The post 5 big things to consider when searching for a swing coach appeared first on Golf.

The post 5 big things to consider when searching for a swing coach appeared first on Golf.

If you’re serious about improving your golf game, it’s essential that you enlist the help of a swing coach. Sure, you can get better just by grinding on your own, but if you want to take your game to the next level, working with an instructor is the way to go.

Going to a swing coach (especially as a beginner) can be intimidating at first, but worry not — instructors exist to help you get better. They dedicate their lives to helping people improve their golf games. The student-teacher relationship is judgment-free.

If you really want to get the most out of your lessons, though, it’s important you find the right coach. And when you’re searching for someone to work with, there are some key points you should keep in mind.

In the list below, Top 100 Teacher Trent Wearner shares five big things to consider when searching for a coach.

5 questions to ask when looking for a coach

The offseason is upon us, but that doesn’t mean you should store your clubs away for the winter. Instead, use this time as an opportunity for improvement. One of the easiest ways to improve is by getting lessons from a swing coach. But before you do so, there are several questions you should ask.

1. How much experience do they have?

Ask how long the coach you’re considering has been coaching full-time. I’d recommend the answer be at least seven years. You can also ask for a resume to see where the person has worked and who he or she has worked under. This may give you some insight as to what you’re about to hear from the coach.

2. Do they teach outdoors?

If a high percentage of your coaching only takes place indoors, then you’re taking yourself further away from where the game is played. In my opinion, you’re putting yourself in a hole that is harder to dig yourself out of. It should go without saying, the game is played outdoors, and you must ultimately learn it outdoors. I’ve had the fortune for over two decades to always be at a golf course facility that also has an indoor studio. I’ve seen people aim well indoors and swing very effectively indoors. But the moment we go outdoors, things are completely different. There’s certainly some value in getting lessons indoors, but ultimately you need to also be learning how to play outdoors. If you only take coaching indoors, you’re shortchanging yourself.

3. How do they communicate?

Just about every respected coach in the country has thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of dollars invested in technology, but you need to find someone who not only can speak your language but someone who can coach you to know how to diagnose your own swing and what to do when the technology is NOT there. When you’re out on the range or course practicing by yourself, you need to understand what is going awry. During a lesson filled with technology, the coach should eventually be quizzing you from the standpoint of if the technology wasn’t here, what would you do more of or less of in the next swing?  This is critical to your ability to help yourself and do what all coaches are supposed to be doing, empowering you!

4. Are their students accomplished?

You want to locate a coach who has regular and consistent success with players of your ability level and someone who loves coaching people of your ability level. Any coach can get lucky and hang their hat on one student who has done well, but ideally you want to go see someone with a long track record of success. Reading reviews online could be one helpful way, but also be sure to ask around to see who most people recommend. Above all, look for someone who is honest and has your best interest in mind. If they’re more interested in making a sale of some huge lesson package, I’d find someone who is more interested in passion for your improvement.

5. What is their teaching philosophy?

While the student accomplishments may give you some insight into this, you should look for a philosophy that is flexible. After all, that’s the beauty of coaching. It’s an individual sport, and no two swings are alike. You need someone with loads of experience, which only accumulates after years of coaching, so that their style can be flexible. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach.

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The post Have 30 minutes of range time? Practice these 3 things, says top instructor appeared first on Golf.

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But finding time to practice can difficult with a busy schedule, and simply hitting ball after ball on the range when you do actually have time isn’t an ideal strategy.

So what’s a hopeful high-handicapper to do? According to Top 100 Teacher Krista Dunton, the key is dividing the practice time you do have into easily-digestible segments. With 30 minutes of range time, for example, you should maximize your efficiency by chopping the time up into three distinct blocks: mechanics, target practice, and performance under pressure.

“The first 10 minutes should be spent working on your mechanics and whatever keys are good for you technically,” Dunton said. In other words, this is the time to put those improvement tips to work, whether that’s a key thought on your turn, transition or takeaway.

For the next 10 minutes, Dunton says it’s time to focus on a target.

“That’s when you start to go through your pre-shot routine as you would on the golf course,” Dunton said. “Get set up, get a last look at the target you’ve picked, and pull the trigger.”

Instruction

The last 10 minutes builds on the routine you’ve been practicing but should also incorporate a bit of pressure. In this segment, you should not only be picking a target and going through a full routine, but also changing clubs between shots, and perhaps even envisioning playing a hole in order. Practicing this way, Dunton said, means you’ll be ready to go on the course.

“If you can make a regular habit of practicing this way, in three 10-minute segments, it will make your golf a lot more relaxing,” Dunton said. “How can you expect to perform on the course when you haven’t trained for it? But if you practice correctly, and you kind of train yourself to use a decent routine, it’s a lot easier to pull that off.”

Dunton’s practice advice will also help you retain good technique between shots, and stave off the tedium that can set in when you’re robotically hitting dozens of balls. By being thoughtful about your practice time, you can make even a short session worthwhile for your overall improvement.

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The post How do you describe a putt’s break? Top instructor shares helpful graphic appeared first on Golf.

The post How do you describe a putt’s break? Top instructor shares helpful graphic appeared first on Golf.

Common directional terminology like “left edge” “right center” and “one cup out” may sound straightforward in theory, but what do they really mean? If you read a putt as breaking one cup to the right, are you anticipating putting through the middle of that imaginary cup, or on the outer edge?

Ensuring agreement on that topic is key if you’re planning to discuss a putt’s break with someone in your group, or accept advice from a caddie. Many players have a different idea of what it means to aim one cup or one ball to the left or right — a fascinating debate that my colleague Alan Bastable discussed in detail here.

For those who aren’t sure where they stand and need some guidance on the issue, though, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Brian Manzella recently shared his take on the matter on X with a helpful labeled illustration.

Manzella’s graphic shows what it looks like to “split the edge” and aim “left center” and “inside right edge.” It also shows how ball widths compare to hole widths. One hole equals approximately two-and-a-half balls.

One point of differentiation in Manzella’s approach from other commonly-used green-reading approximations is his use of the center of the cup at the aim point as opposed to the outer edge. But according to Manzella, since we try to make putts in the center of the cup, using the center of an imaginary cup as the aim point makes more sense.

“If the read was ‘one cup left, left edge’ or ‘left edge of one cup left,’ that would be one thing,” Manzella told Bastable last year. “But ‘one cup left’ is something else.”

While definitions of how to aim one cup or one ball to the left or right may vary in meaning from player to player, one thing’s for sure: it’s wise to to get on the same page with your playing partner before giving — or taking — any green-reading advice.

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The post Want to break 90 in 2025? Avoid costly blowups. Here’s how appeared first on Golf.

The post Want to break 90 in 2025? Avoid costly blowups. Here’s how appeared first on Golf.

Part 1: 4 keys for crushing your practice sessions
Part 2: Pro-approved swing thoughts in 4 key areas

***

At GOLF’s recent Top 100 Teacher Summit at Cabot Citrus Farms, I had the opportunity to ask some of the game’s best instruction minds about what it takes for a 90s-shooter to finally post a score in the 80s. There was one common deficiency that the teachers agreed these players share: A propensity for derailing their potentially good rounds with blowup holes.

Breaking 100, 90 and even 80 often comes down to simply minimizing your mistakes: avoiding a four-putt, limiting a wayward OB shot to one instead of two, bailing out of a bad situation instead of trying to hit the hero shot, and so on.

These situations tend to be mentally challenging — and developing the kind of maturity to rise above the adversity you face on the course is a key ingredient in breaking 90. So what’s the best way to develop that skill?

According to Top 100 Teacher Krista Dunton, there are several things you can do to prevent a hole — or a round — from slipping away. The first is to employ a go-to shot — one that you can use to comfortably use to make forward progress on a consistent basis.

“Just make a little small swing, or hit a little half punch shot,” Dunton suggested. “You want to just keep making good solid contact. You’re often just one swing away from getting it back.”

Another option is to give yourself space for a mental and physical reset.

“Back away from the ball, swing continuously for three or four times,” Dunton said. “Get your rhythm, get your tempo, get the tension out, because it’s tension that kind of kills people, right? And overthinking. You want to get over the ball, quiet the brain down, and go.”

Instruction

According to Dunton, players in a funk tend to start thinking about every possible swing affliction and start trying to force a fix. Instead of panicking, Dunton suggested focusing on the positive, like the weather, the opportunity to be outside, or good things going on in your family. Writing these things down can also be helpful, so you can reference them when you sense a slide coming on.

“Think about: When you’re playing well, what’s it like for you?” Dunton said. “Are you singing a song? Are you working on a swing key, like making a good turn, or finishing on your left side? If you don’t identify when it’s going well, you can’t draw back on it.”

The same logic works both ways. Recognizing your own negative cues is important too — that makes it easier to turn things around when necessary.

“You might say, when I go south, I realize that my grip pressure increases too much, or my back swing gets too short, or I get too long, whatever it might be,” Dunton said. “If you have enough of an understanding of your swing, and you’re curving the ball right to left too much, well, try to curve it left to right. Just try to do the opposite.

“If your stance gets too narrow, get it wide,” she continued. “You’re moving too much off the ball? Stay more centered. Not shifting your weight well? Shift your weight more. You’re too tight? Get too loose. Slicing it too much? Try to hook it. It’s such a game of extremes and I think sometimes the amateurs are afraid. They try to be so controlling, and you have to get out of your comfort zone.”

If you’re looking to break through a scoring barrier this upcoming golf season, give Dunton’s advice a try, and say goodbye to those blow-ups for good.

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But there are certain Band-Aids or quick fixes you can put to use. Or as GOLF Top 100 Teacher Joe Hallett puts it, there is a “pull this in case of emergency” lever he likes to teach his students.

“When you are playing and it starts to feel a little bit like the wheels are coming off, it’s very easy to say, go to a three-quarter swing,” says Hallett, while at GOLF’s Top 100 Teachers Summit at Cabot Citrus Farms earlier this month. “If you look at some of the best players in history, like Tiger when he was playing his best, the club didn’t get to parallel. But the secret to going to the three-quarter swing is to make three-quarter practice swings.”

Hallett explains that while the three-quarter swing is a good technique to use on a poor ball-striking day, most amateurs might think they are doing it but are actually taking full practice swings anyway. There’s a big difference, and it’s important you are doing it the right way.

“Make your practice swing three-quarters and do it with your feet very close together,” Hallett says, adding that they should be about six inches apart. “It forces you to keep balance and timing. That little simple thing of the feet together and a three-quarter swing, if you can do that without falling over, it promotes balance and timing and now you can walk into that shot and have half a chance at hitting it.”

When you’re ready to hit the shot, Hallett says take your normal setup and then use the three-quarter swing. The shorter swing will minimize movement and minimize the length of the swing, which means the face will stay square a little longer.

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The post 5 keys for a great pre-shot routine, according to a Top 100 Teacher appeared first on Golf.

While there are many ways to go about a pre-shot routine, there are a few keys that I like to teach my students. Check them out below.

1. Take aim

When you are getting ready to hit, stand directly behind the ball looking down the line toward your target. Sometimes, choosing an intermediate target on the ground between your ball and where you’re aimed can help. Pick out a spot on the ground and try to hit your ball directly over it. This will help you get the ball started on line more consistently and make your aim that much better.

2. Step in

Once you’ve got your target picked out, you can step toward the ball for your setup. As you begin to step into the shot, keep looking at your intermediate target on the ground. As you address the ball, make sure the leading edge of the club is perpendicular to this spot. If you find yourself struggling to line up properly, a training aid like an alignment mirror can be a great tool for practice.

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3. Grip the club

Now that you’ve stepped into the shot, it’s time to grip the club. Your hands are the lone connection point between you and the club, so it’s crucial you nail this step. Allow your arms to dangle freely in front of you after you bend forward from the hips — and if you need more help with the grip, check out my article on the subject here.

4. Set your feet

Your feet are also a crucial fundamental for executing a solid shot. Make sure your feet are aligned properly aiming at the target and shuffle them around if you need to. The position of your feet relative to the ball also have tons of impact on your shot, so make sure you’ve got the ball position in the correct spot for the shot you want to hit.

5. One last look

With all of the above steps taken care of, it’s time to take one last look at the target and lock in for the shot. This can be a great trigger to start your swing to tell your brain it’s go-time. Once you establish a consistent and repeatable pre-shot routine, you can swing the club confidently knowing you’re in position to execute a high-level shot.

Kellie Stenzel is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher based in Florida. If you’d like more tips from Kellie, follow her Instagram here.

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Next time you practice, position a ball just off your back foot as you see I’ve done here. Set up like normal and swing.

Using your peripheral vision as you start down, use the second ball as a guide for your clubhead, making sure it stays behind the ball instead of moving in front of it (as in away from you).

The trick is to allow your trail arm to elongate while keeping the bend in your trail wrist (i.e., how it’s set at the top) for as long as possible.

Clubhead behind hand path: no slice and plenty of power.  

Give it a try.

David Woods is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher and the CEO of ProSENDR Golf.

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The post A foolproof method to stop coming over the top on the downswing appeared first on Golf.

The post A foolproof method to stop coming over the top on the downswing appeared first on Golf.

Set up like normal but with a second ball placed roughly two clubhead widths in front of the one you’re actually going to hit. The goal here, as you can probably imagine, is to hit the first ball and miss the second, something that’ll be difficult to do if you swing over the top.

Before you start, reach down and touch your trail leg as a reminder to hang back on your trail side longer as you start down from the top. When you actually swing, think, Flat through impact, not steep, feeling just a touch of hang-back  and that the club is moving up.

Keep in mind that these are indeed feels — i.e., you never want to “hang back” when hit – ting an iron. Sometimes you learn faster when making exaggerated swings. Try it.

Jason Birnbaum is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher who is the director of instruction at Manhattan Woods Golf Academy in West Nyack, N.Y

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1. Set up to the ball as normal. Whatever the yardage, grab one more club than you think you need and grip down on the handle as you see above.

2. Remove your lead hand from the grip and place it on your lead thigh.

3. With the help of your hand, push at least 65 percent of your weight over to your front leg. It should feel like you’re leaning a bit toward the target.

4. Without moving anything else, place your lead hand back on the grip. This setup ensures a proper delivery and crisp contact without having to manipulate loft or your hands.

When you go to swing, simply turn your belly back and through, making sure the shaft of the club points at your midsection from start to finish. Experiment with different wedges and backswing lengths to create an inventory of distances. Now, you’re a player.

Scott Munroe is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher who teaches at the Boca Raton Club in Boca Raton, Fla., and Nantucket GC in Siasconset, Mass.

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The post How to find the perfect position at the top of the backswing appeared first on Golf.

Grab any iron from your bag and fold it up over your trail shoulder, keeping your elbows in tight to your sides. Have a buddy place an alignment rod across the inside of both elbows. (You can do this by yourself, too, after you hinge the club up.) Important: Make sure the rod sits parallel to the ground and adjust as necessary.

Now, make a mock backswing by turning and then extending your arms. Again, check that the rod is parallel to the ground and not tilted or has slid off. This is perfect for 90 percent of rec golfers. From here, you’ll avoid coming into the ball too steeply (potential slice) or too far from the inside (potential push or hook).

To learn more from Jake Thurm or to book a lesson, visit jakethurm.com.

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