now able to dial it back to provide a little more accuracy, he says. Through the PGA Tour’s West-Coast swing, Woodland was averaging 324 yards. The four-time tour winner got a boost to his confidence with a T-2 finish at the Houston Open, his only Top 10 of 2025. “With Gary, he’s got all the physical attributes,” Smith says. “The tools are in there. It’s a matter of getting him to feel the weight of the clubhead, trust it, and then deliver it with as much speed as possible. Don’t be afraid to let this thing go. Once he was able to do that, golf became fun for him again.”
where he could at least see one knuck- le when he looked down. His grip had become so weak, he couldn’t feel the clubhead as he swung down into the ball. “By strengthening my grip, my speed went up instantly,” Woodland says. “My dispersion came down, and once that got better, I could swing harder again with more confidence. I don’t have to do as much to square the face. It just allows me to be me.” Woodland estimates his clubhead speed is up three to four mph from this time a year ago. His driving distance (313 yards to rank 22 on PGA Tour) is about the same, but that’s because he’s
The first order of business for Smith was to get Woodland back into a more athletic setup that would allow him to improve the speed
BLAST OFF Adjustments to Gary Woodland’s setup gave him a real power boost.
and movement he needed without having to think about the swing. First, they widened his base and squared off his back foot (above, first image) because his stance had become too open. They added a little more spine tilt away from the target to help him launch the ball higher. They also strengthened his left-hand grip to
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 49
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025
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