Consistency. Whenever you ask golfers what they want, you’re likely to get that one-word answer. I’m no different. When I first got on the PGA Tour a few years ago, I realised I wasn’t going to last out here very long unless my swing- – and my game- – were more repeatable. I’m a cause-and-effect guy. I want to know the root reason for everything I do. What I found was that the why for my ball-striking issues often got back to simple things- – like how I was setting up or starting the club back. The lesson learned was you can’t overlook fundamentals. Simple adjustments can make a big difference. Let me show you some easy changes that can help you hit more fairways and greens. – with Ron Kaspriske
If you fix your set-up, you can fix your impact.
Max Homa
Off The Tee: Calibration Is King
If you have great days off the tee… and miserable ones, too, your swing is probably too reliant on timing. Two simple things can help sync you up.
1. At address feel like you’re standing tall and stable
(Top: main picture) You can set up with your feet slightly open or closed; your shoulders, too. It all depends on the ball flight you’re trying to create. (For me, it needs to feel like I’m about to hit a cut.) But no matter how you set up, make sure you’re balanced and there’s no slouching. You want to feel like you can swing the driver on a really big arc.
2. keep the club in front of you
What that means is taking the club back with the rotation of your chest, not your arms – at least initially. A good swing thought is to keep your right elbow in front of your body as long as you can. Even at the top, it should still feel close to your body [left]. If your backswing feels disjointed, how can you expect to make a good downswing?
‘Most amateurs swing with too much effort. Throttle back.’ – Max Homa
Into The green: Contact Is King
For better irons, I also have two pieces of advice. The first is for my amateur playing partners. The second, I rely on, too.
1. if you’re a decent driver but terrible with irons, you’re probably trying to hit up on the ball
That works when the ball is resting on a tee but not when it’s on the turf. You’ve got to swing down on it more. Two adjustments at address will help: play the ball farther back in your stance than if you were using a wood, and make sure your feet aren’t too far apart [left].
2. take one club longer than you normally would and shorten your swing back and through
A three-quarter swing can really improve your timing and has another benefit of helping you hit the ball more solidly, a little lower and with less spin. That’s key to hitting more greens. Like I said, these are simple adjustments.
Max Homa won the 2019 Wells Fargo Championship, his first PGA Tour victory.
