Instruction

Instruction: Only change the things that need to be changed

Published

13 years ago

Nov 4, 2013

As a golf instructor for more than 20 years, I have gone through my own professional maturation when it comes to my instructional style and the way I have chosen to help my students.

Golf instruction is like any other occupation; it takes time and experience in order to become the very best. And no one has all the answers from day one. However, I will tell you that with the advent of 3D Motion Analysis and club and ball-flight launch monitors such as Trackman and FlightScope, the answers are becoming much easier to find. We all know that perfecting your communication takes time and experience, but the hardest thing I had to learn during the years was taking the correct route to success based on the goals of the student.

Every golfer has different goals when it comes to what they want out of the game, as well as different coordination capabilities and basic time constraints to deal with while trying to practice. It is up to the instructor to understand these issues in order to create a practice plan that will allow the student to improve as quickly as possible. It’s also the instructor’s job to get a student from point A to point B with as little aggravation as possible!

I want to share with you a lesson I had with a friend of mine the other day. During the interview process, Ed told me that he was an 11 handicap, always aimed a touch right and hit the ball low and left when he missed with his driver. He said that he hit the ball far enough for the tees he plays, but when there is trouble on the left he gets very uneasy. He also mentioned that he never practiced, but played three times per week and that was not going to change at his age. Finally, he said that if he could rid himself of the left shot he would be happy as a clam.

I took the time to put him on the Trackman to see what we had to work with, and here is what we saw:

His angle of attack wasn’t too far off, at almost 1-degree up at impact. It could have been a touch higher, but distance wasn’t that much of an issue in his world.
His swing path was almost 9 degrees from the inside. That indicates that a golfer’s driver could be too long or that his or her pivot could be faulty, etc.
His face-to-path ratio was a touch high (-4.2 degrees), but not too bad. Thankfully, his heel-impact tendency helped the ball stay a touch more right than would be expected for this face-to-path ratio.
His ball speed, spin rate, launch and dynamic loft all looked reasonable for a golfer of his level.

So what can we deduce from his goals and the data listed above?

His aim tended to be slightly right, which I confirmed through observation on the range.
His driver was fit for length. It was 43.5 inches, which fit him in a perfect manner based on his arm length, etc.
Ed tended to be a touch too far away from the ball at address.

Now as an instructor armed with this information, my data and my observations on video, how should I proceed? This is where experience comes in from the instructors’ side. I thought the easiest thing to do to help Ed was to fix his propensity to aim right. The farther left he aimed, I imagined, the better his path would be if everything else was constant. So I experimented with that first.

Ed tendency to be a bit “outstretched” at address was also a likely a cause for his in-to-out swing path, because it leads to an overly rounded swing. And that change was next. It’s my belief that it’s in a student’s best interest not to change too many things at first, particularly for a non-practicing golfer who has played at a high level his whole life. Ed basically had one issue, so there was no reason to reinvent the wheel for. However, I still had to test my hypothesis.

So I took the time to explain to Ed that his swing was moving too much in-to-out, and by aiming too far right he was tending to aid this process. So I wanted him to audit and monitor his aim with a few practice sticks and hit a few balls. I let him hit about 10 to 15 balls so that his body had a chance to figure out where it was, and watched him to make sure he was lined square to slightly left of the target line.

As he did that, this I was checking the Trackman and his numbers to make sure his path did indeed change to something that was less from the inside. If the ball flight was up to his standards and the numbers agreed, then we would have been done. However, if the path didn’t change enough, we’d move him a touch closer to the ball.

So after a few shots, the path was better, but it was still a touch too in-to-out for my liking, not to mention that his shots were still a touch off line. So I moved him up closer, which will cause a golf swing to become more vertical. I hoped that second change would cause the path to fix itself, but if it didn’t, we’d have to focus on more full-swing fixes.

Luckily, we didn’t have to. By lining him up a touch more square to open, as well as moving him closer to the ball, his numbers and subsequent ball flight was fixed to his liking.

As you can see from the data above, several things improved:

His attack angle went up slightly, from 0.8 degrees to 3.2 degrees, which is perfect. Sometimes when you fix the right thing, others follow.
His swing direction moved from 9.7 degrees in-to-out to a very manageable 4 degrees in-to-out.
Ed’s path was 0.3 degrees from in-to-out, while his face angle was dead down the line at 0, giving him a very tight face-to-path ratio.
The only negative we saw was that his spin rate that went up slightly, and he tended to have an impact point on the heel of his club that pushed the ball a touch too much to the right.

Ed proceeded to hit some more balls, testing this “fix” with a few different clubs. At that time, it was up to the student to let me know if we had indeed moved him into a more manageable position and one that he felt he could play from in all situations. But what did we do about the higher spin rate and slight heel impact, you might be asking? At that point, nothing. I know it’s tough to swallow, but sometimes saying less is better.

What did we learn from this lesson? Simpler is always better than a more complex “fix” for a player who does not practice. Based on what goals this player expressed to me — stop the left shot and everything else is OK — I helped him do exactly what he asked for.

Since we didn’t really fix anything mechanically during the lesson, I asked that he come back to see me in a few days that that we could double check his spin and impact point. If the numbers for the path and face stayed reasonable, and he wasn’t missing the ball left any longer, we could then we can move forward to improve the higher spin rate and impact point. In my opinion, those problems were being caused by an impact point that was too low on the face, and that the arms were running away from the body through impact, usually a byproduct from the old pivot.

Remember that golf instruction and technology is here for students in order to help them reach their goals easier and quicker than ever before. Take the time to ensure that you are not making things too complex on the lesson tee. Only change the things that need to be changed, and pick the ones that will make the MOST difference. You will find that your students will be much happier golfers because of it!

Instruction

How to play your best golf when the temperature drops

Published

3 months ago

Feb 3, 2026

Brendon Elliott

The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.

“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.

Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.

If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.

Understand What Cold Does to Your Game

Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.

Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.

Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.

Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing

Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.

Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.

Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.

Take More Club Than You Think You Need

This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.

The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.

Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.

Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens

Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.

Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.

Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.

Embrace the Mental Challenge

Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”

That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.

Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.

Warm Up Longer and Smarter

This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.

World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.

Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.

The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.

PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.

Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!

Instruction

3 lessons from Brooks Koepka that’ll actually lower your score

Published

3 months ago

Feb 2, 2026

Brendon Elliott

Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.

What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.

So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.

Stop Overthinking Every Shot

Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.

This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.

How to actually do this:

On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.

Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.

If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.

This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.

Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)

Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.

Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:

Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.

Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.

Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.

Save Your Best for When It Counts

Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.

How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.

Here’s what actually works:

Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.

Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.

Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.

The Bottom Line

Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.

You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.

Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.

Instruction

What we can learn from Blades Brown’s impressive American Express performance

Published

3 months ago

Jan 29, 2026

Brendon Elliott

Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.

Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.

Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee

Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.

Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.

Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.

The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.

Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens

This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.

How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.

Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.

Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.

When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.

Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient

Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.

He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.

Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.

Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.

Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.

PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.