Tips and nothing but the tips

The last couple issues saw me waxing on (and on) about golf news and personalities. I’ll give you a rest this week and just concentrate on delivering the tips.

In this issue

• Make the downswing powerful!

• Score better with your wedges

• Effortless power – another look 

Make the downswing powerful!

Zach Allen is back in this issue of Finding the Tips with a drill that may well resonate with Canadian golfers.

He uses a hockey stick to demonstrate how to start the downswing. Truth be told, you could use a driver or anything about six feet or two meters long, along with an impact bag or a cushion or a box.

Just put the stick across the front of your shoulders with the blade end sticking out behind the trail shoulder. Then take a short backswing from a golf stance. From there, squat and then bring the stick down to the impact bag by side bending and turning your lead shoulder up.

It’s not as easy as it sounds, but it will improve your contact immensely. Do it slowly to start with and get used to the movement. Your body will learn to clear and the side-bend will give you great rotation. Moving your body will move your hands and arms.

Score better with your wedges

Mr. ShortGame Golf is here this week to help you score better with your wedges,

In the video, he concentrates on a 90-yard shot, but these tips will work for whatever distance you hit any of your wedges.

His instruction advises us to avoid three common wedge mistakes: playing the ball too far back in the stance; addressing the ball with hands ahead of the ball; and taking a full swing with the wedge.

Instead, he advocates that you play the ball one finger-width FORWARD of where you normally play it. This helps insure you don’t flare the ball out to the right.

At address, keep your hands even with the ball or even slightly behind it. This will give your hands the room they need to deliver the club with a downward strike.

If you have a yardage that is perfect for a sand wedge, go back one wedge and open the face a small amount. Then take a three-quarter swing and watch the ball fly right to the flag.

Effortless power – another look

Last week we dipped a toe into this pond and this week we’re going for a swim.

The folks at The Art of Simple Golf offer three tips to help us unleash our inner Freddy Couples.

Step One: Swing with absolutely no wrist hinge. Swing back to nine o’clock and through to three o’clock with no wrist hinge. Don’t try to hit a ball. Just swing from nine to three with no wrist hinge. Keep at it and you’ll find a nice smooth tempo. If you video these swings, you’ll discover there is a bit of wrist hinge. And that’s pretty much all you need.

Step Two: Put your feet and knees together. Hold a club in both hands by the shaft with your palms facing upward and your hands about a foot apart. Now swing the club back with the smooth tempo you’ve already discovered, allowing your hips to turn. Then use the movement to wind the swing back down and around.

Step Three: Take a golf stance, swing with that same smooth tempo and your hips turning. Here is your swing thought: Have the trail knee touch the lead knee at the end of the swing.

That’s it. Now say hello to your inner Freddy Couples for me!

Bonus Tips

Here’s a tip from Padraig Harrington, a two-time winner of the British Open. It’s one of the most viewed tips in the past couple weeks, even though the video was first published several years ago! And this one is on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This last tip is useful anytime you play! 

As always, please share Finding the Tips with your golf buddies! If you do, your buds will thank you and I will too!