instruction

Trade Swing Mechanics for Mental Mastery

Ted Odorico February 26, 2026

Portrait of a Confident Male Golfer in Elegant Sportswear

Instruction

The 90% Factor: Mastering the Mental Game of Golf.

Confidence in golf is often described as a “fickle friend”—there one moment when you’re flushing your irons, and gone the next after a single pulled drive. However, the greatest players in history treat confidence not as a byproduct of good play, but as the foundation of it. It is the quiet certainty that your skills can meet the demands of the moment, regardless of the stakes. While the physical gap between a weekend warrior and a PGA Tour pro is vast, the psychological gap is often where the game is truly won or lost. Developing a “bulletproof” mental game requires moving away from the idea that confidence is something you either have or you don’t, and instead viewing it as a muscle that must be trained through repetition, preparation, and a disciplined internal dialogue.

The Pro Playbook: How the World’s Best Stay “Even Keel”

Professional golfers maintain emotional stability by prioritizing psychological consistency over their actual score, using a “pro playbook” of mental discipline. They practice mindful acceptance, acknowledging negative thoughts without judgment and quickly redirecting their focus back to their execution process. By employing selective memory, they visualize past successes to reinforce a high-performance self-image while remaining indifferent to poor shots. Furthermore, they use physical cues like upright posture and steady breathing to signal confidence to their own brains, effectively lowering anxiety and maintaining control under pressure.

Visualization & Routine: The Mental Anchors of Elite Performance

Elite golfers use their pre-shot routine as a mental “trigger” to bypass analytical thought and activate instinctive execution. This involves process visualization, where they mentally rehearse the specific tempo and feel of the swing rather than just the ball’s flight. To ensure absolute focus, they utilize target precision by aiming at a microscopic point, such as a single leaf or branch, providing the brain with the exact detail needed to execute the shot with professional accuracy.

The Amateur’s Edge: Simple Shifts for a Major Mindset

Amateurs can bridge the confidence gap by shifting from technical overthinking to strategic, evidence-based play. By ending “on-course medicating” and avoiding mid-round swing tips, you signal trust to your subconscious rather than doubt. Embracing “boring” golf builds steady confidence by avoiding high-risk “hero shots” and prioritizing safe targets where pars and easy bogeys keep the round on track. Finally, by shifting focus toward solid contact and routine execution rather than the final score, you create a series of “small wins” that provide the tangible proof needed to sustain self-belief throughout the round.

Purposeful Practice: Build Confidence Before You Reach the First Tee

Building lasting confidence in golf requires intentional preparation rather than mindless repetition. By ending practice sessions with a “one-ball challenge” that simulates high-stakes pressure, you create a psychological “win” that reinforces self-belief before you even reach the course. Additionally, incorporating daily rituals—such as five to ten minutes of vivid visualization—helps stabilize your mindset, ensuring your confidence remains rooted in long-term goals rather than fluctuating with every individual shot.

To bridge the gap between practice and performance, you must develop a reliable mental anchor. A consistent pre-shot routine serves as your psychological reset button, transforming the chaos of the course into a predictable sequence of success. By following this three-phase guide, you can ensure that every swing—from the first tee to the final putt—is built on a foundation of clarity and commitment.

Step-by-Step Pre-Shot Routine Guide

A consistent routine should take 20–30 seconds and follow these three distinct phases:

Phase 1: The Decision Phase (Behind the Ball)

To master the decision-making phase of your routine, start by carefully evaluating external factors like yardage, wind, and the quality of your lie. Once the conditions are clear, select a specific, narrow target in the distance and spend several seconds vividly visualizing the ball’s flight and landing. Finally, once you have chosen your club, commit to the shot with absolute certainty; if any doubt creeps in, discipline yourself to step away and restart the process to ensure you swing with total conviction.

Phase 2: The Alignment Phase (Approaching the Ball)

To execute a precise alignment phase, start by identifying a small, distinct intermediate target, such as a leaf or divot, approximately two feet ahead of your ball on the direct target line. Approach the ball from the side and aim your clubface directly at this close-up spot first, ensuring the face is perfectly square to it. Finally, align your body by building a stable stance around the established clubface, positioning your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to the target line to ensure your aim remains accurate throughout the swing.

Phase 3: The Execution Phase (Over the Ball)

In the final execution phase, focus on feel over mechanics by taking one or two smooth rehearsal swings to establish a consistent tempo. Once you are settled, take a final look at your target to lock in the line, then immediately return your focus to the ball. To prevent mental tension and “paralysis by analysis,” you must react within three seconds; bypass any technical thoughts and simply commit to the swing with athletic instinct.

Conclusion: Thinking Like a Pro

The most empowering realization an amateur can make is that confidence is a choice. You do not need to wait until you are hitting the ball like a pro to start thinking like one. By prioritizing your routine over the result and treating every shot as a fresh opportunity, you strip away the fear of failure that sabotages most rounds. Embrace the process, trust your preparation, and watch as your score follows your mindset.

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Elite Ball-Striking: Mastering the 5 Most Dangerous Shots in Golf

Ted Odorico February 25, 2026

Golfer hit sweeping driver after hitting golf ball down the fair

Instruction

Unlocking the techniques used by the pros to turn card-wreckers into scoring opportunities.

Every golfer knows the sudden drop in the pit of their stomach when a ball settles into a 50-yard bunker or a downhill, tight lie. These are the “scorecard killers”—the five specific moments where a round either stays on track or spirals into a triple-bogey disaster. While the average player relies on hope and a prayer in these high-stakes scenarios, elite professionals lean on a sophisticated blueprint of physics and nerve. To close the gap between a weekend handicap and a scratch game, you must first understand the technical “why” behind the game’s most feared shots and the tactical shifts that allow the pros to escape unscathed. Here are the 5 most challenging shots in golf:

1. The Mid-Range Bunker Shot (40–60 Yards)

Often cited as the single hardest shot in the game, the mid-range bunker shot is brutal because it requires a rare combination of significant distance and high launch. Amateurs struggle because they often attempt to hit this like a standard greenside “splash” shot, using a high-lofted wedge and a wide open face. This “explode it” technique introduces too much variability, often causing the club to dig too deep and leaving the ball short.

Professional players often approach this with a club selection change, sometimes choosing a 52-degree or even a 48-degree wedge to ensure the ball carries the necessary distance. A key pro-level adjustment is moving the ball significantly forward in the stance, sometimes outside the lead foot. This allows the club to enter the sand, travel under the ball, and exit as it reaches impact, providing a larger margin for error even if they catch slightly too much sand.

Too long for a standard splash, too short for a full swing.

2. The Short-Sided Chip from a Tight Lie

A “short-sided” miss—where the ball is off the green with very little putting surface between the ball and the hole—becomes a nightmare on a tight lie. This shot offers almost no margin for error; any small mistake results in a “chunked” shot that moves only a few feet or a “skulled” shot that flies over the green. It requires perfect speed control and a high degree of “feel” to stop the ball quickly.

Amateurs often feel pressured to hit a high, soft flop shot in this scenario, which is a high-risk gamble. Better players, however, focus on clean contact first. They often use a “Texas wedge” (putting from off the green) if the terrain allows, or they accept a longer par putt rather than risking a total disaster. When they must chip, they use detailed, disciplined rehearsals to nail the exact feel of the strike before addressing the ball.

On a tight lie, there is zero margin for error.

3. Partial Wedge Shots (30–70 Yards)

Any shot that involves an abbreviated, less-than-full swing is inherently difficult because it disrupts a golfer’s natural rhythm. Amateurs tend to hit the green from this range only about one in three times. The primary difficulty lies in the need to slow down the swing; many amateurs decelerate the club through impact or “flip” their wrists, leading to inconsistent contact and distance.

Pros treat these as “feel shots” and spend significant time practicing them. To manage the difficulty, better players often adjust their setup by moving their weight slightly more to the left side and positioning the ball an inch further back. To keep the flight lower and more controlled, they reduce the backswing length, ensuring the arms go no further than parallel to the ground, rather than just swinging slower.

This is the ‘scoring zone,’ but for most, it’s a ‘guessing zone.’

4. Downhill Lies to Elevated Greens

A downhill lie naturally wants to deloft the club and push the ball’s trajectory lower, which is the opposite of what is needed to reach an elevated green. For an amateur, the steep angle of the slope makes it nearly impossible to get enough “air” on the ball, especially from the rough. They often fall backward during the swing in an attempt to “scoop” the ball up, leading to thin shots.

Experienced players fight the slope by tilting their shoulders to match the downhill grade and swinging along the incline. They understand that the slope will decrease the effective loft, so they may select a higher-lofted club than the yardage suggests to compensate. They also focus on a forward low point in their swing to ensure ball-then-turf contact.

It’s a shot where you have to play ‘with’ the hill, not against it.”

5. The Opening Tee Shot

While technically a standard drive, the opening tee shot is mentally one of the hardest because of the “first tee jitters” and the pressure of setting the tone for the round. This is especially true when a gallery is watching or when the tee box is narrow with trouble on both sides.

Amateurs often succumb to the pressure by trying to hit their best, longest drive immediately, often with an inconsistent pre-shot routine. In contrast, professionals are more calculated. They use a strict pre-shot routine involving visualization and physical rehearsals to ground themselves. A professional will often play the shot that gives them the highest chance of hitting the fairway, even if it means taking less than a driver, choosing to prioritize a smart start over raw distance.

For an elite player, the opening tee shot isn’t about power—it’s about setting the floor for the rest of the round.”

In conclusion: Golf is a game of millimeters where the margin between a triumphant par and a devastating double-bogey often rests on a single, high-pressure swing. As we’ve explored, the five most daunting challenges on the course—from the dreaded mid-range bunker blast to the nerve-wracking opening drive—are not just tests of physical strength, but of strategic wisdom and emotional control. While the amateur golfer often battles these moments with hope and high-risk gambles, the elite player relies on a refined toolkit of “slope-matching” setups, adjusted ball positions, and a disciplined mental architecture that prioritizes safety over spectacle.

The “gap” between these two worlds isn’t just about how fast you swing the club; it’s about how you think through the crisis. Closing that gap requires moving beyond trial and error and embracing the nuanced techniques that professionals use to turn a “miracle shot” into a repeatable skill.

What if the hardest shots in golf felt like the easiest? Elite players have a “cheat code” for the 50-yard bunker blast and the tight-lie chip; it’s time you learned it too. By becoming a Golf Tips Premium Member, you’re not just getting advice—you’re getting a roadmap to a lower handicap from the best minds in the game.

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Target Golf: Why Aiming Small is Key to Big Improvements

Ted Odorico February 24, 2026

Golfer on a golf course, ready to tee off. Golfer with golf club hitting the ball for the perfect shot.

Instruction

Stop Hitting the Ball, Start Hitting the Target.

Most amateur golfers play “reactive golf.” They walk up to their ball, look at the general direction of the green, and swing. If the ball goes left, they’re frustrated; if it goes right, they’re annoyed.

Target golf flips this script. It is the discipline of playing toward a specific, tiny point in the distance rather than a general area. It shifts the brain from “internal mechanics” (how do I move my arms?) to “external targets” (how do I get the ball there?).

Why the Pros Obsess Over Targets

Professional golfers rarely aim at “the fairway” or “the green.” Their targets are much more granular: a specific branch on a distant oak tree, the left edge of a chimney on a house behind the course, or a dark patch of grass on a slope.

Precision over Generalization: In physics, a smaller target creates a tighter “dispersion pattern.” If you aim at a 40-yard wide fairway and miss by 10 yards, you’re in the rough. If you aim at a 1-foot wide tree trunk in the center of that fairway and miss by 10 yards, you’re still in the short grass.

Mental Quiet: When a pro focuses intensely on a target, it occupies the conscious mind. This prevents “swing thoughts” (mechanical cues) from interfering with the body’s natural athletic ability to execute the shot.

Commitment: Target golf eliminates indecision. A pro would rather hit a committed shot toward the wrong target than a hesitant shot toward the right one.

Small targets breed big confidence. Once the target is locked, the hesitation disappears.

The Amateur’s Trap: “Swiping” at the Ball

The average golfer suffers from Ball Bound Syndrome. They focus so much on the contact—the strike itself—that they forget the ball is simply a passenger on a journey to a destination. By walking up and “swiping” at the ball, amateurs often:

Lose Alignment: Without a specific target, your feet and shoulders usually aim 20 yards right of where you think you are.

Shorten the Follow-Through: If the ball is the “end” of the swing, the club decelerates at impact. If a target 200 yards away is the “end,” the swing flows through the ball.

Increase Anxiety: Focusing on the ball highlights the fear of a mishit. Focusing on a target highlights the goal.

Real-World Scenarios Where Target Golf Saves Strokes

Scenario 1: The Narrow Tee Shot

Instead of looking at the water on the left and the bunkers on the right, find a specific vertical line—like a power line pole or a specific tree—in the distance.

The Benefit: Your brain ignores the “hazards” and focuses on the “line,” leading to a more fluid, confident takeaway.

Scenario 2: The Long Putt

Amateurs often look at the hole and try to “hit it hard enough.” A target golfer looks for a “break point”—a spot the size of a dime where the ball must enter the curve.

The Benefit: By focusing on that spot 3 feet in front of you rather than the hole 30 feet away, your distance control (tempo) becomes much more intuitive.

Targeted practice on the range builds on-course confidence.

Conclusion: Stop trying to perfect your swing in the middle of a round. Real golf isn’t played in a laboratory; it’s played in the gap between where you stand and where you want to go. The ball is never the goal—it is merely a passenger on a journey to a specific, tiny destination. When you narrow your focus to a single branch or a patch of turf, your brain naturally organizes your body to get there, silencing the “mechanical noise” that causes high scores.

The difference between a frantic “swipe” and a professional strike is commitment. By adopting a target-oriented mindset, you replace doubt with a clear objective. You stop reacting to the hazards and start dictating the play. Next time you step onto the tee, find your “North Star” in the distance, lock in, and let your natural athleticism take over. Your swing doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs a destination.

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How to Conquer the 50-Yard Pitch?

Ted Odorico February 23, 2026

Male golf player with golf club on professional golf course

Instruction

“Turn your most feared yardage into your biggest weapon. Eliminate the chunk and own the scoring zone.”

For many golfers, the 50-yard pitch is the most uncomfortable spot on the course. It’s too far for a chip, but not far enough for a full swing. This “in-between” distance often leads to hesitation, causing players to either decelerate and “chunk” the ball or swing too hard and “blade” it across the green.

The objective of this article is to break down why this shot is so difficult, provide a clear strategic framework for approaching it, and offer actionable tips that any amateur can use to turn this daunting distance into a scoring opportunity.

The Challenge: Why 50 Yards is a “No-Man’s-Land”

The primary reason amateurs struggle at 50 yards is swing speed management. Most golfers practice full swings or short chips, leaving a massive gap in their “clock system.”

The Deceleration Trap: Fearing they will hit the ball too far, golfers often take a long backswing and then slow down through impact. This almost always results in a fat shot.

The “All-Hands” Swing: Because the body isn’t rotating fully, golfers tend to use only their hands and wrists, leading to inconsistent contact and poor distance control.

Club Selection Confusion: Many players default to their most lofted wedge (60°) for every pitch, which requires a more precise strike and leaves little room for error.

“Master the ‘9-to-3’ for surgical precision around the greens.

Strategies for Success

You need to shift from “hitting” the ball to controlling the trajectory.

1. Use the “9-to-3” Clock System
Think of your swing as a clock face. For a 50-yard shot, your lead arm should reach roughly 9 o’clock (parallel to the ground) on the backswing and finish at 3 o’clock on the follow-through. This creates a repeatable “gearing” that ensures you don’t have to guess how hard to swing.

2. Prioritize Rotation Over Wrist Action
Distance control comes from the big muscles in your core and chest. If you use your wrists to “flip” at the ball, your 50-yard shot could easily go 30 yards or 70 yards depending on the timing. Keep your wrists relatively quiet and turn your chest toward the target.

3 Tips Amateurs Can Do Right Now

If you want to see immediate improvement, focus on these three mechanical adjustments during your next practice session:

Narrow Your Stance: Keep your feet only a few inches apart. This limits your lateral sway and forces you to rotate around a central axis, leading to much cleaner contact.

Weight Forward (60/40): Lean slightly toward your target. Keeping about 60% of your weight on your lead foot prevents you from trying to “scoop” the ball into the air—the #1 cause of bladed shots.

The “Short-to-Long” Tempo: Ensure your follow-through is at least as long as your backswing. A shorter backswing followed by a crisp, accelerating follow-through ensures the ball comes off the face with consistent spin and height.

“Consistency starts with discipline. Aim high, train better, and stay sharp.”

A Breakdown of the 9-to-3 Drill:

To master the 50-yard pitch, you need to turn a “feel-based” shot into a repeatable system. This calibration drill uses the 9-to-3 Clock Method to help you develop a “stock” swing that you can trust under pressure.

The 50-Yard “9-to-3” Calibration Drill

This drill is designed to help you identify exactly which club and swing length produce a 50-yard carry.

1. Setup Your “Clock”

The Lead Arm Rule: In the backswing, stop when your lead arm (left arm for right-handers) is parallel to the ground (9 o’clock).

The Finish Rule: Swing through until your trail arm is parallel to the ground (3 o’clock).

Focus on Connection: Keep a towel under both arms to ensure your arms and torso move as one unit.

2. The Multi-Wedge Test

Grab your three most lofted wedges (e.g., Pitching Wedge, Sand Wedge, and Lob Wedge).

Step 1: Hit 10 balls with your Lob Wedge using the 9-to-3 swing. Note where they land (not where they stop rolling).

Step 2: Hit 10 balls with your Sand Wedge using the same 9-to-3 swing.

Step 3: Repeat with your Gap or Pitching Wedge.

Calibration: Use a rangefinder or launch monitor to find the average carry distance for each. One of these will naturally be closest to 50 yards—this is now your “Stock 50”.

3. The “Iron Ladder” Challenge

Once you find your 50-yard club, test your consistency with this Ladder Drill:

Pick a target at 50 yards.
Try to hit 3 balls in a row that land within a 5-yard radius of that target.
If you miss one, you restart the count. This adds the “consequence” pressure you feel on the actual course.

“Accelerate at impact, not before. Finish your swing!

Pro Tips for Better Drill Results

Quiet the Wrists: Minimize “flipping” by keeping your thumbs pointing up at both the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions.

Accelerate through Impact: A common mistake is a long backswing followed by a “quit” at the ball. By stopping at 9 o’clock, you are forced to accelerate into the finish.

Check Your Finish: After each shot, hold your finish for 3 seconds. If you are off-balance, it usually means your weight didn’t shift to your lead side.

“Golf isn’t played on a driving range mat. Find a tough lie and master it.

Conclusion: Bridging the Gap to Better Scores

Mastering the 50-yard pitch is about more than just a lucky strike; it is about replacing guesswork with a reliable system. As we have explored, the primary hurdles for most amateurs are the “no-man’s-land” distance that invites deceleration and an over-reliance on the hands rather than the core. By shifting your focus from a “hit” to a “swing,” you remove the variables that lead to the dreaded chunked or bladed shot.

Final Thoughts

The 50-yard shot is often the dividing line between a bogey and a par. While it may feel awkward at first to take a “partial” swing, the discipline to trust your rotation over your wrists will pay dividends on the scorecard. As you take these tips to the practice range and calibrate your specific “50-yard club,” you will find that the most feared distance in golf becomes your most comfortable opportunity to save a stroke. Commit to the acceleration, trust the 9-to-3 rhythm, and watch as your “short game headaches” vanish, replaced by the confidence of a player who knows exactly how to handle the “in-between” game.

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The Art of the Long Roll: Mastering the Lag Putt

Ted Odorico February 22, 2026

Golfer putting golf ball to the hole on green golf.

Instruction

A guide to mastering the greens and conquering three-putts.

We’ve all been there: you’ve hit a magnificent approach shot onto a massive, undulating green. You’re dancing, but you’re forty feet from the cup. The adrenaline is pumping, but then reality sets in. Most golfers approach these moments with a “hope and a prayer” mentality, often resulting in the dreaded three-putt—or worse, a four-putt that guts your momentum.

Lag putting is the unsung hero of the low-handicap game. It isn’t about the glory of hearing the ball drop; it’s about the sophisticated art of speed control. It is the ability to cozy the ball into a “safety zone”—a three-foot circle around the hole—leaving you an effortless tap-in. When you master the lag, you stop playing defense and start playing with a sense of calm authority.

Focus on your speed, not the cup, to turn those 30-footers into easy tap-in

Why Lag Putting is Your Secret Weapon

Improving your lag putting is arguably the fastest way to shave strokes off your scorecard without changing your swing mechanics. Here is why it matters:

Stress Reduction: Knowing you can consistently leave a long putt within tap-in range removes the pressure from your chipping and approach shots.
Eliminating Three-Putts: The difference between a 79 and an 85 often comes down to three or four holes where a long first putt left a nerve-wracking six-footer coming back.

Building Momentum: Nothing kills a round faster than “giving away” strokes on the green. Conversely, seeing a 50-footer settle inches from the cup keeps your confidence high for the next tee box.

Pro-Level Lag Putting Drills

To become a master of distance control, you must train your brain to feel the weight of the stroke rather than focusing on a specific technical movement.

1. The “Look at the Hole” Drill

Most golfers get bogged down in their mechanics, staring intensely at the ball. This drill reconnects your hands to your eyes.

The Setup: Place three balls at 30, 40, and 50 feet from a hole.

The Execution: Take your normal stance. Once you are settled, turn your head and look at the hole. Do not look back at the ball.

The Goal: Strike the ball while your eyes remain fixed on the target. This forces your subconscious to translate the distance you see into the feel in your hands. You’ll be shocked at how much more intuitive your distance control becomes.

Golf is played where the ball ends up, not where it starts

2. The Leapfrog Challenge

This drill teaches you “incremental feel,” helping you understand exactly how much extra power is needed for different lengths.

The Setup: Find a flat stretch of green with about 30 feet of space. You don’t even need a hole for this one.

The Execution:

1. Hit your first ball about 10 feet out.
2. Hit the second ball so it stops as close as possible to the first ball, but must go past it.
3. Hit the third ball so it stops past the second, but within a few feet.

The Goal: See how many balls you can “stack” in a line before running out of green. If a ball stops short of the previous one, or goes off the green, start over. This builds an incredible sense of touch.

Summary: Speed Over Line

On putts longer than 20 feet, speed is infinitely more important than the line. Even if you misread the break by three feet, if your speed is perfect, you’ll have a three-foot putt left. However, if your line is perfect but your speed is off by ten feet, you’re staring at a bogey. By shifting your practice focus from “making” to “lagging,” you turn the green from a place of anxiety into a place of scoring. Master the weight of the putter, trust your internal “feel,” and watch your handicap tumble.

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Take Your Scoring to the Next Level

John Marshall February 15, 2026

John-Marshall-Golf-Tips-February-2026.1-200x300.jpg

Instruction

As many of you sophisticated, data-driven golfers probably know, the biggest indicator of your scoring potential is how many greens you hit in regulation. If you are hitting three or four per round the chances of you being a single-digit handicapper are eerily similar to you scaling Mount Everest. But even the Tour players that you watch on television only average 13 to 14 greens hit per round. But in their case, if they weren’t getting up and down the vast majority of the time they would be playing for club championships and not US Opens.

Oftentimes I will hear instructors say that if you want to knock a shot or two off your scores in short order start with the low hanging fruit. And that, for the vast majority of golfers, would be chipping and pitching.

Let’s start with setup. For chip shots have the feet close together with maybe a clubhead of space between them. With pitch shots a little bit wider. Your weight should be 60–70% on the lead foot and the ball just slightly back of center. Depending upon the lie you will usually have the hands slightly ahead of the ball.

Ideal set-up for chip shots. Feet close together, ball back in stance, arms and club shaft form the letter “Y”.

An enormously important aspect of improving your short game to know how to assess a lie. A 30-yard shot where the ball is sitting up in 2-3 inch rough actually gives you more options than if you’re on an ultra-tight fairway. Learning assessment takes some practice and experience. When you are practicing don’t move the ball around until the lie is perfect. Make shots difficult so that you learn. As Nick Saban often said, “We make practice hard so games will be easy.”

In the setup we are creating the letter “Y” with our arms and the shaft. We maintain that “Y” throughout a chip shot. With pitch shots we form the letter ”L” between the lead arm and the shaft at the top of the abbreviated backswing. There is an “L” in the backswing and an “L” in the through swing. I always want to see the backswing and through swing lengths to be the same. And this goes with every shot in golf from a full swing with the driver to a 3-inch tap-in.

Pitch shot look for the following: “L” in the backswing and an “L” in the through swing

Raymond Floyd was inarguably one of the greatest chippers ever. He got as close to the ball as possible to the point that the shaft of his club was almost vertical and the heel of the clubhead was slightly off the ground. He felt this was a chunk-proof set-up and for him it was. It might be for you as well.

Setup basics for chips and pitches:

1. Feet close together for chips; a little further apart for pitches.

2. Have 60-70% of your weight on your lead foot for every short game shot.

3. Ball position slightly back of center with chips; pretty much centered with pitches.

4. Hands slightly ahead of the ball.

5. Shirt buttons vertical with pitch shots and tilted toward target with chips.

A frequent mistake that many higher handicappers make is for their chest rotation to stall in the downswing. When that happens, there is a much greater tendency to scoop. It is virtually the same as casting in the full swing but on a much smaller scale. If the body doesn’t rotate, we will throw the club from the top, which will almost never end well.

So even on a chip shot where you are only flying the ball less than 10 yards in the air, we still need to have some amount of chest rotation through the impact zone.

To maximize quality of contact, I often have my students think about the buttons on their shirt. When setting up with the driver, the spine is tilting away from the target to encourage an upward angle of attack. This means that the buttons are angled away from the target as well. In the set up for full swing iron shots the buttons might be stacked on top of each other. But with short game shots, if the button line is angled slightly toward the target, it becomes much easier to make ball first contact as we have moved the low point of the abbreviated swing to the target side of the ball.

Occasionally a student will ask me if I believe in using the same grip for every shot. Generally speaking, yes, but if they want to weaken it slightly (hands turned a little more left for a right-handed player) with short game shots it can be beneficial. This will encourage a slightly open clubface through impact resulting in less chance of digging into the turf. If you watch the best players in the world hit short pitch or bunker shots, they will often have the clubface pointed nearly at the sky in their finish position. This enables them to use the bounce on the wedge most efficiently.

When it comes to club selection, always remember that the less loft you use the less risk you take. Chipping with a hybrid (try it and I bet you’ll like it) is pretty much risk proof whereas the same shot with a lob wedge off a tight lie can be terrifying if you haven’t practiced it much.

Last, but certainly not least, use your lead arm to dial in distance control with pitch shots. When your lead arm is parallel to the ground, call that 9 o’clock and determine how far you hit the golf ball from that position. When you go to 9:30 or 10:00 or 10:30, calibrate those distances as well. But keep in mind that this only works if you are making solid contact.

No one has ever gotten good at the short game (or any element of golf) without practice. Always make practice challenging so that shots on the golf course are easier.

This 30-Minute Prep Saves Hours on the Range

Ted Odorico February 3, 2026

Instruction

Everything you need to set goals, interview pros, and maximize practice time

Many golfers arrive at lessons with a “fix me” mindset, expecting the instructor to identify problems, but preparation before the session significantly influences progress. Spending 30 minutes to analyze your game and define goals can maximize the effectiveness of a lesson and lead to measurable improvements.

The 30-Minute Pre-Lesson “Audit”
Before you even step onto the grass, spend half an hour doing the following:

The 10-Minute Stat Review (5-10 mins): Pull up your last three scorecards. Don’t just look at the score; look at the why. Did you lose balls off the tee? Did you 3-putt four times? Bring this “data” to your pro so they aren’t guessing.

The Goal Definition (5 mins): Write down your Top 3 Priorities. Examples: 1. Stop the slice. 2. Better contact with long irons. 3. Improving lag putting.

The “Injury & Limitation” Memo (5 mins): Note any tightness or past injuries (back, wrist, knee). Communicating this instantly stops the pro from teaching you a move your body physically can’t do.

The Gear Inventory (5 mins): Check your bag. Do you have a glove that fits? Are your grips slick? Fixing a gear issue during a lesson is a waste of money—fix it now.
The “Feel” vs “Visual” Check (5 mins): Reflect on how you learn. Do you like seeing your swing on YouTube or V1 Sports, or do you prefer “feeling” a certain muscle move? Tell your pro this in minute one.

Why This Saves You Hours

Most students spend the first 20 minutes of a paid lesson just trying to figure out what they want to work on. By doing this 30-minute prep:

You start the lesson with a laser focus.
You skip the “getting to know you” guesswork.
You ensure the drills you get are tailored to your actual game, not just a generic swing fix.

Have clear objectives! Pros can only help if they understand what you want to focus on.

Top 5 Things to Consider Before Taking a Golf Lesson

Clear Objectives: Define whether you want to fix a specific miss, lower your handicap, or simply learn basic mechanics for social play.

Learning Style: Decide if you prefer technical, data-driven feedback (like TrackMan) or a “feel-based” approach focused on natural movement.

Practice Commitment: Lessons only provide the roadmap; improvement happens during practice between sessions.

Compatibility: A strong rapport and effective communication with your pro are essential for long-term success.

Equipment Condition: Ensure your clubs fit your current skill level so you aren’t fighting your gear during the lesson.

Questions to Ask Your Pro

During the Lesson:

“Why am I making this change, and how will it improve my ball flight?”
“Can you provide a specific drill to reinforce this feeling when I’m on the range alone?”
“What is the primary ‘root cause’ of my most frequent miss?”

After the Lesson:

“What are the one or two key takeaways I should focus on this week?”
“How much practice time do I need before our next session?”
“Can you send a video recap or summary of the changes we made?”

How Many Lessons Should You Take?

Beginners: Plan for 5 to 10 lessons to establish a solid foundation in grip, stance, and basic swing mechanics.

Intermediate Players: 3 to 6 lessons are often enough to target specific issues like consistency or distance.

Frequency: Sessions should be spaced 2 to 4 weeks apart to allow for 3–5 practice sessions between each lesson.

The Role of an Assessment
Yes, a professional should always give you an initial assessment. A quality first session typically includes:

A discussion of your goals, sports history, and physical limitations.
An observation of your natural swing and current equipment.
Identification of fundamental flaws (grip, posture, alignment) before moving to advanced mechanics.

Other Factors to Consider

Arrive Early: Get to the facility 15–20 minutes early to stretch and warm up so you don’t waste paid lesson time.

Note-Taking: Keep a golf journal on your phone or in your bag to record feelings and drills while they are fresh.

Golf is easier than we make it out to be. Your game improvement is just 30-Minutes away.

By combining a targeted 30-minute audit with these five foundational considerations, you transform a standard lesson into a high-performance coaching session that yields immediate, visible results on the scorecard.

Golf Tips “Tuesday Tips,” the Definitive Weekly Guide to Lowering Your Handicap

Ted Odorico January 13, 2026

Instruction

“One Minute to a Better Swing, One Week at a Time.”

For the modern golfer, the quest for a more consistent swing often leads down a rabbit hole of confusing mechanics and conflicting advice. Between technical deep-dives and fleeting “miracle” fixes, the average player is often left more paralyzed than prepared.

Enter Ted Odorico, a 32-year Golf Professional who serves as the Editor of Golf Tips Magazine and CEO of the iGolf Sports Network. This season, Odorico is bridging the gap between professional coaching and the everyday player with his new digital series titled “Tuesday Tips.”

Designed for the fast-paced world of vertical video (Reels, TikTok, Shorts), each episode distills complex swing theories into actionable, 60-second breakthroughs. From mastering the “Three Ps of Power” to the psychological art of the “Memory Reset,” Ted’s approach focuses on high-impact adjustments that stick. “Most golfers are one small feel away from a breakthrough,” says Odorico. “‘Tuesday Tips’ is about finding that feel every single week.”

The series officially kicks off on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026.

Where to Watch:

The weekly tips will be available in the coming weeks as short videos and accompanying blog posts across multiple platforms:

Website: golftipsmag.com

YouTube: YouTube.com/@golftipsmagazine or YouTube.com/@igolfsports

Social Media: Follow Golf Tips Magazine on Instagram, Facebook, and iGolf Sports (Ted Odorico) on TikTok.

A Closer look at Jeeno Thitikul’s Swing

John Marshall January 8, 2026

Instruction

Ah, to be 23, the number one ranked female player in the world and number seven on the all-time LPGA career earnings list. That would be the situation with Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand who in 2024 won the largest first place check in LPGA history ($4 million at the CME Group Tour Championship) and then repeated the accomplishment this past November with a winning score of 26-under par. It would be an understatement to say that she showed early potential, capturing the Ladies European Thailand Championship at the ripe old age of 14. Apparently, she possesses a hefty dose of talent. Oh, and by the way, her 2025 scoring average of 68.68 was the lowest in Tour’s 75-year history

Like all great players, she is very fundamentally sound from setup to finish position. She has a minimal amount of knee flex and her arms are soft and hanging with virtually no tension. Her toes, knees, hips and shoulders are all parallel to the ball-target line. This sounds like a no brainer, but many players struggle with it because of eye dominance. It has been my experience that the vast majority of right-handed, right-eye-dominant golfers aim too far to the right which can often lead to an over-the-top downswing as they attempt to yank the ball online. Interestingly enough, arguably the two greatest players in history – Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods- are both left-eye dominant.

Another solid setup aspect is that both elbows are pointed at her hip joints. If you have ever read Ben Hogan’s classic instruction book “Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf,” you will see an illustration of Mr. Hogan’s elbows in the same position. Why is this important and why is it worth copying? When the elbows are in this position, the right elbow folds easily in the backswing and same with the left in the through swing. If the right elbow, for example, is pointed away from the target in the setup it becomes challenging to keep the club on the proper plane going back.

Rotates her left wrist slightly counter-clockwise in backswing

During the takeaway, she makes a very subtle move that I really like. She rotates her left wrist slightly counter-clockwise which serves to keep the clubface perpendicular to the path of her swing. When the shaft is parallel to the ground halfway back the clubhead is parallel to her spine angle. In previous times this was considered to be a closed clubface. Not any more!

This also has a significant impact on her position at the top of the backswing. Her left wrist is slightly bowed (anatomically speaking this is called wrist flexion) which very slightly limits the amount the wrists can hinge. For reference, the opposite of this would be John Daly whose cupped left wrist (extreme wrist extension) allows the club to go way past parallel at the top of the backswing but also results in a far greater amount of dispersion because the clubface is open. Golf swings have certainly evolved over the years and a bowed left wrist, or at least flat, is now in vogue. As it should be.

Like all great players, her right elbow never gets past 90 degrees at the top of the backswing. This ensures maximum width which adds to her substantial swing radius.

During transition, Jeeno moves easily to her left side because she didn’t move much to the right side in the backswing. If you stay very centered at the top like she does, you really don’t need to think about a weight transfer. The momentum of the swinging club will get you to your left side.

When she comes into impact with left arm parallel to the ground her belt buckle goes up approximately four inches and it happens very, very quickly. That causes the club to go down very, very quickly and increases her speed. With far less skilled golfers this upward movement happens way too early in the downswing which decreases rather than increases speed. Just one more reason why she is playing on television and the rest of us are watching her on television.

Textbook finish with weight totally on her left side

Her finish position is right out of a textbook. Weight totally on the left side, up on the right toe, right shoulder closer to the target than her left. The golf ball has no choice other than to go long and straight.

Like nearly all Tour players nowadays, Jeeno puts in plenty of time in the gym, working on both mobility and functional strength. The end result of all of this is a young lady at the pinnacle of the golf world who will remain there for many years to come.

Article by: John Marshall, Golf Instructor, Two-time ALDA long drive champion & Golf Tips Top 25 Instructor

John’s Website: jmlongdrive.com

What is the 80/20 rule in golf?

Ted Odorico August 21, 2025

A businessman controlling a futuristic display with a 80/20 Rule business concept on it.

Instruction

In golf, the 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, suggests that roughly 80% of your results come from 20% of your actions or efforts. This principle can be applied to various aspects of the game, from swing mechanics to practice routines, and even course strategy.

To better understand, here is a general description of Pareto’s Principle. The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto principle, states that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. In simpler terms, a small portion of inputs or efforts often leads to the majority of results or outcomes. This principle is a general guideline, not a strict mathematical law, and the ratios can vary.

Here’s how it can be applied to golf:

1. Swing Mechanics:

Focus on the vital few elements of the swing that produce the most significant results, rather than trying to master every detail.
A key application is recognizing that a large portion of the swing is a reaction to the initial action. Many golfers over-control the swing, rather than allowing natural reactions to the initial movements.
For example, focus on the pre-shot routine, which helps your body remember its natural swing, rather than trying to force a specific backswing or putting speed.
Allow gravity and the weight of the club to guide your swing, rather than trying to impose excessive force.

2. Practice Routine:

Prioritize practicing the areas of your game that yield the most significant improvements in your score.
Instead of practicing everything, focus on the 20% of your game that will give you the biggest return in terms of scoring.
This often means focusing on the driver, wedges, and short game (putting and chipping).
Don’t neglect the areas you’re already good at, but allocate more time to the areas that need improvement.

3. Course Strategy:

Concentrate on the aspects of the game that have the greatest impact on your score.
For example, a few well-placed drives, solid approaches, and efficient short game can significantly lower your score.
Focus on getting the ball close to the hole when chipping, as proximity to the hole significantly increases the chances of a successful up and down.
Use the 80/20 rule to guide your club selection when chipping, by visualizing the landing spot and the desired roll-out, rather than focusing solely on the flag.

4. Identifying Weaknesses:

Analyze your game to pinpoint the areas that are holding you back.
Instead of spending too much time on areas you’re already proficient in, focus on improving your weakest areas.
By addressing the most impactful areas of your game, you can achieve significant improvement with less effort.

In conclusion: By applying the 80/20 rule to your golf game you’ll begin to see results and steady improvements. You’ll also experience overall confidence and enjoyment of the game. It’s time to start having fun again so, give it a try!

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