GD ARCHIVES
TAKE IT EASY For tempo, hit your irons less than your max distances.
PAYNE STEWART’S GOLF swing was one of the silkiest of all time, but that doesn’t
mean it wouldn’t get funky every now and then. It’s an issue he talked about in a 1984 Golf Digest article, and his fixes are worth revisiting if you feel like your swing is out of sync. “I was doing an outing in Jamaica and it seemed a good time to work on my swing,” he said. “Two problems had crept up: My stance had become too wide, and my swing tempo was too fast.” Stewart had two smart solutions to these problems: PROBLEM: STANCE TOO WIDE THE FIX: SET YOUR SHOES IN LINE WITH YOUR SHOULDERS What made Stewart’s swing so loose and free-flowing was his ability to move his hips and body without re- strictions. When his stance got too wide, it was difficult for him to turn his hips as well as he wanted, which made his swing shorter and disrupted his tempo. “I think the ideal stance width is narrower than most average players think,” he said. “The outsides of your golf shoes should be about even with the outsides of your shoulders.” To finish smoothing things out, Stew- art scaled back his effort. “I hit my nor- mal 4-iron 190 yards, but I practised making a full swing and hitting the 4-iron only 150,” he said. “Then I grad- ually increased the distance, 160, 170, 180, up to my normal level of 190. I was still swinging easily but going at it just a little harder at the bottom to increase distance.” The two things worked. He won the 1983 Walt Disney World Classic, hitting all 18 greens in regulation in the second round en route to a $72 000 cheque. “It was the first time I’d ever putted for 18 birdies in a round,” he said. “My confidence kept building after that, and I won by two strokes. Good tempo tends to carry you like that.” PROBLEM: TEMPO TOO FAST THE FIX: HIT FULL SHOTS TO SHORTER DISTANCES
Payne Stewart’s Tips for Solid Ball-striking Two adjustments from the late golfer will have you striping it again BY LUKE KERR-DINEEN
42 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MARCH/APRIL 2025
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