Instruction
Do you have a swing flaw or an idiosyncrasy?
The more technologically advanced we’ve become in the golf instruction world, the better we’ve gotten at correcting swing flaws. We’ve also gotten better at recognizing swing idiosyncrasies. Deciphering between the two — a swing flaw and an idiosyncrasy — is now our job as swing instructors.
When I was growing up, video cameras were very expensive and not readily available to the public. They were reserved for TV news crews. Around the early 1980s, however, cheaper video cameras were introduced to the general public. That allowed people to take video of anything and everything. It was during this time that today’s “golf instructors” were born.
I have to admit that when my parents bought their first camera, all I wanted to do was take it to the range and see what I looked like compared to the guys I watched on the PGA Tour. I finally had an opportunity to “see” what I looked like — an eye-opening experience.
In the early days, programs like the Neat System, Astar, Swing Solutions, and the V1 allowed us to see the swing as it’s shown above. This is when we entered into the era of “position golf.”
The idea was that if the swing wasn’t aesthetically pleasing, then it was ill-suited for the player. The belief was that if a position was “off” then it would keep a golfer from playing well. We became a nation of golf instructors that taught aesthetics over function, myself included.
Therefore, if Jack Nicklaus had come to us with his flying right elbow, we would have all tried to correct it. Lee Trevino would have been told to line up straight, and Fred Couples would have never existed with that funky lift and reroute. Sadly this was very common in the 1990’s when amateurs took lessons.
Now, there has been a new advent of golf instruction and it is slowly helping us to understand that there will always be “funky” moves that players have, and those moves aren’t necessarily a career killer. Trackman has shown us that the ball only knows what happens during impact, and if a player can consistently find repeatable impact characteristics, then it doesn’t matter much how the swing looks. We are in the age of preaching function over aesthetics.
I personally couldn’t care less HOW you do “X” or “Y” as a better player. Golfers should strive for consistent numerical numbers that create the ball flight that the they desires. This line of teaching has now given players the freedom to swing in a way that works for THEM — not to be forced into a swing model or position that doesn’t. In fact, I can put just about everyone into a position that looks better on camera, but you still won’t be able to “play from there.”
Therefore, we must now ask the question: “Is it a swing flaw, or is it an idiosyncrasy?”
- If it’s a move that causes a player to fight something on the way down, then it’s a flaw.
- If it’s a move that does not alter the player’s ability to swing the club down into impact consistently, then it’s an idiosyncrasy.
Therefore, if Nicklaus can fly his right elbow and have success in delivering the clubhead and clubface to the ball with reasonable consistency, then he is welcome to fly away. If it gets aggressive to the point of detriment, however, then we must move it back to his normal right elbow position. You should never try to permanently eliminate a natural move, no matter how goofy or funky it may be, if golfers show proficiency with it.
By accepting idiosyncrasies, we can rid players of nit-picking positions on video and saying hypersensitive things like, “I hate my backswing and my right arm position at the top.” Those things just simply aren’t that important if you’re hitting the ball consistently.
So remember, your funky move might simply be an idiosyncrasy. Stressing about changing it will only do you harm in the end. Ask your teacher (or find one!) who can help you learn if you have a swing flaw or an idiosyncrasy.
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!
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!
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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Mad-Mex
Dec 26, 2014 at 10:14 pm
Nice article, refreshing in the cookie cutter swing era, I am sure no one would teach the Arnold Palmer or Trevino or Rodriguez swing!
Matthew Carter
Dec 25, 2014 at 11:29 am
Jim Furyk comes to mind….
Tom Stickney
Dec 25, 2014 at 4:22 pm
Matt- no doubt
Andrew Cooper
Dec 24, 2014 at 7:06 pm
Great article Tom. I hope you’re right and golf instruction is moving into a more enlightened era.
Jump
Dec 24, 2014 at 9:19 pm
Well thought out article. +1
Tom Stickney
Dec 25, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Jump. Thx.
Tom Stickney
Dec 25, 2014 at 4:22 pm
And– thx. Hope so
Shwing
Dec 23, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Swing your own swing!
Logical thought
Dec 23, 2014 at 12:36 pm
What if your own swing is terrible and causes you back pain?
tom stickney
Dec 23, 2014 at 7:45 pm
Shw— got to find what works!
tom stickney
Dec 23, 2014 at 7:45 pm
Logical– time for a change
Logical thought
Dec 23, 2014 at 7:33 am
Professionals with inefficient swings have been doing that move(s) since childhood and it’s one of the big reasons they have success with it. Most amateur golfers have a late start to the game and will never have the time to find that level of success. So my question is this Tom. Might a more mechanically sound swing be easier to become consistent with? Should we not be looking for the swing method that is simplest to learn and therefore quickest to become consistent with?
Tom Stickney
Dec 23, 2014 at 11:49 am
See my last article on swing methods and models.
Logical thought
Dec 23, 2014 at 12:40 pm
I’ve read it.
I’m more or less asking this: With all the research and technology going into the golf swing, shouldn’t researchers and instructors be looking for a way to measure the efficiency and simplicity of a swing so we can determine which methods are best? And in turn which are easiest for an amateur to learn and yield the best results.
Logical thought
Dec 26, 2014 at 4:52 am
As usual. No response to comments trying to incite discussion, only responds towards the praise….
Dennis Clark
Dec 22, 2014 at 6:53 pm
The golf hall of fame has its share of “funky” moves. This we know for certain. Good job Tom.
Tom Stickney
Dec 22, 2014 at 7:13 pm
Thx sir!
golfing
Dec 22, 2014 at 2:31 pm
Jack was across the line at the top, but his teacher never told him to do
otherwise, we see that new coaches tech by the looks of it, instead of the
results of it… to mechanical or visual positions, but it´s much more than
that, we humans are all different and have ways to to the job a little different from each other, the finesse of the swing is what Tiger had that
take him apart, how we (you and the club) swing, in relation to the ground
as your guide.
golfing
Dec 22, 2014 at 2:37 pm
Also the tour pro swing you try to copy, is not going to help you
much, as a higher swing speed needs a very stable lower body, and
for your swing you need rotation on the back swing or you will get
stuck behind and play catch up.
tom stickney
Dec 22, 2014 at 2:46 pm
Golf- Tour pros’ motions do require some different motions
tom stickney
Dec 22, 2014 at 2:44 pm
Golfing- we all made mistakes in the video era, but hopefully we won’t do the same things numerically with Trackman in this generation!
golfing
Dec 22, 2014 at 2:55 pm
Ok we all agree that the mechanical swing is killing
the swing or golf game, people are getting frustrated.
But Trackman is a visual thing too, the swing should
be seen as a Art more than a Science.
Tom Stickney
Dec 22, 2014 at 8:55 pm
Golf– TrackMan can be used to also teach feel.
other paul
Dec 22, 2014 at 2:13 pm
I play a flat swing plane because of a shoulder injury and I just can’t lift my rear arm high enough. Instructor told me to feel like I am going higher when i practice. And I have gotten a bit better. Ball flight isn’t so low and fat shots are decreasing.
tom stickney
Dec 22, 2014 at 2:45 pm
Other– you have to find what works for you for sure!
Andy Nelson PGA
Dec 22, 2014 at 2:02 pm
Tom-
Great article, its quite a sight to see how golf instruction has evolved over my years in the business. In terms of instruction, the guys that focus on improving someone’s natural motion, aka Butch Harmon’s style in my opinion, are the ones that generally stay busier and have happier students.
Well done!
tom stickney
Dec 22, 2014 at 2:45 pm
Thanks Andy
Crash2k1
Dec 22, 2014 at 1:42 pm
Outstanding! The ball does not know or care how the club gets to impact. Once I figured how to hit shots vs how to make a pretty swing my ball striking became more consistent and more easily repeatable. Remember: you record strokes, not aesthetically pleasing swings.
tom stickney
Dec 22, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Thanks!
Zra
Dec 22, 2014 at 1:27 pm
Nice writeup, Tom.
I always believe that there’s more than one way to swing a club. The general ideas of great swing may be roughly the same, but how the swing is delivered can be varied.
My parents took me to instructors since i was a kid, so my swing is pretty nice standard looking. For some people though, my tempo was too fast, and try to suggest i slow down. Never worked out for me, and now i tend to tell other people who attempted to talk me to “slow down and swing easy” that even though Nick Price isn’t swinging it smoothly like Davis Love III is, he is still just as successful” lol.
Tom Stickney
Dec 22, 2014 at 12:51 pm
Thx sir!
patricknorm
Dec 22, 2014 at 11:40 am
Excellent article Tom. I have a bent right arm ( I’m a leftie), hip replacement and knee replacement and a wonky lower back from a car accident and, I’m a 6 handicap. And If you saw a video of my swing its easy to criticize. I don’t like the way it looks but I know how it should feel and look. I consistently hit the middle of the club face and am fairly straight. I’ve had many lessons from a pro who gets my swing and deficiencies.
Last March I went to a club fitter who tried to change my swing. Ruined my back for months. I tried to explain my quirks but he would have none of it. Clubs were fine until my back finally settled down. Regardless, I know my Trackman numbers and often make adjustments to suit my ball flight during a tournament. This article was indeed a breath of fresh air.
tom stickney
Dec 22, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Thanks Patrick
Andrew
Dec 22, 2014 at 9:03 pm
Tom, Your article is encouraging. I have a flying elbow, nearly to the point it looks like a baseball swing. Maybe, I need to accept it and focus on other parts of the game. Andrew
Tom Stickney
Dec 23, 2014 at 1:22 am
Andrew- try the other way of thinking for a bit; you’ll know what works!