn
It was painful at times watching Tiger battle the pain in his left knee during his swing. The left knee is certainly critical during the swing, as it supports the straightening of the left leg as it braces for impact. All the speed that is being delivered to impact is absorbed by the left knee and leg as the club reaches the ball.
Tiger was clearly struggling with the pain. Not knowing when there would be sharp pain, it is only natural to favor the knee and compensate during the swing. What Tiger did to help the left knee was to go to a left-to-right shot -- especially off the tee.
When hitting fades, it is not necessary to get the clubface back to square at impact. Even though the body is still shifting and turning to impact, there is less stress to the left knee as it is not as important to completely post-up up the left side to hit a successful fade.
This, of course, is always a reliable option when you have the upper-body strength to hit a fade 305 yards like Tiger. More on this next week.
Tiger's ability to hit the ball left-to-right is a shot he has learned to hit as often as right-to-left. His ability to shape shots in all directions at different trajectories is a result of the swing changes he has made over the last several years with his swing coach Hank Haney.
Article: Breaking down Tiger's swing (new window)
If you watch Tiger warm up before each round, you will see him go through at least nine different shot shapes while preparing to play each day. These swing changes, like all others Tiger has made over his career, has continued to move his swing mechanics in the right direction to create even more versatility in his game.
I have always admired Tiger's attitude towards instruction. Here, you have the best player in the world, and all he wants to do is get better. He has always been willing to make changes to his swing, short game, or any area that will make him better.
He is not afraid to change and not afraid of any situation on the course no matter what might happen if he makes a mistake. His physical talent is always in the spotlight, but I have always been a bigger fan of his attitude, approach to the game and willingness to be a student that has allowed him to continue to get better every year.
Just Because
What a great U.S. Open! I want to compliment the USGA for a job well-done setting up the golf course. I thought it was very difficult, but very fair. The different length cuts of rough were great as it allowed the players to advance the golf ball appropriately.
The fairways were great, and the greens seemed to be spot on -- a little bumpy in places, but they accepted a good shot from the fairway, but not always from the rough.
Furthermore, I thought it was great how they moved up the tees on occasions to encourage aggressive play, which was certainly exciting to watch. Lots of uncharacteristic things for the USGA but, I believe, added tremendously to the overall excitement of this year's championship.
The only disappointment was they couldn't give Rocco a trophy, too!
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June 11, 2008: Explaining Leonard's comeback
What Happened
A name from the past is back on the radar screen as Justin Leonard wins for the second time in Memphis at the Stanford St. Jude Championship. The feisty Texan used consistent play all week to win for the 12th time on the PGA TOUR.
Ironically, Leonard played the first two rounds with last week's winner, Kenny Perry. Like Perry, Justin Leonard is focusing on this year's Ryder Cup and he has made it very clear that he wants back on the team. (It's hard to believe it's almost been a full decade since Leonard's monster putt on the 17th green at The Country Club helped secure the last United States victory in the event.)
When Leonard dropped a 19-footer on the second playoff hole on Sunday, I couldn't help but think to myself of that putt he made at the Ryder Cup years ago to help the U.S. seal the deal on one of the most amazing comebacks in golf history. Remember Leonard running across the green, arms up in the air with the entire team going crazy? It has been a long time since we have seen that type of excitement. Perhaps more of this is ahead.
Nevertheless, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger has already motivated these guys to get back on track -- Kenny Perry, Justin Leonard and perhaps this week at the U.S. Open, we will see another hungry veteran rise to the top.
What Can We Learn
The history of Justin Leonard's game has been well documented. In 2001, Leonard signed on with swing coach Butch Harmon to help him with his swing. Their mission was to not only get Leonard to hit the golf ball longer, but with more consistency. To do this, Leonard made some significant swing changes.
First, Butch worked on getting Leonard to improve his over all posture, especially by creating more tilt at address. This tilt with the upper body angled away from the target allowed Leonard to set up more behind the ball and load up better during his backswing. This tilting action positioning the head behind the ball is not uncommon for PGA TOUR players and should be one that is duplicated by amateurs.
Secondly, Butch adjusted how Leonard used the clubface. By getting the clubface in a more square position at the top, Leonard was able to use less hand action at impact and more body rotation through the hitting area. This concept of hitting the ball with your bigger muscles (body rotation) versus your little muscles (hands) is a staple for most PGA TOUR players today as it generally allows for greater consistency swing after swing.
Most amateurs try to use their hands to manipulate the clubhead through impact disrupting the proper impact conditions. If a golfer can learn to first get the clubface square at the top then they have a chance to be more passive with their hands to impact encouraging the proper body motion just like the PGA TOUR players.
These changes have helped Leonard and made him a better ballstriker. However, over the last two years things had shifted back in the wrong direction, as his game hit an all-time low. In 2007, Leonard let Butch know that he was going to go back to the teacher that had been his coach since childhood -- Randy Smith.
So what's different now?
Much of Leonard's talk about his swing these days is less mechanical and more feel-oriented. Since the recent coaching switch, Leonard has made his grip a little stronger to once again get the clubface back to square. Although there is nothing dramatically different in the way of his swing, Leonard seems to be thinking with a much clearer mind and a better feel for his swing. This simplicity in approach has gotten him back on track.
Leonard is not the first to change coaches and he is not the first to come and go from two of the best instructors in the game -- Butch Harmon and Randy Smith. At the end of the day, it is difficult to maintain long-lasting teacher-student relationships. Sometimes in golf you just need a change or another opinion -- just another parallel to life in general.
Another opinion may not even mean making physical changes, but rather it can simply reinforce your confidence or create a higher level of comfort that translates into more confidence on the course. So much of golf instruction these days is not only being proficient at the technical side and getting students to physically move in the right direction but also to provide the necessary coaching to boost the student's performance in a variety of other areas.
Just Because
In today's world of golf instruction, we have specialists now that focus specifically on all of these related areas. At the TOUR Academies, we call these areas "The Four Cornerstones of Improvement:
• Swing Instruction
• Club Fitting
• Fitness
• Mental Conditioning
The next time you go to a PGA TOUR event, notice all the people that surround these great players. These individuals usually include a swing coach, equipment representative, fitness trainer, sports psychologist and perhaps others that make up "Team Tour Pro." All of these specialists are in place to help the athlete perform at the highest level.
Taking all of this into consideration and understanding just how hard it is to compete on and stay on the PGA TOUR -- there is going to be turnover as there has been for Team Leonard. It's nice to see this shuffling of the deck has paid dividends for Leonard and I'm sure a lot of fans would love to see him wearing the red, white and blue in September at Valhalla.
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June 4, 2008: Kenny Perry's old-school power
What Happened
Kenny Perry joined Tiger Woods as a three-time winner of the Memorial after shooting 69 on Sunday. Just two weeks after his disappointing playoff loss at the AT&T in Atlanta, Perry continues his terrific play and finally gets his 10th career win on the PGA TOUR.
This win for Perry is a big boost to making the Ryder Cup team. U.S. Captain Paul Azinger made comments early in the year that a player will probably have to win a tournament to get on this year's Ryder Cup squad.
With the win, the 47-year-old Perry takes a huge step towards solidifying his spot on the team, which he has said is his main goal for the season. With Perry playing in his seventh consecutive tournament this week in Memphis -- without showing any interest in the U.S. Open next week -- I would say he is focused on playing in September at Valhalla -- just two hours from his hometown of Franklin, Ky.
What Can You Learn
Historically, Perry has been a very streaky player. When he gets it going, he excels in all areas. Last week was a great example, as Perry finished in the top 10 for driving accuracy, greens in regulation and putting.
Perry's golf swing is one that looks a bit odd in comparison to many of the other great golf swings on the PGA TOUR. Although it has been an efficient motion for him over the years, there are two components that change the dynamics and appearance of his motion. These components are noticeable in the way Perry uses the clubface and swing plane throughout the swing.
Let's begin with the clubface, since what you do with the clubface generally determines how you will use the swing plane. At the top of the swing, Perry sets the clubface in a closed position. This is a result of Perry's relatively strong grip at address. With the clubface closed at the top, Perry has to hold off the rotation of the clubface through impact by maintaining his wrist angles longer and rotating his body aggressively through the hitting area. If he doesn't do this, he would miss the shot to the left because the clubface would remain closed at impact.
This motion -- when done correctly -- can create a lot of precious lag in the clubhead, resulting in a descending and accelerating blow through impact. Even at 47, Perry clearly is not lacking power, as he averages 294 yards off the tee.
With Perry's clubface closed, the swing plane has to respond. The first thing you will notice is Perry's position at the top of the swing where he gets the club shaft crossed over; this is when the club shaft is pointing to the right of the target.
This is considered less than ideal, but not necessarily a shot-destroyer. With the clubface closed, Perry has the green light to re-route the club and then drive the clubhead down from the inside allowing the ball to start gently to the right of the target and then draw back to the left.
Although this type of swing is still effective, you are seeing less of it among the younger players on the PGA TOUR. In today's world of instruction, the modern swing sets the clubface square at the top with the club shaft on plane -- this is when the club shaft is pointing at the target line. This type of precision at the top only makes it easier to meet the proper impact conditions consistently. Clearly, you don't have to be perfect at the top to be consistent, but the closer you get, the easier it will be.
At the TOUR Academies, we like to use players like Kenny Perry as examples because most of the time we are trying to fix an open clubface at the top of our student's swings, which results in a swing plane that is usually too steep and approaches the ball from outside the target line. The result: A big fat slice. For most of our students, a strong grip and a closed clubface at the top is a highly recommended first step to curing their banana ball.
Generally, we are trying to take a slicer and turn them into someone who draws the ball. This will not only change the ball flight, but will build in numerous components that will help the swing to create more consistency and more power.
Next, we work on adjusting the club face from the closed position to square. This step will minimize the draw and will complete a tremendous swing improvement for any student.
Just Because
As we approach the mid-way point of the 2008 PGA TOUR, I thought it would be fun to provide some stats on where the best players in the world rank among their peers. With summer here and golf season in full force -- where does your game stack up to the best?
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May 27, 2008: Phil's swing changes paying off
hat Happened
When Phil Mickelson approached his golf ball deep in the trees on the 18th hole on Sunday at Colonial Country Club, I thought to myself: "What a great example this is going to be for on-course instruction next week at the TOUR Academies. He will simply punch the ball back into the fairway, minimize the damage and save par, forcing a playoff."
Right?
Wrong.
Once again, Phil makes it difficult on all of us who teach the game to convince our students that drawing a wedge out of thick rough, off a downhill lie up and over the towering trees is probably not the wisest option. However, on cue, the world No. 2 pulled off a shot that won him his 34th PGA TOUR tournament and gets my vote for shot of the year so far. Video: See the shot 
What Can We Learn
Well, I would love to teach all of you how Phil Mickelson hit that spectacular shot on the final hole, but I won't. Trust me: It will save you some strokes. However, I do think it is appropriate to talk about the swing changes Phil has now mastered over the last year. These swing changes have helped Phil become a better ball-striker and could help you too.
With Phil in contention this week, there were a lot of questions at the TOUR Academies about his golf swing and the changes he has made over the last year. These changes, implemented by swing coach Butch Harmon, have made Phil's swing much more consistent.
The first step to creating more consistency is to get the setup correct. Phil's fundamentals at address are much better now than they were a couple of years ago. First, his body alignments are definitely more in-line to the intended ball flight.
Having the body parallel to the target line, instead of open, allows Phil to easily work the golf ball in both directions. However, the biggest benefit to getting aligned properly is when you miss a shot, it won't be as bad as if you were aiming elsewhere. Phil's misses have definitely tightened up.
Secondly, Phil's posture and balance are more athletic at address. His blend of bending from the hips and knees is better distributed so his weight is over the ball of the foot versus the toes. Also, Phil has squared up his back foot. With no flare in the back foot, Phil is promoting a much more stable trail leg to turn around during the backswing.
With the setup adjustments mentioned above, Phil is now making a golf swing that is more compact. What makes it compact is the fact that the lower body is less active during the backswing and supporting what is happening with the upper body in both directions.
Before, Phil's left hip used to be very active and it would ride too high during the backswing, creating a sway to the outside of the back foot. This type of lower body activity increases the length of the arm swing and promotes a more upright angle of approach into impact. This combination of the body, arms and club creates a difficult situation to return the club back to the golf ball on a consistent basis.
Now, Phil's left knee is staying bent during the backswing. With the support of the squared left shoe, his left hip is rotating closer to horizontal. This improved lower body motion allows the arm swing to be shorter and a bit deeper behind him. His arm swing has definitely shortened up to the top of the swing allowing for a more repetitive and consistent path back to the ball.
Finally, I must comment on Phil's follow-through as well. At the TOUR Academies, we are strong advocates of not only a shorter arm swing to the top of the swing, but also to the finish. This more abbreviated finish tightens up the relationship between the arm swing and the body through the hitting area allowing the club head to sustain the down longer for maximum compression. This is clearly represented with Phil's approach shots with his irons.
Just Because
I think it is fantastic that the two best golfers in the world are students of the game and are not afraid to make changes. Like so many others, I look up to Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson for their excellent play on the golf course, but I truly respect both for their constant efforts to get better.
Over the years, Tiger Woods has made significant changes in his game. Butch Harmon has certainly played a key role in Tiger's development and now Hank Haney is continuing to improve the game of the best player on the planet.
Phil Mickelson is also not afraid to make changes and it was fun this week to discuss some of his most recent swing changes. First, it was Rick Smith who helped Phil become a great player, and now Butch Harmon and Dave Pelz are helping the talented left-hander get to the next level and give Tiger a run for his money.
What's consistent with both of these players is there commitment to continual improvement. Both Tiger and Phil have a detailed plan in place and are working on specific things that are going to improve their games each and every day. They both realize that the commitment to improvement is a big part of the joy of playing the game.
What is your plan for improvement?
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May 20, 2008: Imada's amazing wedge game
What Happened
After losing in a playoff last year at the AT&T Classic, Ryuji Imada certainly had a feeling of déjà vu as he stood on the 18th tee at the TPC Sugerloaf last Sunday preparing for another playoff. But this time, Imada reversed the outcome by defeating Kenny Perry on the first hole thanks to some "tree-rific" luck.
Imada used great wedge play along with a hot putter all week to finish the tournament at 15-under par. Imada was first for the week in putting averaging only 1.636 putts per hole which now puts him in a tie for eighth on this year's PGA TOUR.
This win is another chapter of an up-and-down year for Imada. Early in the season, Imada was runner-up to Tiger Woods at the Buick Invitational and tied for second at the PODS Championship. However, coming into Atlanta, Imada had missed four of the last five cuts. Nevertheless, Imada is now third in the FedExCup Standings.
What Can We Learn
One of the reasons Imada has been inconsistent this year has been his ball striking - he's currently ranked 140th overall on the PGA TOUR. Imada is not long off the tee (currently 153rd) or accurate (currently 127th), which usually is not a great combination. Furthermore, he is only ranked 79th in greens in regulation.
Usually, when you look at those types of rankings you are not dealing with a player who is among the top five on the money list. So how does he get it done? Answer: Exceptional scrambling.
Imada knows how to get the ball up and down from all over the place. Currently on the PGA TOUR, he is ranked sixth in scrambling and tied for eighth in putting.
His wedge game is a blast to watch. He can hit a variety of shots from around and into greens from every imaginable distance. He uses the clubshaft and clubface beautifully based upon what type of lie he has and what trajectory is needed. Here are a few examples on how to master some key short game shots just like Imada.
1. Low Trajectory with some backspin: Set the club shaft slightly forward at address and stand to the handle -- position your body so the butt end of the club is pointing at your belt buckle. Clubface can be square or slightly open for more spin. Let your weight favor your front foot 60/40.
2. Medium Trajectory with some backspin: Set the club shaft vertical and stand to the handle. The clubface can be square or slightly open for more spin. Your weight should be balanced 50/50.
3. High Trajectory with backspin: Set the club shaft tilted slightly away from the target at address and stand to the handle. The clubface should be slightly open with your weight again balanced 50/50.
After making the correct set-up, execute each of these three shots with these swing keys:
Takeaway: Start the club away by swinging the arms back and hinging the wrists. For shorter shots, keep the upper-body centered over the ball with very little shoulder rotation. For longer shots, allow the shoulders to turn to create more speed. What is most critical, is that the club head works upwards through the hinging of the wrists while the lower body remains relatively quiet.
Downswing: Allow the club head to swing down into impact recreating the same club shaft and face alignments as at address. Support this motion by rotating the body to the finish position.
All three shots use a different club shaft and clubface angle for different trajectories and spin. When practicing these shots, develop distance control by balancing the length of the swing with the rate of your body's rotation. A longer swing with faster rotation will -- of course -- hit the shot farther.
Just Because
Kenny Perry certainly got a bad break when his ball hit a tree and rolled into the water on the first playoff hole in Atlanta. That was one of those moments where golf just doesn't seem fair.
Over 150-plus acres, so many unexpected and unfair things can happen, but I guess that is what makes the game so interesting.
After all, it is a game where you can play great all day but yet not score very well and then the next day play poorly and score fairly well.
Think of all the opposites as well in the game. When learning to play this game better, it can be a challenge learning in order to get the ball to go up, you must hit down. If you swing up, the ball goes down.
Another difficult one to overcome is alignment. The more you aim right of the target, the more the ball will go left; conversely, the more you aim left of the target, the more the ball will go right. There are so many opposites in the game that make it so interesting.
But, my all-time favorite that I really never understood and seems backwards to me is when you make a hole-in-one, you have treat everyone else.
Just doesn't seem fair to me.
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May 13, 2008: Sergio's new approach to putting
What Happened
Well, THE PLAYERS is in the book, as Sergio Garcia got it done on Sunday to win the biggest event of his career. Under extremely windy conditions most of the week, Garcia used exceptional ball striking and much-improved putting to win for the first time in three years on the PGA TOUR.
The blustery Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass became a survival test for the best tournament field in golf. Every year, the Pete Dye masterpiece provides a playing field with high demands for hitting fairways and greens as well as a steady short game. This year was no different, as you had not only the younger guns -- led by Sergio bombing it off the tee -- but also the savvy veterans like Paul Goydos holding their own around the greens.
In the end, it was the youth again maintaining their winning ways, as Sergio, at the age of 28, became the ninth under-30 player on TOUR to win so far this season. Sergio led the field in driving accuracy at 76.8 percent, but more importantly, he made the key putts when he needed to on Sunday.
What Can We Learn
I think it is only appropriate that this week we discuss Sergio Garcia's putting. It has been well- documented over the years that Sergio has struggled mightily