I’ve been studying the swing of Lee Buck Trevino lately. And there are several aspects that particularly strike me, and lead me to think we moderns have much to learn from from this six-time major and 29-time PGA victory winner. The guy goes after the ball like no one I’ve ever seen. Nearing impact, Trevino […]
The PGA Championship: Then and Now
When this major started back in 1916, golf pros weren’t even allowed clubhouse privileges at most courses. They changed their shoes, etc. in the parking lot. Being paid to play a sport was looked down upon. Amateurism was extolled and encouraged as late as the mid to late 1950s, with amateur Bobby Jones being the […]
Key Ways to Learn from Matt Wolff
The local pro at the range I frequent I understand is one of the best in the area; but his rates are a bit rich for my blood. So I decided, as I often do, to noodle around a bit with the mechanics of my swing and see if I could solve a couple conundrums. […]
The Right Tool (Club) for the Right Job
My Dad was a carpenter, by trade–learned it from his father–and one of his favorite sayings was “the right tool for the right job.” When you need a screwdriver, don’t use a damn butter knife! I have since pleased and amazed my wife for getting all sorts of things fixed around the house with the […]
Get a Grip
Arnold Palmer famously told of his father setting his hands on the club when he was learning the game, and told him never to change that grip. And Arnold never did. Arnie, though, had the hands of a blacksmith and probably would have excelled with just about any grip he chose. Gripping the club is […]
Putting Basics
Inbee Park hit five buckets of range balls when she was first introduced to golf, but it wasn’t until she got to the practice green that she was hooked on the sport. She just liked the way the ball fell into the cup and the sound that made. The rest was history as Inbee went […]
Making the Most of Time on the Range
I enjoy time on the range as it allows honing your skills without the pressure of performance that playing presents. The range provides a significant level of privacy that we often don’t get in everyday life. You’re usually alone in your own hitting station, absorbed in your swing, your body’s reactions, how you’re doing, and […]
Staying Down on the Shot
You’ve heard the advice, I’m sure. “Stay down on it, Stay down on the shot!” And it really is important in achieving a consistently reliable swing. The other day on the course, I was not staying down and suffered the consequences–consistently lousy shots going this way and that. But before that round was over, I […]
The Art of Holding Off at Impact
One of my teachers, Jim Knego, the eminent pro at Bennett Valley in Santa Rosa CA, took a look at my swing once and noticed I was pulling everything left. His prescription was to hold off the club face at impact. And once I got the hang of it, it worked. Of course, in the […]