COPY THAT
IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT distance off the tee on the PGA Tour. Many of the best players
LOW AND GO A piercing drive helps keep the ball out of trouble.
also have a go-to “bullet” shot that flies lower and straighter. It comes in handy when fairways are firm, it’s windy or there’s plenty of trouble. Few hit this shot better than four-time tour winner Daniel Berger, whom I’ve coached for a few years. Berger grew up in South Florida where the wind is constantly howling, so he grooved a lower-flight shot off the tee. Recently, he has made some swing upgrades and has done terrific work in the gym with Ben Shear, Golf Digest’s Chief Fitness Advisor, and that has made his bullet even more repeatable. First, Berger tees the ball down; only a sliver of it is above the driver’s crown. He also stands closer to the ball and narrows his stance a little more than he would for a normal driver swing. To hit the bullet, he stacks his torso on top of his pelvis beautifully at im- pact – we call it “covering the ball.” He gets his shirt buttons over his belt buckle. This swing is more rotational than a normal drive (left); the hips don’t slide as much towards the target in the downswing. The biggest misconception about hitting a low shot is thinking you have to hit down on the ball. That causes the ball to spin too much, which results in a high, weak flight. Instead, Berger hits his bullet shot with a 0-degree angle of attack. The clubhead is travelling level to the ground at impact – like a plane landing. Berger’s clubhead makes a smooth, level pass through the hit- ting area, which reduces backspin and keeps the shot low. The two big keys for you: (1) Keep your chest over the ball at impact; (2) sweep it off the tee. You’ll find more fairways – and get some decent rollout, too. – WITH DREW POWELL MARK BLACKBURN, No 1 on Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers in America list and a Golf Digest Teaching Professional, has a new book, The Coaching Code, which details his work with tour pros such as Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa and Berger.
Find More Fairways With Berger’s Bullet This shot is super useful in many situations BY MARK BLACKBURN
44 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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