BUTCH BRIEFLY
Tips I shared with Major Champions
WORK ON YOUR FINISH TO STRIPE IT Extending through impact worked for Jimmy Walker at the 2016 PGA, but feeling anything when the club is speeding at 100-plus miles an hour can be a challenging task. That said, getting the right side through is a great thought for any golfer, so here’s another take on it: Swing to a finish where your right shoulder is closer to the target than any- thing else ( below ). Sometimes trying to reach a destination can help you clean up your positions along the way.
BY BUTCH HARMON
GRIP IT SPLIT-HANDED TO CURE A SLICE I used a sidehill lie to stop Greg Norman hooking early in the week of the 1993 Open at Royal St George’s, and he went on to win. Practising on a sideslope is also great for slicers, who typically swing too up and down and need more of a baseball-swing feel. You might struggle to find a practice spot, so here’s a substitute drill you can do anywhere. Grip the club with a small gap between your hands and make swings. You’ll instantly feel your left elbow fold in the follow- through and your right forearm rotate over it ( above ). That will help you square the face and lose the slice.
USE YOUR SETUP TO FADE OR DRAW THE BALL
I taught Dustin Johnson the “release fade” before the 2016 US Open. I call it that because you’re not trying to hold the clubface open to make the ball fade – that move often leads to a slice. Instead, you set the face open at address, relative to where your body is aimed, and then make your normal swing. It’s like hitting a straight shot. The only difference is that your body is aimed more to the left of the target. To hit a draw, just reverse the positions. You still aim the clubface where you want the ball to finish, but now you align your body to the right ( left ). Then, when you swing along your body lines, the ball starts to the right and curves to the left. Whichever shot you choose to play, remember that you don’t have to try to manipulate the face at impact. In effect, the setup creates the shot shape you want.
SWING ONE-HANDED FOR A BETTER PATH I don’t see many average golfers whose hips are turning too fast, like Tiger’s were before the final round of the 2002 US Open. He was getting the driver stuck behind his body on the downswing. Most amateurs are too aggressive with the upper body as they start down. When the back shoulder lurches towards the ball too soon, it pushes the club with it, setting up an out-to-in swing path through impact. If you fight a slice, this is most likely something you do.
To calm down your shoulders, try making some right- hand-only practice swings with your left hand placed on your right shoulder ( above ). When you change direction at the top, apply a little pressure on the shoulder to keep it from shifting outwards. When you try this drill, remember to swing slow at first, to get a feel for it. Then pick up speed once your shoulder is under control. You’ll learn to keep the club to the inside and hit straighter drives, maybe even draw it.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY J D CUBAN
36 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 37
MARCH/APRIL 2026
MARCH/APRIL 2026
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