TIPS FOR BETTER GOLF

1. Swing with an anti-slice grip

If you slice, it’s probably because you’re not closing the clubface fast enough through the hitting zone. To improve your ability to deliver a square clubface (relative to your path), make practice swings with your hands split apart on the grip.

Hold the club in its normal position with your gloved hand, then slide your lower hand down to where the grip meets the shaft (photo, left). Separating your hands like this makes it easier to square the face through impact and keep the handle pointing at your belly button as the clubhead slings out toward the ball. Make sure to brush the grass aggressively. If you can recreate the feels in the drill on real swings, you’re money. —Krista Dunton

2. Give your backswing a power boost

As you start the club back, make it a goal to get your hands as far away from your right ear as possible and maintain that width all the way to the top of your backswing. A wider swing arc automatically fuels a faster downswing and eliminates the chopping action that causes pop-up drives and slices.

3. Learn the benefits of consistent lag putting

Pros rarely 3-putt inside of 40 feet, but do so almost a third of the time from outside 60 feet. Even for the best players in the world, lag putting is a score-breaker. Make it a part of any practice session.

PGA Tour data courtesy @JJGolfPutting

4. Find the “power slot” in your downswing

My student, Patrick Cantlay, and I have a phrase we use when working on his transition: “The lower body turns out of the way and the upper body stays in it.” In other words, once the club gets to the top of your swing, go ahead and let your legs “go” while holding back any movement of the club and your upper body. This slows your transitional pace and also puts the club in a place to slip down on plane, ensuring not only an accurate hit but a powerful one as well. —Jamie Mulligan

5. One key to consistency

Maintaining good arm structure throughout your swing is a major consistency key. Without it, you’re toast. It’s common to lose that structure by allowing your elbows to separate post-impact, or “chicken wing” (above). The fix? Wedge an object (a headcover or a softball will do) between your forearms at setup and keep it there as you swing. This will help you maintain the correct relationship between your arms and give proper shape and consistency to your swing. —Martin Chuck

6. Insta tip: “Stick” it and rip it

| TEMPO & TRANSITION | Syncing up the arms & body . Recent lesson with a competitive junior who was having trouble getting his hand path trapped behind his body during the downswing transition. As a result there was stalling taking place through impact which means controlling the clubface rotation becomes increasingly difficult. It also makes it harder to keep the hand path on plane into the follow through. This was one of a number of different drills and stations utilized to speed up the learning curve . Head to our Insta Stories to see Hideki Matsuyama at the recent Zozo event (2nd place to Tiger Woods) going from the top of the swing to impact. Hideki is known for his deliberate tempo during transition and is also one of the best ballstrikers year in and year out @pgatour #Benderized

A post shared by Mike Bender (@mikebendergolf) on Jan 2, 2020 at 7:56am PST

Once you reach the top, “stick” in that position (if only for microseconds) before you begin shifting back down. It’s a simple move that allows your body and arms to sync up for a powerful strike. @mikebendergolf

7. 3 steps to perfect posture

How you set up over the ball greatly influences how well you’re able to hit it. To correctly prep your posture for action, stand with a club pressed against your thighs. Then bend forward from your hips while slightly flexing your knees. If you do this without hunching your back, your arms will hang straight down. Perfect. Now grip the handle with your glove hand and check that it’s at roughly a 45-degree angle to your forearm. Once you’ve taken hold with your gloved hand, add the other. Congrats! You’re in perfect setup posture. —Sean Hogan

8. Drive your knee toward the target

Jack Nicklaus’ footwork was incredible. All golfers should take note. See all the spikes under his trail foot? That implies a big pressure shift toward his front side. Jack is moving a ton of force toward the target. Even his front foot is coming off the ground — another sign of just how hard he’s driving his trail knee forward through the shot. It’s the ultimate power move, and the secret to a driving ball flight. —Joe Plecker

9. Torque and turn

Need a power boost? From the top, move your left side low and around your body, letting your knees separate in the process. Even better, feel like you’re squatting. Pushing into a squat and pulling out of the ground like this helps clear your entire body and generates more speed. The ball won’t know what hit it. —George Gankas

10. The Finau slice fix

When I first came up on Tour, I often played a 40-yard slice. I didn’t have a choice — I played what I had. The culprit? A weak grip, which caused me to roll the club on the takeaway, leaving the face wide open at the top. With my coach Boyd Summerhays, I worked on getting the face more square at the top by keeping my left wrist more flexed and less cupped. It turned my big slice into a baby fade. —Tony Finau

11. Get square at the start

Often, shots go wayward because of a misaligned clubface at address. Place an alignment stick just outside the golf ball, so it creates a 90-degree angle with the target line (photo, above). As you set up, align the leading edge of the club with the stick, then pull it back to its regular position. It’s a simple way to ensure that the face is square every time. —Mark Durland

12. Optimal distance? Learn from the ladies.

Fact: Most weekend golfers’ swing speeds align more with those of LPGA Tour players than PGA Tour players. Spend a little more time studying the ladies’ Trackman data. Above is optimal launch for every club in the bag. Match these and you have a better chance at maxing out distance.

Data source: Trackman