Many golfers have swing tendencies that, no matter how hard they try, they can’t get rid of. That’s why in this Golf Digest+ series, Matchmakers, Golf Digest No. 1 Teacher in America Mark Blackburn is teaching you how to play with what you’ve got. No matter your tendency, you can play well with it as Read more…
Mark Blackburn was voted No. 1 by his peers on Golf Digest’s 2026-’27 ranking of The 50 Best Teachers in America. In this series, “What the Pros Do That You Don’t,” Blackburn highlights the key adjustments that tour players make to play the right shot at the right time. When you’re in the fairway, just Read more…
Mark Blackburn was voted No. 1 by his peers on Golf Digest’s 2026-’27 ranking of The 50 Best Teachers in America. In this series, “What the Pros Do That You Don’t,” Blackburn highlights the key adjustments that tour players make to play the right shot at the right time. The best wedge players typically flight Read more…
Mark Blackburn was voted No. 1 by his peers on Golf Digest’s 2026-’27 ranking of The 50 Best Teachers in America. In this series, “What the Pros Do That You Don’t,” Blackburn highlights the key adjustments that tour players make to play the right shot at the right time. The first question pros ask themselves Read more…
Many golfers have swing tendencies that, no matter how hard they try, they can’t get rid of. In this Golf Digest+ series, Matchmakers, I’m teaching you how to play with what you’ve got. No matter what your tendency, you can play well with it as long as you match it up with the right moves. Read more…
From the top of the swing, the best players create space to swing the club down to the ball. Watch the first downswing move from elite ball-strikers—their butt stays back and their chest is down. It’s the opposite of early extension, where the pelvis moves toward the ball and the chest rises, a fault that Read more…
Let’s get you making a bigger turn for power—something the best players do so well by turning their ribcage to the top. The torso, or center of the chest, is the engine that drives the second half of the backswing, with the whole upper body moving away from the target (above). Blackburn’s Moves You Can Read more…
On tour, nearly every player starts with a soft trail arm. A softer trail arm also promotes an on-plane backswing, where the club moves on the plane established by the shaft to the ground at address.