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Fade or draw? Three reasons you should pick one

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All of us, myself included, started playing the game and quickly learned a majority of the shots we hit curved one direction or the other. Slowly through practice we learned to control the curve to some degree and thus began our journey as golfers. Before we get into the reasons for choosing a specific ball flight, let’s take a look at a functional draw and fade.

The Draw

fadedrawone.jpg

To draw the ball, the club face has to point to the left of the club path. To have it finish at your target, the above conditions have to be met in addition to both the club face and club path being pointed right of the target. All of these criteria combine to create a tasty little draw.

The Fade

fadedrawtwo.jpg

To fade the ball, the club face has to point to the right of the club path. In reverse of the draw, the above conditions have to be met in addition to both of them being pointed left of the target. This fade finishes a little right of target, but it is a functional shot. I’ll touch on this one a little later.

Having looked at both, here’s my top three reasons why.

1. Choosing a ball flight will help direct instruction.

I’m no different than anyone else in having gone to work with an instructor, and said, “What do you see?” If anyone should show up at a lesson with a plan, you’d think it would be somebody who plays golf for a living. Well, sometimes I did and sometimes I didn’t. And you can guess what lessons were probably most beneficial.

Making a decision before you visit an instructor will immediately shape the lesson. Letting your instructor know, “I like to fade the ball. Would like you to help me tighten things up.” You’re going to get lots of valuable information that you can use to improve your technique.

2. Gives practice meaning

Once you’ve made the decision to curve the ball one way or the other and visited an instructor, hopefully you’re going to have a few drills to help you clean up your technique. Combining drills while working your way through a bucket of balls is a great way to accelerate your improvement. You don’t have to spend hours working your way through three large buckets. Just set aside a few each time you practice to work through your drills. If you want more on practicing, read this.

3. Gives you the tools to use on the golf course.

All right, we’re making progress here. You have a plan in place. You’ve made the decision to draw or fade the ball. You’ve visited an instructor and have been working on the range to improve your technique, and now you’re ready to take what you’ve practiced and put it to work.

Let’s say you’re faced with this tee shot.

fadedrawthree.jpg

This is a daunting tee shot no matter your capabilities. Let’s tackle this from the perspective of someone who fades the ball. Depending on your appetite for risk, something that finishes on the right edge of the green would be perfectly acceptable. So let’s use your tools. You want the ball to finish on the right edge of the green, so aim accordingly. For those of you who like to visualize, maybe something like the image below will help. Think of that 150 sign on the range as the right edge of the green or whatever your favorite target is.

fade draw fi
Photo by Dan Perry. Overlay by Rob Rashell. 

Having made a decision on a preferred ball flight, you can use your shot shape to take trouble out of play. This hole is not an ideal fit for someone who fades the ball, but with a consistent fade you’re moving the ball away from trouble. There’s also something sneaky that happens here. While you’re getting the yardage, checking the wind, picking a club, visualizing the shot and lining yourself up, your mind is busy and hopefully distracted from potentially negative thoughts. Do these things guarantee you’ll hit a good shot? Of course not. These are useful tools to give yourself the best opportunity to hit a good shot, which is all any of us could ask.

In the moment of truth, the best advice I can give you is to let go a little bit, trust the fact you’ve prepared to hit the shot and, most importantly, learn from the outcome. Maybe you hit a great one. Celebrate a little. I’m not saying spray down your playing partners with champagne, but you’ve worked hard, remember the shot and why it was successful. Maybe you didn’t hit a great one. That’s no biggie. See if you can figure out what went wrong and move on to the next shot.

In my playing career, with very little exception, I played the ball exclusively right to left, a draw. This structure drove all of my decision making on the golf course in both planning and execution. The fewer decisions you have to make on the golf course, especially when the heat is turned up, the more energy you’ll have to execute your shot to the best of your abilities.

Rob earned a business degree from the University of Washington. He turned professional in June of 1999 and played most mini tours, as well as the Australian Tour, Canadian Tour, Asian Tour, European Tour and the PGA Tour. He writes for GolfWRX to share what he's learned and continues to learn about a game that's given him so much. www.robrashell.com Google Plus Director of Instruction at TOURAcademy TPC Scottsdale www.touracademy.com

40 Comments

40 Comments

  1. Andrew Dustin

    Mar 29, 2023 at 6:29 am

    Great Article! Looking forward for more such insightful articles.

  2. MAC

    Jun 8, 2016 at 7:48 pm

    IS THAT MEDINA?

  3. Matt Brighton

    Aug 12, 2014 at 2:44 pm

    I’ve recently had a bout with the shanks. I think I’ve just about gotten rid of them. Now a fade is probably more of my “natural” shot, but since I’ve always had a tendency to shank it (lately more so than not) I’d like to think that by going with a draw would help me eliminate that (since the club face would be more closed).

    Then again, this is going against what my natural shot is. I’m kind of at a loss as to which direction to go (so to speak). Thoughts?

    • Tim C

      Feb 11, 2016 at 1:53 pm

      Actually trying to play a draw may hurt you in trying to eliminate the shanks. A closed club face actually exposes the hosel, not an open club face. The vast majority of the time it is an out to in club path with a closed face that causes shanking

  4. Roger

    Apr 21, 2014 at 2:32 pm

    Rob, i re read this article again over Easter.
    I had written a Key Goal this winter is to have a Hi Fade available
    on demand with a 3 and 5 wood for approach shots.
    And drop and stop on the 5 wood a big help.
    Just rebuilt an old TM R7 with a P L Blue and its fadeable
    and i dropped 3 balls in a close Triangle yesterday!!
    Just watched Josephs video on Gear Effect! Thanks!
    Now to re shaft my 4 and 3 woods ! Thanks!

    • Rob Rashell

      Apr 22, 2014 at 3:12 pm

      Roger,

      Great to hear things are going well, any other questions let me know!

      Rob

  5. Mad-Mex

    Apr 3, 2014 at 11:31 pm

    Pick one? One of the reasons I stopped reading any golf magazine was due to the fact they always contradicted themselves, the ONE article which has stuck in my mind was by Mr. Trevino who said “play your natural flight”, so I ask you, should THAT not be the norm? I am happen to be a natural fade player, well, how bad will my game get if I “pick” I want to be a draw player? Isn’t Mr. Trevino right? Play with what you have NOT with what you want? Thanks

    • Rob Rashell

      Apr 7, 2014 at 2:58 pm

      MM,

      Here’s what worked for me throughout my career as a player. Choosing a ball flight and creating a plan to implement that flight. Catering practice, strategy, play, and routines to that flight. Practice exceptionally hard,and believe in yourself. The shape to me doesn’t really matter, the amount of your practice, the quality of your practice, and the attitude and belief you have in yourself have a far greater impact. Good luck and have fun!

  6. Nick

    Mar 19, 2014 at 12:36 pm

    Choosing a shot shape will also give you more predictable misses. I know I might block a draw or I might hook or pull hook a draw, but it will take a really bad swing to slice the ball with all the practice I’ve put into developing a reliable (well sort off, I’m not a tour caliber player of course) draw. It also doesn’t take long to find out what “miss” I’ve brought to the course that day, as I tend to favor either a push or an “overdraw” (hook or pull hooks) so then you can start looking at holes and know for example, on that part three, if I should take dead aim at the pin and know I’ll either get it tight or push it to the right side of the green or if I should aim for the center/center left of the green knowing that I may put it on my safe target or a slight overdraw could put me on the pin, with sufficient room for error to avoid overcooking into the water.

    If you play army golf hitting all types of shot shapes unpredictably, its very difficult to manage a golf course and make smart decisions about targets, alignment, etc.

    • Rob Rashell

      Mar 20, 2014 at 11:29 pm

      Nick,

      Great stuff, play for a score on the course with what you’ve got and go work on it after the round. Tournament golf in a nut shell.

  7. Jack

    Mar 14, 2014 at 4:21 am

    When you say “This hole is not an ideal fit for someone who fades the ball, but with a consistent fade you’re moving the ball away from trouble” Do you really mean “This hole is not an ideal fit for someone who draws the ball”?

    • Rob Rashell

      Mar 15, 2014 at 1:40 pm

      Jack,

      I’ve never liked starting the ball over trouble and having to curve it back to safety. For a left flag, someone who fades the ball might have to do just that to get it close. More opinion than anything else.

  8. Ryan Nelson

    Mar 7, 2014 at 8:03 pm

    Hey Rob,

    Just got off the Trackman monitor. I hit a drive that had a 5* angle of attack, club path of 7.1*, face angle of 5.1*, and a face to path of -2*. However, the ball ended up going wayyyy to the right. Shouldn’t those numbers produce a nice draw? What gives?

    • Rob Rashell

      Mar 8, 2014 at 10:16 am

      Ryan,

      One of the most compelling things I’ve learned from Trackman is the value of a center strike, especially the driver. Here’s a great video of gear effect in action. Without getting too technical, a heel strike causes a fade, a toe strike causes a draw, no matter the launch conditions. This guy has a great video about gear effect as well. Hope this helps!

  9. Ryan

    Mar 7, 2014 at 7:50 pm

    Hey Rob,

    Just got off the Trackman. I hit a driver with an attack angle of 5.4, club path 7.1, face angle 5.1, and face to path -2.0. However, the ball ended up wayyyy right. What gives?

  10. Joakim

    Mar 6, 2014 at 10:33 am

    Hey Rob,
    If you began working with a player from absolute zero, where everything is neutral and path and face makes the shot fly straight, if you where going change and start working building a draw- or a fadeswing, which shot would you choose and why?

    Thanks!
    Joakim

    • Rob Rashell

      Mar 6, 2014 at 6:38 pm

      Joakim,

      Great question. The why is such an important piece. Choosing gives a person ownership and responsibility. As an instructor I can’t give a player the why, just as when I played full time, no one could give me the why. Physical ability will factor in choosing as well as a person’s natural intuition on how they think making the ball fly works. The shape really doesn’t matter, what does matter is choosing one or the other, putting in the work, and the most important piece, having an unshakable belief in what you’ve got.

  11. Tony Lynam

    Mar 4, 2014 at 8:25 am

    Great article, fundamentally right on the mark! I was really proficient at fading the ball, from power to cuts, but I never could draw the ball (wanted to do both at will depending on the situation). Now I’m just the opposite. I can draw the ball on command, but now I cannot fade it 90% of the time I try. What gives?

    • Rob Rashell

      Mar 4, 2014 at 10:37 am

      Tony,

      The relationship between the club face and club path is very difficult to change, even more so from one shot to the next. I’m a big fan of inversion or flipping something upside down. If you can’t fade the ball 90% of the time, I’d want to help you bridge the gap and make it 100% of the time. Don’t underestimate the value of knowing which way the ball will curve AND being able to execute. Endless possibilities!

      • Tony Lynam

        Mar 18, 2014 at 11:16 pm

        So are you saying stick with the one you can do the most proficiently?

  12. Rodrigo lee

    Mar 2, 2014 at 9:11 pm

    who is a draw player on Pga tour?

    • Rob Rashell

      Mar 3, 2014 at 10:47 am

      Rodrigo,

      Ryan Palmer would be a good example. He’s played great this year and put himself in a great position to win the Honda yesterday. EVERYTHING moves right to left for him.

  13. TheLegend

    Mar 2, 2014 at 11:43 am

    If you wanna the best shape it is def a fade. The best players fade it.

    • Rob Rashell

      Mar 3, 2014 at 10:49 am

      Legend,

      The best shot shape is the one that helps you score the lowest.

  14. Andy

    Mar 1, 2014 at 4:27 am

    I’m a fader, its the only shape of shot I can execute with 100% confidence. The only time I draw is when I need to hook it ala Bubba Watson. I just cant control draw. Please tell if I’m doing the right thing?

    • Rob Rashell

      Mar 1, 2014 at 11:32 am

      Andy,

      Play the fade, and ask yourself how can I get better at fading the ball? If you can refine what you’ve got a little bit each day, the sum of the improvements will have massive impact on your game. All the best!

  15. GolferX

    Feb 28, 2014 at 8:31 pm

    Articles like this drive me to drink (OK, so I don’t need much of an excuse). When I aim for a fade, I snap hook it and when I aim for a draw, it pushes right. If I aim straight, it will fade right. I set up for these shots and still get the opposite results. Believe it or not, I usually hit it straight (give up a lot of distance). Help!!!

    • Rob Rashell

      Feb 28, 2014 at 10:50 pm

      X,

      If working with an instructor is out of the question, use what you’ve got. I’d say aim way right and try to hit a fade, your snap hook should land right in the middle. When you’re on the golf course, play for score and worry about fixing it later. I remember not being able to keep a wood in play off the tee in a tournament, so I hit an iron off every tee, for three days…weird thing happened, I won. Believe in what you’ve got and play it, its better than you think.

      • GolferX

        Mar 22, 2014 at 11:53 pm

        Thanks for the comment Rob. You’re right, I just need to get the job done. Drinks on me next time you’re in the Bay Area. Like I said don’t need much of an excuse.

  16. JohSte

    Feb 28, 2014 at 7:07 pm

    Great article Rob. I think golfers in general try to hit ball straight ( which is an accident btw) instead of playing the course with what they have i.e. draw or fade. Sometimes the course dictates your shot with doglegs or pin placements.
    I have learnt not to hit ball straight but to dictate what I want to do. So i deliberately set up open or closed face/stance then swing, knowing with in a probability of 95% that ball is going to curve the way I want it to.
    In Australia on the NSW?VIC border its been a balmy average 95F.
    IN Winter max is about 62F.

    • Rob Rashell

      Feb 28, 2014 at 10:57 pm

      JohSte,

      Thanks for the comment, I went to Aussie tour school in Brisbane, great country and even better people. Big fan of the Gold Coast. All the best with your golf!

      Rob

    • Daniel V

      Mar 26, 2014 at 4:36 pm

      I agree that many golfers are trying to hit their shots “straight” in the most literal sense of the word, but instead the ball takes a (fade or draw) to land at the targeted point.
      I make similar adjustments to my stance based on the terrain and distance( I happen to play a fade on my shots), then all that is left is to hit it, and then talk to the ball as it flies through the air.

  17. holden madiq

    Feb 28, 2014 at 10:27 am

    Nice article. Unfortunately I have to wait until after impact to determine ball flight

    • Rob Rashell

      Feb 28, 2014 at 11:54 am

      Holden,

      No time like the present to make a choice and get to work!

  18. paul

    Feb 28, 2014 at 8:26 am

    I found it handy to hit draws with every club in the bag except driver, which I can only fade (low torque shaft, open face). So if a fade doesn’t work I just switch clubs, and aim to keep it in the fair way.

    • Rob Rashell

      Feb 28, 2014 at 11:51 am

      Paul,

      Good stuff, know what you’ve got and how it works. You’d be surprised how many people play golf for a living doing just that.

      Rob

      • paul

        Feb 28, 2014 at 2:12 pm

        Its a chilly -30 here in Canada right now, and I play virtual golf. Been practicing quite a bit this winter. Started the winter happy to break 90 (pro courses, blue tees) and now I am breaking 80 with the new equipment fitting my style. Had a chance to play around Vancouver last month and this method works great for me.

  19. Martin

    Feb 27, 2014 at 6:30 pm

    Nice article, my eye thinks that hole suits my fade just about perfectly.

  20. Bob Gomavitz

    Feb 27, 2014 at 2:10 pm

    Rob, nice to have you aboard WRX. I look forward to more great insight like this one as I was just having this conversation with a buddy up at Newcastle GC. It’s great to have your brother up there also! Miss the HP days with that stacked first division. Cheers BG

    • Rob Rashell

      Feb 27, 2014 at 2:28 pm

      Bob,

      Keep the boys inline at Newcastle, especially my brother! Thanks for the note.

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Instruction

How to play your best golf when the temperature drops

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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!

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

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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.

 

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!

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

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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.

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!

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