Golf Digest March 2016

I’ve become addicted to music on the golf course. I want to invite Bob Marley to play in my member-guest. What’s that? OK, I’ll take Jimmy Buffett, because I know he’s alive—I just bought his album “Live at Fenway Park.” The trouble with live concerts is too much talking and not enough music; Jimmy keeps interrupting the swing. My daughters tell me that buying music on iTunes is so Old School of me. I immediately sign up for Spotify. No Taylor Swift? So I search “golf and reggae,” and right at the top of the first page is a playlist put together by somebody named Pete Finch: “Reggae Songs That Sound Like They Might Be About Golf.” It’s got all the classics like “Swing & Dine,” “Scratch Walking,” “Rougher than Rough,”…

IF YOU START TALKING swing positions to me, I’m probably going to zone out, because that’s not how I play golf. I respect the technical approach to driving the ball a long way, but my swing is about flexibility and rhythm—and letting good things happen from there. This simpler mind-set is working for me. At my win in Malaysia last fall, I reached every par 5 in two (if you count landing in a few greenside bunkers as “reaching”), and I hit a ton of wedges into the par 4s. Over the weekend, I deliberately avoided getting mechanical, because I knew that would get me uptight and make my swing worse. I relied on a handful of non-technical swing keys. It’s like placing a plane on auto-pilot: You still have…

“Do the stats suggest you’ll reach this green in two?” Ever look down an unfamiliar hole and have no idea what to do? Here’s a hint: Go to the scorecard. The handicap number assigned to a hole represents its difficulty relative to the other holes on the course from 1 (hardest) to 18 (easiest). If your own handicap doesn’t cover it—suppose your handicap is 12 and you’re on the fourth handicap hole—that’s a clue to play the hole more conservatively. According to the statistics, you’re not supposed to reach that green in regulation. Time to guard against making a big number. Conversely, if your handicap is lower than that of the hole, look at its features with more confidence. Chances are you can execute the shots required for a solid par. Take the…

Being an effective long putter is about having good feel. The mistake many amateurs make is thinking they have to hit these putts harder. Any time you increase effort, you sacrifice feel, which is your ability to judge distance. What you want is a stroke that looks rhythmical and almost effortless. Follow these steps for better long putting. David Leadbetter is a Golf Digest Teaching Professional. 1. GET TALLER AT ADDRESS Forget those old photographs of Nicklaus and Palmer hunched over the ball on the greens. To accommodate a longer putting stroke, it’s easier if you stand taller with very little bend at the hips. 2. CHECK YOUR PRESSURE Lighten your grip until you feel virtually no tension in your arms and shoulders. Your goal should be to make a smooth, free flowing stroke back…

“Keeping my head back helps me square the clubface at impact.” There’s a lot going on in the split second it takes for the club to move from behind your head down to the ball. So much that you really can’t pinpoint any one element as being the most important. When my coach, Cameron McCormick, and I are fine-tuning my swing, we like to make sure I’m moving through certain positions during the downswing. Here’s what we see and like in this photo from the PGA Championship last summer at Whistling Straits. 1. LEFT HIP From the start of the downswing, my left hip is turning behind my torso. It’s most noticeable at impact, and it signifies that my lowerbody rotation is leading the way to the ball. What you don’t want to…

Get a look at the shot before you hit it. Thanks to a wild drive, you’re surrounded by trees, but for once you listen to that voice inside your head: Just punch it back in play. Problem is, you hit the ball too hard, sending it across the fairway into the junk on the other side. Not your finest moment. Next time you face a shot like this, do what most golfers don’t do: Walk out toward the fairway, and take a look. Pick a target that allows for some roll. Remember, a low punch shot is going to run, especially with a middle iron. When hitting out sideways, many high-handicappers make too big a swing. Take the club back slow, and keep the motion compact. Also, be careful not to put hook…