Full body swing

If you spent Super Bowl Sunday watching all the pre-game coverage, you missed out on an amazing WM Phoenix Open. While this is no longer a signature (aka BIG MONEY) event on the tour, it did boast a fairly strong field, including Scottie Sheffler, Sam Burns, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Cameron Young.

Beset by weather issues on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, it’s amazing the tournament finished on Sunday. Lost in the weather news was a course record 60 fired by Canadian Nick Taylor. And he did it after leaving birdie putts just inches short on each of the last three holes in that opening round.

In rounds 2 and 3, Taylor stayed in contention but didn’t ever look like the world beater he was in the first round.

When the third round ended on Sunday morning, Taylor signed his scorecard and headed directly to the tee box for the final 18 holes.

For all of that round, Taylor fought a balky driver. On the first hole, he topped it. (I’ve got that shot!)

But his putter was on fire as he made par-saving putts when needed and drained birdie putts when given the chance. Despite all the missed fairways and well-lubricated galleries, he was three-under after 9 holes.

On the back 9, Sheffler’s putting inside 10 feet kept him from making a charge. Charley Hoffman, however, had no such problems. In fact, he carded a 64 and held a three-shot lead over Taylor, who still had four holes to play.

On the last green, Taylor had a putt of about nine feet to tie Hoffman. Just as the 2023 Canadian Open winner was preparing to strike the ball, Jim Nantz told viewers that Taylor was 52 for 58 on putts inside 10 feet for the week.

Make that 53 of 59, Jimbo!

Hoffman and Taylor went to the 18th tee for the playoff. That hole would be played over and over until a winner emerged.

Both birdied it the first time. Then driver problems struck both players on the next go-round. Hoffman hit his into a bunker, where the lip and tall grass could be an issue. Taylor landed in a bunker but the sand, still firm after all the rain earlier in the tournament, allowed the ball to bounce out into the rough.

Hoffman hit a great shot onto the green and had about 20 feet. Taylor was pin high, about 12 feet away.

Hoffman left his putt six inches short.

Taylor drained his, bettering his 2023 second-place finish at the same tournament. He also earned entry into next week’s Genesis tournament at the storied Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.

Oh yeah. Taylor pocketed $1.584 million of the $8.8 million total purse.

In this issue

• Fix your entire swing

• All good golfers move this way

• Effortless power, not powerless effort

Fix your entire swing

We’ve spent a lot of time in Finding the Tips bringing you instruction about the start of the swing, the backswing, and the transition to the downswing. And all of that is crucial. But this video featuring Mike Malaska and Eric Cogorno clears up the correct way to clear your hips on the downswing. And for any of you who sometimes shank the ball, this technique will fix early extension and help ensure you never hit the hosel rocket again.

Malaska advocates putting pressure on the lead heel as you start your downswing. That pressure causes the lead leg to straighten, and the lead hip moves back. Some of us (i.e. me) try to turn the trail hip at the start of the downswing. This moves the hips closer to the ball and results in all manner of bad issues, including early extension and the dreaded laterals.

For those who suffer back pain, the use of the straight-line force to accomplish the downswing hip clearance takes all the pressure off the spine.

All good golfers move this way

Russell Heritage is a UK-based golf pro who does a lot of web-based lessons. As such, he likes to find drills that help his students understand whether they are doing things correctly or not. This drill does that, demonstrating the power that’s achieved by using the arms, lower body and upper body in concert throughout the swing.

You just need a length of rope long enough to go behind your back, under your arms and down to your hands. It’s good to have an extra bit of rope past your hands that you can wrap around your palms as you take your golf stance and posture. Then just swing it so you keep the rope taut all the way back and all the way through.

One word comment: WOW! You’ve gotta try this! (OK, that’s five words.)

Effortless power, not powerless effort

This video with Jess Frank ties together the lessons learned from the previous two videos in this edition of Finding the Tips. Mike Malaska has us clearing our lead hip as we apply pressure to our lead heel. This straightens the lead leg. Then Russell Heritage showed us how to feel a golf swing where the arms and body work together.

In this video, Jess Frank encourages us to apply a straight line force to our trail leg in the backswing and then swing effortlessly down with the lead leg applying the force as Mike Malaska taught us. And voila! The arms and body are working together.

As someone once said, “I love it when a plan comes together.”

Please share Finding the Tips with friends who might find it helpful. They will enjoy it and you will have my undying gratitude! The link below will take you to our website, where you can see every issue of the newsletter. Just click the “Let me read it first” link.