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Tour Trends

Get Your Game In Shape With The Hottest Trends On Tour

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TOUR TIP Check out Zach Johnson’s followthrough at Justin Timberlake’s tournament last year. He hasn’t released his hands at all, but he turned his body completely through the shot. That ball nearly landed in the hole. EQUIP TIP I use a Titleist Vokey 56° sand wedge to help me get up and down from 100 yards and in. Here’s a photo of Bob Vokey’s latest design, the Spin MilledTour Chrome. Its lofts range from 48° to 64°. Depending on the type of course you play (and what other clubs you need), I suggest carrying anywhere from two to four wedges.

3. DRAW YOUR PITCH SHOTS
Used to be that when you hit a pitch shot, you cut across the ball with an open face. While that still works, if the pin is in the middle or back of the green, or if you’re hitting into the wind, you have to hit your shot on a lower trajectory.

To do this, make a more rounded swing. This promotes more release so your shot draws and doesn’t spin as much, and it releases when it hits the green. An easy way to practice this is to tee up your pitch shots to get the feel of letting the club work more around your body.

4. DON’T GET STUCK
If Tour players have one fault, it’s that they get stuck with their hands and club behind their body on the downswing. To prevent this, they make sure their upper and lower bodies are in sequence.

Practice this by placing a shaft in the ground behind you at a 45-degree angle. Swing down with the club on top of the shaft in a position where you can just turn through and swing left. Don’t let your club swing to the inside of the shaft!

5. SWING EFFICIENTLY
Tour players used to move off the ball, but today most players are working on staying more centered during their swings. By staying centered over the ball, players don’t have to time their swings to compensate when they sway or slide.

Although I don’t suggest you swing with a reverse pivot, I do like to see less movement than swings of the past had.

To stay centered on your backswing, place your golf bag against your right side and make a swing. If you run into it on the backswing, you slid too much. If not, you stayed centered and are in a position to turn back and load your body for efficient power!

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