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Yes, golf instructors make mistakes

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As teachers, we all make mistakes. As we get more experienced at the craft, we make fewer, but the work is a human endeavor so we are prone to error. Where and how the error is made is most commonly in the diagnosis.

Let’s face it, instructors get an hour or so to solve a problem. That hour, in my lessons, is divided into three distinct parts in the following order:

  1. The diagnosis
  2. The explanation
  3. The solution

To me, the diagnosis is far and away the most important part of the lesson. It’s the part of the lesson where the teacher decides exactly what’s wrong with the golf swing. And the problem will always boil down to what I call “the big three:”

  1. Is the attack angle too steep or too shallow?
  2. Is the face open or closed?
  3. Is the path too inside or outside?

There may be a myriad of things causing the problem, but the problem itself will always be one of those things.

Teachers may disagree on the method of correction, but should never disagree on the diagnosis.

After deciding what the biggest problem is — the face, the path or the attack angle — the teacher needs to determine the causes of the problem(s). But here is the crux of the matter: If the diagnosis is incorrect, there is rarely enough time in the lesson to right the ship.

“No, forget that, let’s try this,” is the absolute worsT thing a student wants to hear in a golf lesson.

Technology has made diagnosing swing problems quite a bit easier, but the correct diagnosis is still elusive at times. And what can be just as difficult for teachers is choosing the proper sequence of correction once the diagnosis is made. Sequencing is crucial, because I want the first shot my students hit after a correction to be a better shot than they previously hit. If what I suggest has little to no effect on ball flight initially, a trust issue develops between me and my student.

As I teacher, I have to get a student’s attention as soon as possible in a lesson. If someone comes to me hitting ground balls and 20 minutes later they are still hitting ground balls, I have LOST that student!

You, the student, need to be prepared for these changes. If you’re not ready for what’s about to happen, you’re in for a surprise and it might not be a pleasant one. Often I’ll see a student lose sight of their first shot because they are looking in the wrong place. They’re expecting the same slice they have seen for 15 years, so a hook or draw might be a shock. But as a teacher, I have their attention.

In my early days of teaching, I went “by the book.” In other words, if something didn’t look right, I’d try to change it without really knowing how the suggestion was going to fit into the bigger picture. One day I had a student who was making a very abbreviated shoulder turn in the backswing, perhaps 45 degrees at best. It just didn’t look right. So I suggested a fuller shoulder turn. On the next swing, he missed the ball by a foot!

Ugh! Why?

His attack angle was shallow, and when I asked him to turn more I made it really shallow; he was falling back and hitting up on everything. I blew the attack angle diagnosis and voila… a good 15-20 minutes was wasted in the lesson.

Nothing should ever be changed in a golf lesson because it doesn’t look right. For example, if Jordan Spieth sent a video to an inexperienced instructor, he might tell Spieth to strengthen his left hand grip or straighten his left arm, right? I mean those two things are obviously wrong, so let’s fix them straight away. Boom! You just made the best player on the planet an also-ran.

If you’re interested, here’s my analysis of Jordan Spieth’s swing is below. 

The diagnosis is an overview; it’s an analysis of how the whole swing dynamic has developed and where it needs to go next. If that first critical phase slips through the cracks, the teacher is going to be playing catch up for the rest of the session and it may be too little, too late when he finally gets around to the right fix.

What does all this mean to you? It means you need to be proactive and participate in the learning process. You need to understand the whole dynamic, not simply accept what has been said as gospel.

Why did I top that shot? Why are you moving my hand over? The instructor is human and she/he is there to help; the two of you are working together in the process and that requires your full participation. If the golf ball starts behaving better, there’s a good chance you’ve been pointed in the right direction. If you feel you are doing what you’ve been asked to do (and you have the video and/or radar numbers to prove it), however, and the golf ball is still misbehaving, you may consider seeking advise elsewhere.

No golfer has to get worse before they get better.

You should get new results, not always great results, but the swing should feel and look different than before you made the change AND the ball flight should be better. If not, ask why. If the same old slice or shank is there after the entire lesson, consider another teacher. The next instructor may communicate more to your liking, or be better at guiding you through the learning process.

Remember, it’s your time and your money. You have the right to hold your teacher accountable. Believe me, you are NOT insulting an instructor by leaving his or her camp. It happens often. When you take the steps needed to be an active participant in your own improvement, if often leads to better results… and sometimes a different coach.

Dennis Clark is a PGA Master Professional. Clark has taught the game of golf for more than 30 years to golfers all across the country, and is recognized as one of the leading teachers in the country by all the major golf publications. He is also is a seven-time PGA award winner who has earned the following distinctions: -- Teacher of the Year, Philadelphia Section PGA -- Teacher of the Year, Golfers Journal -- Top Teacher in Pennsylvania, Golf Magazine -- Top Teacher in Mid Atlantic Region, Golf Digest -- Earned PGA Advanced Specialty certification in Teaching/Coaching Golf -- Achieved Master Professional Status (held by less than 2 percent of PGA members) -- PGA Merchandiser of the Year, Tri State Section PGA -- Golf Professional of the Year, Tri State Section PGA -- Presidents Plaque Award for Promotion and Growth of the Game of Golf -- Junior Golf Leader, Tri State section PGA -- Served on Tri State PGA Board of Directors. Clark is also former Director of Golf and Instruction at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Dennis now teaches at Bobby Clampett's Impact Zone Golf Indoor Performance Center in Naples, FL. .

32 Comments

32 Comments

  1. WM

    Aug 3, 2015 at 2:46 am

    I have taken many lessons and I find that most instructors focus on swing planes and drawing lines and angles on a monitor. They promote an over lap or Vardon grip to prevent hooking, but when in fact most amateurs slice the ball, then the instructors ask you to pose at the top. This, I believe exacerbates an amateur’s problem and this is what is wrong with modern instructions, because they don’t teach the hand or club path on the down swing or how the body should react.

    After years of frustration I focused on what pros’ impact positions (with photos and videos) should look and feel like and reversed engineered my swing up to the top and trust me it feels very different from what I thought I should be doing based on professional instructions. At the end of this process the pro positions that you see in photos came naturally. I am by far not a professional instructor, but because I am an amateur, I can relate to most of my golf buddies. By using this method I have helped many of my friends improve their ball striking immensely.

  2. Dennis Clark

    Jul 31, 2015 at 1:01 pm

    sure…there are three thing that need to be determined in the diagnosis. The face, the path and attack angle. Flightscope and Trackman now quantify those things for you. No more guesswork. I don’t work with K vest but as I see it, it is a BODY tracker…it does not supply impact information. Now after impact has been diagnosed, you could use the K vest info to see how the BODY is affecting the golf club. But FIRST you need to now club face path and attack angle. Otherwise you are just grasping at straws really

  3. Le

    Jul 31, 2015 at 10:49 am

    Dennis, can you comment on how you think technology has helped or hurt the “diagnosis” aspect of the lesson for the teachiers? I’m interested in developing a wireless sensor technology that functions like the kvest but more attainable for average golfers to use daily. Love to hear your insight. Thx

  4. Hokiegrad86

    Jul 30, 2015 at 12:30 pm

    Sean Foley is a very fine teacher and a great person. I doubt he pays much attention to the negative comments made by internet golf trolls. His stable of successful golfers is quite full and he is in demand. It didn’t work out with Tiger. So what? Tiger won many golf tournaments when he was working with Sean but he was hurt all the time and living a secret life. It all blew up and now Sean was the problem?!!!! I know one thing for sure….If Tiger wanted to change something he did…and if he didn’t…he didn’t! Butch is the teaching God? He had the Tiger in his prime and a healthy confident Tiger in his prime was an easy gig. Butch is a fine teacher….so is Hank….so is Sean. To each his own but Sean didn’t ruin tiger. Hank didn’t ruin Tiger. Tiger’s ego ruined Tiger.
    Jack and Arnie and Hogan didn’t change their swings to get better. They were good enough and they knew it. Tiger’s real problems began when his father died. End of story.

    • Pat M

      Jul 30, 2015 at 1:53 pm

      The fan boys pilloried Hank Haney after Tiger hit a fire plug and fired Hank. It is always the teacher with Tiger and never Tiger. The guy is 250th in the world or lower. At The Open, the only people he beat were 60+ year old Tom Watson and close to 60 and retired golfer Sir Nick Faldo.

      It is over. Tiger should have gotten Nike to pay Butch Harmon $4 million a year and Stevie Williams $3 million a year. This was the ONLY way Tiger could have gotten his mojo back but it is too late now. I blame the fanboys more than Tiger’s coaches.

  5. Dennis Clark

    Jul 29, 2015 at 9:16 pm

    you got it right Bob…this is an article about student/teacher dynamic onlt. That was photo my editors chose, nothing more or less. Tiger moves the needle sooo much that even when threads are not about him, they make it about him 🙂 And if you send me a video, I’ll tell you EXACTLY your whole picture.

  6. Bob DeLellis

    Jul 29, 2015 at 3:49 pm

    Wow. Just about everyone is concentrating on Sean Foley and Tiger Woods, instead of the topic of the article.

    I have stopped taking lessons from anyone because I have yet to find someone that can analyze everything and give me a complete plan. I’ve leaned on my own that most of what is wrong with my golf swing relates to #1 my physical limitations and #2 my sequence (tempo/timing). I’ve looked at my own swing and I have determined that I’m not CURRENTLY physically capable of getting in the positions that young tour pros can, and probably never have been able to. Why has no one ever given me a stretching and condition plan as part of the analysis of my swing? I’ve spent thousands in lessons and it makes you start to wonder if instructors limit the info to keep you coming back. I went to GolfTec and they strapped me up with sensors to measure the rotation of my shoulders and hips. I paid $100 for one hour and came away with being told I was rotating my hips too far in the backswing. The completely paralyzed me and could barely hit the ball. I feel allowing my hips to rotate is as much an unconscious way to protect my back as it is a swing flaw. Recently they showed similarities of Tom Watson and Bubba Watson’s swings and how they lift their left heel, which takes strain off the back. They mentioned that Tom Watson, at 66, doesn’t swing markedly different than when he was younger. The average weekend golfer is not in a condition to handle the stress that young athletes like Rory McIlroy place on the bodies by restricting their hips and turning their shoulders 100º+. If I find someone that can develop a complete “plan”, then I’ll consider taking lessons again. Quite frankly the Orange Whip for $100 has done more to fix my sequence, tempo and timing than the thousands I’ve spent in lessons over the past couple decades. In the mean time, I’m content being a middle 80’s golfer that invests little or no money in getting better.

    My motto: “The best way to keep from getting disappointed is to lower your expectations”. 🙂

    • Chris Loskie

      Jul 30, 2015 at 9:40 pm

      The oranges weighted ball was a good investment you think??!! I always look at it swing it a couple times in tbe store then put it back. .. i thought about lessons then said f it.. ive always worked out and have found I played better while doing more yoga with my workouts.. felt better and more flexible.. I will also say the best “learning” tool ive bought was the silly tour striker club… f the swing. You either cime into the ball correctly and hit it or you dont lol..

  7. Ted McIntyre

    Jul 29, 2015 at 11:39 am

    I think it’s irresponsible to feature a photo of Sean Foley under the headline “Yes, golf instructors make mistakes,” unless you’re prepared to point out where you believe he erred.

    • Carlos Danger

      Jul 29, 2015 at 11:44 am

      Well…for starters he has those eye glasses on. That should have been Tigers first clue, “dont take golf instruction from a hipster.”

    • Christosterone

      Jul 29, 2015 at 12:43 pm

      As I said below….in Foley’s words, he “augmented” Tigers chipping and putting stroke…
      I mean, come on!!! Harmon said he never touched those after the summer of 1997 because he had never seen such ability from 30 yards and in on all levels…
      To change this was the greatest error in coaching in history….Tiger destroyed the record books because of his ability to get down in 2 from any green side situation….putting, chipping, sand or otherwise…
      Foley “augmented” a once in a century talent…if that’s not a mistake, I don’t know what it…
      -Christosterone

      • other paul

        Jul 29, 2015 at 4:21 pm

        Should be no surprise that a guy that comments in 3rd person would criticize an elite golf instructor

      • Jack Nash

        Jul 29, 2015 at 5:12 pm

        What about Foley’s other students? They don’t seem to be having all these Tiger like problems. Maybe it was a comprehension problem with Woods. Hell if Foley didn’t help Woods and caused him injury the same could be said about Haney and Harmon. Why didn’t they try to help Woods cure his left leg knee snap? You know the move that’s caused him over a years worth of injury time?

        • Christosterone

          Jul 31, 2015 at 1:45 pm

          Haney arguably brought out the best in Tiger.
          2006 Hoylake was a master class in all 9 shots(as Haney said).
          But in all things, coaches get too much and too little credit…
          Tiger has won nearly 80 times on the PGA Tour….just to make 80 cuts is preposterously hard, let alone win…with a majority being in tourneys which saw the best in the world only…
          That being said, many of Foley’s student struggle in chipping and putting distance control….when the pressure is great(Mahan at the Ryder cup comes to mind)….foley has forgotten more about golf than I will ever know…
          But I would NEVER “augment” Tiger’s short game….NEVER NEVER NEVER
          -Christosterone

  8. Alex

    Jul 29, 2015 at 11:35 am

    I guess you don’t find many good golf instructors since most young pros want to be PGA Tour players. Now, you find the rare specimen who loves teaching and sharing, and you’ll have a good teacher. You may finally agree with his/her swing philosophy and the student-teacher bond will be a long one.

    I don’t see my teacher often because he lives away from my town, but we’ve been working together for 7 years now.

  9. Christosterone

    Jul 29, 2015 at 9:31 am

    The fact that Sean foley augmented tiger’s chipping and putting is tantamount to painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa….
    Seriously, this dude ruined a national treasure….
    -Christosterone

  10. Todd

    Jul 29, 2015 at 8:01 am

    I think there is a disconnect with some teaching professionals. Don’t get me wrong there are a lot of great teaching professionals that will look at a swing and can improve it without over-hauling it. Then there are others who either think they know what a player should swing like, or since the player is asking for a change in their swing tear a player up from the swing they have had since high school. I don’t think that is going to work. Seems like Tiger might be n this group, he asks his teaching professional to do a swing change and he gets a mix of his natural swing and the new swing when the chips are down. On the range he can hold it together and hit balls with his new swing, but once he gets on the course he instinct takes over and his old self tries to take over.

  11. Marcus R.

    Jul 28, 2015 at 10:56 pm

    I think Tiger’s biggest mistake when overhauling his swing was to try and naturally Fade the ball, when all of his life he hit a natural Draw. It seemed the more he tried to fix the driver the more crooked he got. Just my opinion.

  12. SirShives

    Jul 28, 2015 at 8:28 pm

    I had two lessons with a pro who seemed to barely enjoy his coaching gig. After those two lessons I was hitting the ball better, my slice had straightened out, and I was occasionally hitting a draw. I saw the guy outside of the range and excitedly told him about my progress. The guy acted like we had never met. I get that he probably had plenty of students to keep up with, but how about at least pretending to know who I am? I had prepaid for a three lesson package but I never went back for the final one. I found a more enthusiastic pro and started breaking 90 immediately after having spent the previous ten years shooting 105s.

    Find a coach who enjoys their job!

    • KK

      Jul 31, 2015 at 12:03 am

      I couldn’t agree more….one of the most important student teacher relationships is do you/can you relate to each other and does the teacher explain a concept in a way that you understand and can apply it. I don’t understand the smug attitudes from golf “pros” that I come across all the time in the 10+ years that I have worked in the business. I can only attribute it to one of two things…the pro was once trying to play for a living and realized he/she didn’t have the game to compete and they are bitter that they now have to teach amateurs how to play golf, or they don’t really care whether a student actually gets better at golf, they just want to give you a few tips over the course of an hour and hope you keep coming back. Like any hobby or profession, you can only be truly great at it if you want to be. There are quite a few teaching pros out there that could care less about you and your golf game. It’s very unfortunate too because the game of golf is really hard and getting people to play better is a tall task for any teacher, especially the ones who don’t really want to do it.

      • Dennis Clark

        Jul 31, 2015 at 9:52 pm

        You re right JJ. One had a passion for teaching or not. It can’t be taught if a person doesn’t love the work.

  13. Dennis Clark

    Jul 28, 2015 at 5:22 pm

    I had the common decency to charge him NOTHING…But there were lesson that I should have refunded early on, no question. Any teacher who says otherwise is, uh, lying.

    • Jeff

      Jul 28, 2015 at 5:49 pm

      Good man! That is how you make a good reputation.

  14. Jeff

    Jul 28, 2015 at 4:49 pm

    Dennis – Did you charge full price for the lesson you gave to that student who was making a very abbreviated shoulder turn in the backswing that you wasted 15-20 minutes with your poor diagnosis?

  15. gubment cheez

    Jul 28, 2015 at 4:47 pm

    You should’ve made this more about Ledbetter than foley

  16. Marty Knowles

    Jul 28, 2015 at 4:29 pm

    Great article Mr. Clark! This article parallels my teaching career almost to the letter. I used to be in the there is one way to swing the club camp. Whether they were physically able to or not I thought they had to get in the “perfect” positions throughout the swing. It wasn’t until a wise old teacher asked me how I’d fix Lee Trevino that the light went on and I started concentrating mainly on what was happening at impact rather than trying to make everyone’s swing look beautiful.

  17. Michael Wray

    Jul 28, 2015 at 4:18 pm

    Sean is a nice guy, if not somewhat misunderstood. His presentation in Orlando in January made him more human for many of us. His analysis of “analysis” has great insight, particularly in sequencing corrections, which I believe is the genius of teaching…just my two cents.

    • Dennis Clark

      Jul 28, 2015 at 5:23 pm

      I agree, he’s a good dude…I liked him at the Summit as well. Did not turn out a good match for TW though, but Sean is a bright guy.

  18. Rwj

    Jul 28, 2015 at 2:43 pm

    Just looking at Sean Folley in that picture, the image he has for himself with his clothes and “style,” would keep me from listening to a word he says about any subject. He looks like a clown

    • Dennis Clark

      Jul 28, 2015 at 3:01 pm

      🙂

    • Chuck

      Jul 28, 2015 at 10:15 pm

      Four mistakes in one photo; that haircut, those glasses, that shirt and that tattoo. The swing advice might have been okay, but since he’s talking to Tiger Woods, it’s doubtful.

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Instruction

The Wedge Guy: Beating the yips into submission

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There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.

And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.

But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.

When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.

Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.

For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!

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Instruction

Looking for a good golf instructor? Use this checklist

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Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.

Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.

If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.

1. Cultural mindset

What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!

It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.

2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling

Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.

3. Learning theory basics

It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.

As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.

So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!

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Instruction

What Lottie Woad’s stunning debut win teaches every golfer

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Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.

The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).

But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.

Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)

Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.

What Woad did:

• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances

• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins

• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets

• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”

Why most golfers mess this up:

• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”

• Distance becomes more important than accuracy

• They try to be heroic instead of smart

ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.

The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire

Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.

How she responded to pressure:

• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th

• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys

• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th

• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked

What amateurs do wrong:

• Get conservative when they should be aggressive

• Try to force magic when steady play would win

• Panic when someone else makes a move

ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.

Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game

Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.

Her mental approach:

• Focused on her process, not the competition

• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)

• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”

Her physical execution:

• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)

• Methodical iron play

• Steady putting

• Everything effective, nothing spectacular

ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.

Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built

The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”

Her winning mindset:

• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself

• Focused on playing well and contending

• Made winning a byproduct of a good process

• Built confidence through recent experiences:

  • Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
  • Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
  • Each experience prepared her for the next

What this means for you:

• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up

• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine

• Commit to every shot

• Stay present in the moment

ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.

The Real Lesson

Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.

The fundamentals that won:

• Hit more fairways

• Find more greens

• Make the putts you should make

• Stay patient under pressure

That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.

FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.

 

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” on RG.org 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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