Photographs by J.D. Cuban • RICA THE 5 ME 0 B A ES IN T T

S E 2020 R 2019 A E C

H

H

C E

A R

E S

T

I

T

N

S

A

E

M

B

E

0

R

5

I C E A H

T

•

gutter credit tk Moment Teaching getic self-belief for which which for self-belief getic unapolo the him he saw in and traditions, ’s pushing was Gankas that Butch liked brim. aflat and slides Gucci in lessons the swing, de-loop Wolff’s loop- Matthew student star his on social, videos tu improp the operates: Gankas way George the afar from ing time, he took one. golf lessons. This has givengazillion a butch harmon Harmon had been watch been had Harmon

- -

- move people into positions. positions. into people move Iphysically so up wrestling, Igrew lessons. in hands-on “I’m says. very Gankas click,” way can a different it in feeling it and hearing but because he needs, what know doesn’t he because not help him, Icould Iknew cool. that’s astudent, as percent it give 110 and to my place luck. “Forhis Butch tocome believe hardly could crowd, hang with the skateboard great.” a teacher makes what that’s and results, getting really is George Plus, whoever’s things. new doing from tolearn want I always I’m old, but 76different. years 67 19th straight year ( for the peers, byhis voted as America, No. in 1teacher the as ranking his retains month who this Harmon, ”says that?’ wacky, why do to do you want tee? lesson on his stand way than better what guy, the and meet to wanted Butch known. is Harmon Gankas, who is 48 but can but can 48 who is Gankas, ‘He’s me, to said “People ). “I like people who are who are people ). “I like met met gankas george when rising star see page page see december 2019/january 2020 here’s what happened happened what here’s 50 years. years. 50 in lesson first his took land the in top teacher where the and balls, go beat to locals Freeway. 405 It’sthe where up against range mats-only its and L.A. outside Course Golf (T-50). Rose (T-45) Trillium and (T-45), Boyd Summerhays (43), Leitz Ruggiero James (41), Waite Tony Grant Chuck (36),(T-33), Martin (T-33), Orr Nick Clearwater (27), David Dahlquist Dana newcomers other joins Gankas history. program’s the debut in It’s highest the America. in Teachers Best 50 Digest’s Golf in No. 11 unranked, was ago years who two Gankas, voted nationwide instructors golf leading of 1,500 A group here. special something sees best.” is quickest way, quickest the and That’s So off we go to Westlake we go toWestlake off So who It’s Harmon not only —peter morrice | golfdigest.com the master

63 taking care of the face 1 finding the right feel 3

harmon gankas gankas harmon

The miss that kills me The best iron players We knew we were on track It’s funny, I’m always is a low pull or hook, go through the ball when we starting seeing telling my players to mostly with the irons. with more passive fewer left shots, and he drive the right side, I’m a good driver, but hands and a lot of body was compressing the ball but for me, turning my my iron contact, and rotation, assuming the better because with more left side out of the way especially that left shot, can be clubface is ready to go. Butch’s turn, the shaft was leaning forward felt more natural. As George says, it an issue. I tend to “chase” the hand positions were rotated toward at impact. We tried another rotational does the same thing. I started to feel ball at impact with a little throw the target. That was leading to an feel: the right shoulder and right a little strain in my left lower back, from my right hand, which is open face on the backswing and a hip pocket beating the clubhead to so I knew I was rotating through my way of squaring the clubface. downswing where the trail hand the ball. For a player who is active differently. I just kept trying to bow Sometimes I close it too much was throwing to square the face. with the right side, this one usually my left wrist going back, and then and hit it left, or my contact is off. Instead of changing his grip, we helps. Turns out, Butch connected wheel my left side around as hard as had him bow his left wrist (left). It more with clearing the left side than I could (left). The strike was better, keeps the face more closed, so you ripping through with the right. The and it sounded better, too. can turn through without worrying takeaway: There’s more than one way about squaring the club. to teach. Everyone learns differently. harmon / learning never stops gankas / the clubface is king “when he stood behind me “turns out, butch connected ▶ I tell young teachers all the time: Go listen to ▶ The is a reaction to what the club- the guy who teaches concepts you don’t believe and pulled my left shoulder around, it was face is doing. If I set up 10 people with an open more with clearing the left side than ripping in. If you’re open-minded, you’ll come away with face, some of them would swing over the top, a lot of new ideas and be better in the end. One a totally different feel.” —harmon some would fall back and pull left, some would through with the right.” —­ gankas of my standard lines is, “I don’t teach golf. I teach flip the right hand at the ball. They’d do different people to play golf.” You never know when you’re things, but all of them would be reacting to what going to come across a player who needs some- they see the ball doing—and that comes from the thing different. The more you can expand your face. If I closed the face, you’d see them pushing thinking, the better prepared you are for those the handle forward, turning through more, and situations. You have to keep learning. so on. Golfers adjust to the face. adding more body rotation 2 letting the head go 4 gankas harmon harmon gankas

Once we got the face I knew I should turn I like that George was Getting the head to more closed, Butch’s harder when the face having me try different swivel forward is normal throw made was more closed feels without ever what Matt [Wolff] and the ball go way left, coming into the shot, changing the goal: Get I I work on. We want the so he naturally did but my body doesn’t the face set, turn through. chest to open for better it less. More body rotation was rotate like it used to. We saw on Great teachers don’t waver much; contact and a more stable clubface, instinctual. People think I’m crazy video when we started that my they pick a move, and then hammer which leads to a predictable start when I say they hook it because hips and shoulders were basically it to death. Another concept that line. It’s like throwing a pass: The their clubface is open, but if you square at impact [like they are at clicked for me was releasing eyes go to the target, which releases slow down through impact to try to address]. But when he stood behind my head toward the target earlier, the neck and allows the chest to catch up the face, the swing path me and pulled my left shoulder what George called, “sticking your open (right). But this doesn’t happen goes right and the face goes left. around, it was a totally different neck out.” I use this one with my from the top down. The hips lead the That’s a hook. We had to get Butch feel (right). I went from square at players, but I needed reminding to turning, and the shoulders catch up rotating more, which puts the path impact to about 30 degrees open. try it myself. Turning my head early when the trail arm is parallel to the more left and the face more right That’s a huge change that led to was easier than trying to feel what ground going through. If the upper for straighter shots. less hook and more speed. my legs or hips were doing. body leads, you’re chopping wood. ▶

64 golfdigest.com | december 2019/january 2020 december 2019/january 2020 | golfdigest.com 65 TEACHERS behind the rankings ST IN BE AM E 0 2019 R 5 I E C ▶ For 20 years, has produced the H A

T

•

• T

most comprehensive instructor rankings in

H A

E

the teachers in C I

the game—anchored by peer evaluation from 50 BEST AMERICA 5

R

0

E

B

M

E

hundreds of elite teachers across the country. A

2020 S

T N

I

T S E A R E C The 2019-’20 rankings are our most ambitious H yet. We asked more teachers to vote in our two- tiered national and regional survey than ever name (2018 rank) votes lesson rate facility city / state keeping with the plan 5 before—more than 1,500—and expanded the palette of local instructors they could evaluate 1 butch harmon (1) 3,130 $1,500/hour Butch Harmon School of Golf (Rio Secco G.C.) henderson, nev. gankas harmon beyond the borders of their states. The lists you 2 mike adams (2) 1,611 $350/hour Fiddler’s Elbow C.C. bedminster twp., n.j. see here are the summary of their collective 3 mike bender (6) 1,499 $300/hour Mike Bender Golf Academy at Magnolia Plantation lake mary, fla. Let’s be honest here, I’m Can I get evaluation. The results reveal both the giants 4 david leadbetter (7) 1,314 $750/hour The Leadbetter Golf Academy at ChampionsGate championsgate, fla. working with Butch that in writing, in —like Butch Harmon, who Harmon. I’m not going please? was voted No. 1 nationally for the 10th time in 5 chuck cook (3) 1,268 $350/hour University of Texas G.C. austin to teach him things he the 11 surveys we’ve done since 2000—and the 6 iii (12) 1,234 $450/hour Butch Harmon Floridian palm city, fla. doesn’t know. What I can nearly 1,000 talented rank-and-file teachers on 7 jim mclean (4) 1,233 $750/hour Jim McLean Golf School at The Biltmore Miami coral gables, fla. do is offer it in a different way, and our best-in-state-lists who fix swings near you. 8 sean foley (10) 1,212 $1,000/hour Sean Foley Performance at EaglesDream (Timacuan G.C.) lake mary, fla. physically put him in positions so he 9 chris como (17) 1,149 $10,000/day Dallas National G.C. dallas can feel them. We didn’t work on the 10 cameron mccormick (5) 1,117 $500/hour Altus Performance at Trinity Forest G.C. dallas backswing, because his big issue was ▶ 11 george gankas 1,037 $800/hour Westlake G. Cse. westlake village, calif. contact and getting rid of that left 12 james sieckmann (16) 1,021 $250/hour The Golf Academy at Shadow Ridge C.C. omaha shot. We could unlock his backswing 13 martin hall (11) 1,010 $250/hour The Club at Ibis west palm beach a little, get him more rotation, and 14 jim hardy (9) 905 $500/hour Plane Truth Golf at BlackHorse G.C. cypress, tex. he’d pick up 7, 8 miles per hour at 15 todd anderson (t-14) 844 $450/hour PGA Tour Performance Center at TPC Sawgrass ponte vedra beach impact. He’d be shooting in the 60s, 16 michael breed (13) 816 $500/hour Michael Breed Golf Academy (Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point) new york city beating his age every time. 17 mark blackburn (27) 759 $350/hour Blackburn Golf Academy at Greystone G. & C.C. birmingham, ala. 18 pia nilsson (t-14) 739 $400/hour Vision54 (Talking Stick G.C.) scottsdale 19 mike malaska (19) 711 $400/hour Malaska Golf at Superstition Mountain G. & C.C. gold canyon, ariz. 20 stan utley (25) 671 $500/hour Grayhawk G.C. scottsdale 21 hank haney (8) 655 $15,000/day Hank Haney Golf Ranch at Vista Ridge lewisville, tex. 22 andy plummer (26) 636 $350/hour Stack & Tilt Miami at Turnberry Isle aventura, fla. 23 lynn marriott (24) 619 $400/hour Vision54 (Talking Stick G.C.) scottsdale 24 michael hebron (23) 590 $145/hour Smithtown Landing G. Cse. smithtown, n.y. 25 andrew rice (34) 588 $200/hour The Club at Savannah Harbor savannah, ga. 26 scott hamilton (30) 555 $400/hour Scott Hamilton Golf Academy at Cartersville C.C. cartersville, ga. ▶ 27 dana dahlquist 549 $350/hour El Dorado Park G. Cse. long beach, calif. 28 brian manzella (29) 531 $200/hour Brian Manzella Golf Academy at English Turn G. & C.C. new orleans 29 bob toski (18) 525 $250/hour Toski Golf lake worth, fla. 30 bill harmon (22) 521 $250/hour Bill Harmon Performance Center at Toscana C.C. indian wells, calif. 31 dave phillips (37) 502 $300/hour Titleist Performance Institute oceanside, calif. 32 michael jacobs (32) 499 $300/hour Jacobs 3D Golf at Rock Hill G. & C.C. manorville, n.y. ▶ t-33 nick clearwater 489 $1,000/hour GolfTEC Headquarters englewood, colo. ▶ t-33 david orr 489 $250/hour Pine Needles Lodge & G.C. southern pines, n.c. 35 jim suttie (35) 479 $190/hour The Golf Academy at TwinEagles naples, fla. ▶ 36 martin chuck 468 $265/hour Tour Striker Golf Academy at Raven G.C. phoenix 37 randy smith (31) 444 $200/hour Royal Oaks C.C. dallas 38 dave pelz (33) 428 $20,000/day Dave Pelz Scoring Game Schools austin t-39 mike bennett (36) 408 $300/hour Stack & Tilt Miami at Turnberry Isle aventura, fla. t-39 dave stockton (28) 408 $600/hour Stockton Golf at Redlands C.C. redlands, calif. ▶ 41 grant waite 388 $500/hour C.C. of Ocala ocala, fla. 42 bernie najar (41) 384 $200/hour Caves Valley G.C. owings mills, md. ▶ 43 tony ruggiero 370 $300/hour C.C. of Mobile mobile, ala. 44 rick smith (45) 366 $600/hour Rick Smith Golf Performance Center at Trump National Doral doral, fla. ▶ t-45 james leitz 363 $150/hour James Leitz Golf at Tchefuncta C.C. covington, la. ▶ t-45 boyd summerhays 363 $400/hour McDowell Mountain G.C. scottsdale 47 cheryl anderson (t-46) 358 $200/hour Mike Bender Golf Academy at Magnolia Plantation lake mary, fla. 48 kevin weeks (42) 354 $200/hour Cog Hill G. & C.C. lemont, ill. 49 john dunigan (39) 350 $200/hour White Manor C.C. malvern, pa. ▶ t-50 peter kostis (43) 334 $350/hour Grayhawk G.C. scottsdale t-50 trillium rose 334 $180/hour Woodmont C.C. rockville, md. t-50 craig shankland (t-46) 334 $160/hour LPGA International daytona beach

66 golfdigest.com | december 2019/january 2020 ▶ new to the ranking december 2019/january 2020 | golfdigest.com 67

6 boyd summerhays 21 kay cornelius 18 don parsons 50 jason puterbaugh 10 jim suttie (35) 33 steve lippincott 56 gayle leslie (t-45) McDowell Foothills G.C., Phoenix Don Parsons Golf Aviara Golf Academy, The Golf Academy at GolfTEC Tampa Rick Smith Golf Mountain G.C., 22 donald crawley Instruction, Goleta Carlsbad TwinEagles, Naples 34 matt dejohn Performance Center at Scottsdale Trump National Doral Boulders Golf 19 preston combs 51 a.j. avoli 11 mike bennett (t-39) Matt DeJohn Golf 7 peter kostis (t-50) Academy, Carefree Don Parsons Golf Omni La Costa Golf Stack & Tilt Miami at Academy at St. Lucie 57 julio nutt Performance Institute, Jim McLean Golf Grayhawk G.C., 23 paul trittler Instruction, Goleta Turnberry Isle, Aventura Trail G.C., Port St. Lucie Scottsdale Carlsbad School at The Biltmore THE BEST TEACHERS Grayhawk G.C., 20 chris smeal 12 grant waite (41) 35 mike malizia 8 mike labauve Scottsdale Stadium Golf Center, 52 jamie puterbaugh Harbour Ridge Golf Miami, Coral Gables Aviara Golf Academy, C.C. of Ocala 58 sarah dant Kierland G.C., 24 lindy labauve San Diego Academy, Palm City Carlsbad 13 rick smith (44) Sarah Dant Golf at Scottsdale Kierland G.C., 21 james jordan 36 bob grissett IN EVERY STATE Rick Smith Golf Royal Poinciana G.C., 9 terry rowles 53 joby ross 2019 / 2020 Scottsdale Woodley Lakes Osprey Point G. Cse., as ranked by their peers Cool Clubs, Scottsdale G. Cse., Van Nuys Mariners Point Golf Performance Center at Boynton Beach Naples 25 michael lamanna Center, Foster City Trump National Doral 59 ryan crysler 10 tina tombs The Phoenician G.C., 22 tom rezendes 37 kellie stenzel 54 justin lee 14 cheryl anderson Butch Harmon Tina Tombs Golf at the Scottsdale NorCal Golf Academy, Kellie Stenzel Golf Biltmore G.C., Walnut Creek Blackhawk C.C., (47) Mike Bender Golf Academy, Boca Raton Floridian, Palm City 26 matt trimble Phoenix 23 devan bonebrake Danville Academy at Magnolia Resort & C. 60 grayson zacker Papago G. Cse., 55 keith lyford Plantation, Lake Mary Jim McLean Golf ▶ ALABAMA 11 neil thompson 11 susie meyers Rolling Hills C.C., 38 john elliott jr. Phoenix Golf Academy at Old 15 craig shankland School at The Biltmore Robert Trent Jones Ventana Canyon Golf Los Angeles Golden Ocala G. & Academy, Tucson 27 tiffany yager Greenwood, Truckee (t-50) LPGA Miami, Coral Gables 1 mark blackburn (17) Golf Trail at Oxmoor 24 bryan lebedevitch Equestrian C., Ocala Vision54, Scottsdale 56 mick soli International, 61 harry zimmerman Blackburn Golf Valley, Birmingham 12 sandy labauve PGA West Golf 39 mark hackett Kierland G.C., 28 ashley moss Academy, La Quinta Mariners Point Golf Daytona Beach Old Palm G.C., Grand Cypress Academy at Greystone 12 shane allen Malaska Golf at Center, Foster City 16 mark sweeney Palm Beach Gardens Academy of Golf, G. & C.C., Birmingham Heron Lakes C.C., Scottsdale 25 fred shoemaker Superstition Mountain 57 ron stockton AimPoint Golf, Orlando Orlando 2 tony ruggiero (43) Mobile 13 scott sackett Extraordinary Golf, 40 david armitage C.C. of Mobile McCormick Ranch G. & C.C., Gold Canyon Carmel Valley Ranch Stockton Golf at 17 jimmy ballard David Armitage Golf, 29 justin klemballa Redlands C.C. 3 wayne flint G.C., Scottsdale Resort, Carmel The Champions Club at Miami ▶ GEORGIA Highland Park G. Cse., ▶ ALASKA 14 andy patnou Paradise Valley C.C. 26 gregg mchatton 58 jerome andrews Summerfield, Stuart 41 fred GolfTEC El Segundo Birmingham McCormick Ranch Vista Valencia G. Cse., 18 suzy whaley Grand Cypress 1 andrew rice (25) 1 george collum 59 ayumi hori 4 eric eshleman G.C., Scottsdale Valencia C.C. at Mirasol, Academy of Golf, The Club at Savannah Palmer G. Cse. ▶ ARKANSAS Balboa G.C., Encino C.C. of Birmingham 15 paxton o’connor 27 bruce nakamura Palm Beach Gardens Orlando Harbor

5 jackson koert Desert Mountain C., 1 lucas wald Aviara Golf Academy, 19 gary gilchrist 42 larry rinker 2 scott hamilton (26) Lakewood G.C., ▶ ARIZONA Scottsdale Arkansas Golf Center, Carlsbad ▶ COLORADO Gary Gilchrist Ritz-Carlton G.C., Golf Academy, Scott Hamilton Point Clear 16 andrew getson Conway 28 shawn cox Orlando Golf Academy at 1 pia nilsson (18) Howey-in-the-Hills 6 morgan hale Grayhawk G.C., 2 brannon watson The Grand G.C., 1 nick clearwater 43 john webster Cartersville C.C. Vision54, Scottsdale (t-33) GolfTEC Head- 20 mike shannon C.C. of Mobile Scottsdale Arkansas Golf Center, San Diego John Webster Golf 3 jack lumpkin 2 mike malaska (19) 17 steve dahlby 29 glenn deck quarters, Englewood PGA Tour Performance Academy, Palm Beach 7 brian speakman Conway Center at TPC Sea Island Golf Malaska Golf at Phoenix C.C. Pelican Hill G.C., 2 patrick nuber 44 justin sheehan Blackburn Golf Superstition Mountain 3 justin hill Sawgrass, Performance Center, 18 aaron olson Newport Coast GolfTEC Headquarters, Pelican G.C., Belleair Academy at Greystone G. & C.C., Gold Canyon Justin Hill Golf tony ruggiero / 43 Ponte Vedra Beach St. Simons Island Tour Striker Golf 30 dr. david wright Englewood 45 dan carraher G. & C.C., Birmingham 3 stan utley (20) Academy, Little Rock 21 gary wiren 4 john tillery Academy at Raven Wright Balance Golf 3 trent wearner Dan Carraher Golf 8 wade hamilton Grayhawk G.C., 4 brad mcmakin Trump International Cuscowilla Golf G.C., Phoenix Academy, Mission Viejo Trent Wearner Golf at the G.C. at South Montgomery C.C. Scottsdale University of Arkansas, Academy, Englewood G.C., West Palm Beach Academy, Eatonton 19 marvol barnard 31 john battaglia learn to pivot in the gym Hampton, St. Augustine 9 rea schuessler 4 lynn marriott (23) Fayetteville 4 don hurter 22 brian mogg 5 brandon stooksbury Haven G.C., PGA West Golf 46 brendan kennedy Schuessler Golf, Vision54, Scottsdale Brian Mogg Idle Hour Golf Learning Green Valley Academy, La Quinta Castle Pines G.C., Legacy C. at Alaqua Gulf Shores G.C. t would be awesome if your body did what it was supposed to Golf Academy (Waldorf Center, Macon 5 martin chuck (36) 20 jeremy anderson ▶ CALIFORNIA Castle Rock Lakes, Longwood 32 chris walkey Astoria), Orlando 6 daniel gray 10 craig bocking Tour Striker Golf Legacy Golf Resort, 5 ed oldham 47 bobby cole PGA West Golf do on the downswing automatically. Unfortunately, you need to Sea Island Golf The Ledges of Huntsville Academy at Raven Phoenix 1 george gankas (11) The Ranch C.C., 23 jeff leishman Jim McLean Golf Academy, La Quinta Performance Center, G.C., Phoenix Westlake G. Cse., Westminster make your body pivot toward the target to produce swing speed Dye Preserve, Jupiter School at The Biltmore 33 dale abraham St. Simons Island 6 brad skupaka I 24 charlie king Westlake Village Miami, Coral Gables teacher’s national ranking in parenthesis Bighorn G.C., and hit the ball solidly. I know some people dread the gym, but it’s 7 danny elkins 2 dana dahlquist (27) GolfTEC Headquarters, Rick Smith Golf 48 warren bottke Palm Desert Performance Center at Georgia Golf Center, El Dorado Park G. Cse., Englewood a great place to train the proper pivot in the swing—especially in PGA National G.C., 34 grant halverson Trump National Doral Roswell Long Beach 7 ty walker the winter when you can’t practice outside. Anchor a stretch band, Palm Beach Gardens Aviara Golf Academy, 25 craig harmon 8 gale peterson 3 bill harmon (30) Carlsbad GolfTEC DTC, Denver 49 renee trudeau 8 nathan morris grab the other end, and mimic your through-swing. Make a strong Seagate C.C., Sea Island Golf Bill Harmon Performance 35 kevin hanssen o’higgins GolfTEC Westminster Delray Beach Quail West G. & C.C., Performance Center, Center at Toscana C.C., Pebble Beach Golf pivot and punch through impact into the position you see here. If you 9 steve atherton 26 bobby clampett Naples St. Simons Island Indian Wells Academy Eagle Springs G.C., train like this, a good downswing will start feeling like it’s automatic. Impact Zone Golf, 50 bill davis 9 shawn koch 4 dave phillips (31) 36 bob knee Wolcott Naples Abacoa G.C., Jupiter C.C. of the South, Titleist Performance Aviara Golf Academy, 27 t.j. yeaton 10 chad miller 7 joe connerton 5 sean foley (8) 51 justin bruton Johns Creek Institute, Oceanside Carlsbad Atlantic Beach C.C. GolfTEC Chapel Hills, Hartford G.C. ▶ Sean Foley Rick Smith Golf 10 jon tattersall 5 dave stockton 37 bob lasken 28 darren may Colorado Springs 8 ron beck Performance at Performance Center at Fusion ATL, Atlanta (t-39) Stockton Golf at Arroyo Trabuco G.C., 1 mike bender (3) The Bear’s C., Jupiter 11 jerred mckinney Lake of Isles, North EaglesDream, Trump National Doral 11 mike granato Redlands C.C. Mission Viejo Mike Bender Golf GolfTEC Centennial Stonington Lake Mary 29 andrew park 52 don law Athletic Motion Golf, 6 brady riggs 38 ed merrins Academy at Magnolia Andrew Park Don Law Golf Academy Cartersville 12 dan sniffin 9 ken doyle 6 martin hall (13) Hansen Dam G. Cse., Bel-Air C.C., Plantation, Lake Mary Performance Golf at Osprey Point, 12 nicole weller Interlocken G.C., Hop Meadow C.C., The Club at Ibis, Pacoima Los Angeles Broomfield 2 david leadbetter (4) (Orange County Boca Raton The Landings C., Simsbury West Palm Beach 7 jamie mulligan 39 randy chang 13 zach lambeck The Leadbetter National Golf Center), 53 tom patri Savannah 10 david pianki 7 todd anderson (15) Virginia C.C., Talega G.C., San Clemente GolfTEC Headquarters, Golf Academy at Winter Haven Esplanade G. & C.C., 13 mike perpich Tower Ridge C.C., PGA Tour Performance Long Beach 40 greg coplin Englewood ChampionsGate 30 sean hogan Naples RiverPines Golf, Simsbury Center at TPC Sawgrass, 8 josh zander Crystal Springs 14 elena king 3 claude harmon iii (6) The Leadbetter 54 matt denzer Johns Creek 11 brian hussey Ponte Vedra Beach Stanford Univ. G. Cse. G. Cse., Burlingame ExperienceGolf at Butch Harmon Golf Academy at The Leadbetter Golf 14 ted fort Rock Ridge C.C., 9 liam mucklow 41 ken green CommonGround Floridian, Palm City 8 andy plummer (22) ChampionsGate Academy at PGA Marietta Golf Center Newtown Stack & Tilt Miami at Madison C., La Quinta Aviara Golf Academy, G. Cse., Aurora 4 jim mclean (7) 31 travis fulton National Resort, 15 iain highfield 12 dave bove Turnberry Isle, Aventura Travis Fulton Golf, Palm Beach Gardens 10 laird small Carlsbad 15 vincent downie Jim McLean Golf Game Like Training Tashua Knolls G. Cse., 9 bob toski (29) Ponte Vedra Beach 55 alana swain Pebble Beach 42 roger gunn GolfTEC Park Meadows, School at The Biltmore Golf, Kennesaw Trumbull Toski Golf, 32 scott munroe PGA Tour Performance Golf Academy The Golf Development Englewood Miami, Coral Gables Complex, Moorpark 16 stan sayers 13 gene mulak Lake Worth Scott Munroe Golf, Center at TPC Sawgrass, 11 alison curdt Silver Spring C.C., 43 zach heusser Colorado G.C., Parker Boca Raton Ponte Vedra Beach Alison Curdt Golf at Ridgefield Wood Ranch G.C., Crystal Springs G. Cse., Burlingame 14 sean busca Los Angeles ▶ CONNECTICUT Clinton C.C. 44 jon horner martin chuck / 36 12 kip puterbaugh Jon Horner Golf 15 george connor boyd summerhays / t-45 Aviara Golf Academy, 1 tom henderson Academy, San Martin ConnorGolf, Bolton Carlsbad Round Hill C., 45 john ray leary Greenwich 16 jessica carafiello get in position to hit it flush 13 will robins Angeles National G.C., Innis Arden G.C., set up for an athletic swing Will Robins Golf at 2 megin o’donnell- Sunland kelly Brooklawn C.C., Greenwich Empire Ranch, Folsom 46 bob madsen Fairfield 17 chet dunlop o many players struggle to get their irons into a good 14 chris mayson Chet Dunlop’s New t’s true that a good golf swing is a coordinated movement Singing Hills G. Resort, 3 mike summa delivery position at impact, so here’s a drill that will make it Maderas Golf Academy, El Cajon The Stanwich C., England School of Golf, requiring an athletic setup. But I often see golfers try to get “athletic” Poway 47 bill mckinney Greenwich Burlington easier: Set up in this pre-impact position with your club’s shaft 15 tyler ferrell Swing Fit Golf Academy 4 jim fatsi S by flexing their knees a lot, sticking their butts way out and arching La Rinconada C.C., parallel to an alignment rod or something similar on your target line. I at Marbella C.C., Brooklawn C.C., ▶ DELAWARE their lower backs like I’m demonstrating here. This posture will zap Los Gatos San Juan Capistrano Fairfield Your lead arm should feel long and under your shoulders, your trail a golf swing of mobility, power, and yes, athleticism. A better setup 16 dean reinmuth 48 alan ochiai 5 john vitale 1 bob lennon arm bent, and the clubface tipped downward toward the ball. That’s Dean Reinmuth Golf Oak Creek G.C., Irvine GolfTEC West Hartford Wilmington C.C. has less knee flex, a neutral spine and the butt feeling like it’s tucked School, San Diego 49 tasha browner 6 kammy maxfeldt 2 earl cooper a great delivery position! Now just let your hands and forearms move under the torso. If you address the ball like that, you can turn more 17 derek uyeda bohlig Birchwood C.C., Earl Cooper Golf, down to center the clubhead behind the ball, and begin your swing The Grand G.C., El Caballero C.C., Westport Wilmington freely and recruit more energy to smash the ball­—like an athlete. San Diego Tarzana from there. This is the ideal address position to hit better shots.

68 golfdigest.com | december 2019/january 2020 Illustrations by Jameson Simpson 3 john scott rattan 12 rod lidenberg 6 andrew storm 14 mike davis 10 c.j. nafus 4 brad lardon ▶ KANSAS Congressional C.C., ▶ MICHIGAN Bluff Creek G.C., Andrew Storm Golf at DragonRidge C.C., Roxiticus G.C., The C. at Las Bethesda Chaska Shadow Ridge C.C., Henderson Mendham Campanas, Santa Fe 1 adam schriber 1 josh cook 4 steve bosdosh Omaha 15 nick helwig 11 mark wood LochenHeath G.C., 13 oliver darby Josh Cook Golf Steve Bosdosh Golf Butch Harmon School Fiddler’s Elbow C.C., Williamsburg GolfTEC Bunker Hills, ▶ NEW YORK Academy, Wichita Academy at The Club at Coon Rapids of Golf at Rio Secco Bedminster Township 2 jason guss ▶ NEVADA 2 paul hooser P.B. Dye, Ijamsville G.C., Henderson 12 matt barr Jason Guss Golf 14 nick pelle 1 michael breed (16) Kansas City C.C., 5 wayne defrancesco Baltusrol G.C., Academy at Hawk GolfTEC Minnetonka, 1 butch harmon (1) Michael Breed Golf Mission Hills Woodholme C.C., Springfield Hollow, Bath Township Plymouth Butch Harmon School ▶ NEW HAMPSHIRE Academy at Trump G. 3 randy syring Pikesville 13 david taraschi 3 charles vandenberg 15 jon reigstad of Golf at Rio Secco Links at Ferry Point, Salina C.C. 6 jim estes Burlington C.C., Thousand Oaks Keller G. Cse., G.C., Henderson 1 jason sedan New York 4 matt murdoch Olney G. Park Mount Holly G.C., Grand Rapids Maplewood 2 jeff smith Academy 2 michael hebron (24) Mission Hills C.C. 7 patrick bedingfield 14 paul kaster 4 ian hughes TPC Summerlin, at Lake Winnipesaukee Smithtown Landing 5 skip maiwald Bethesda C.C. Las Vegas G.C., New Durham Paul Kaster Golf G. Cse. GolfTEC Grand Rapids ▶ MISSISSIPPI Ironhorse G.C., 8 patrick coyner Coaching, Little Silver 5 brandon roby 3 drew steckel 2 rico riciputi 3 michael jacobs (32) Leawood Baltimore C.C., Timonium 15 kathy hart wood Cascade Hills C.C., 1 v.j. trolio Southern Highlands, Wentworth by the Sea Jacobs3D at Rock Hill 6 brett beard Fiddler’s Elbow C.C., 9 mark russo Grand Rapids Old Waverly G.C., Las Vegas C.C., Rye G. & C.C., Manorville GolfTEC Overland Park MR Golf Instruction at Bedminster Township 6 jordan young West Point 4 matt henderson 4 darrell kestner 7 courtney mahon Night Hawk Golf Center, 16 michael hunt Fox Hills Learning 2 tim yelverton TPC Las Vegas ▶ NEW JERSEY Deepdale G.C., Falcon Ridge G.C., Gambrills Bayonne G.C. Center, Plymouth Old Waverly G.C., 5 mario bevilacqua Manhasset Lenexa 10 joe plecker 17 debby murphy 7 jack seltzer West Point TPC Summerlin, 1 mike adams (2) 5 debbie doniger Swing Index, Baltimore Trump National G.C., Seltzer Golf Academy, 3 hoppy smith Las Vegas Fiddler’s Elbow C.C., GlenArbor G.C., Bedminster ▶ KENTUCKY 11 jim fitzgerald Grand Blanc Diamondhead C.C. 6 joseph mayo Bedminster Township Bedford Hills Chevy Chase C. 18 brian gussis 8 david vanloozen 4 billy pomeroy TPC Summerlin, 2 jason carbone 6 jason birnbaum GolfTEC Woodbridge 1 larry ward 12 fran rhoads Oakland Hills C.C., Northwood C.C., Las Vegas Baltusrol G.C., Manhattan Woods G.C., High Performance Golf TPC Potomac Bloomfield Hills Meridian 7 jake gilmer Springfield 19 brian gaffney West Nyack Academy, Nicholasville at Avenel Farm Essex Fells C.C. 9 chris mory Desert Pines G.C., 3 jorge parada 7 mario guerra 2 jeff pierce 13 joy bonhurst Las Vegas Liberty National G.C., 20 george deitz Jason Guss Golf ▶ MISSOURI Quaker Ridge G.C., The C. at Olde Stone, Blue Mash G. Cse., Academy at Hawk 8 don callahan Jersey City Fiddler’s Elbow C.C., Scarsdale Bowling Green Kensington Hollow, Bath Township 1 brian fogt Butch Harmon School 4 steve sieracki Bedminster Township 8 james hong 3 jon hardesty 14 mike dickson 10 scott wilson Bellerive C.C., St. Louis of Golf at Rio Secco Woodcrest C.C., 21 bill schmedes iii Harbor Links G. Cse., High Performance Golf Congressional C.C., G.C., Henderson Bay Meadows G. Cse., 2 todd meyer Cherry Hill Forsgate C.C., Port Washington Academy, Nicholasville Bethesda Traverse City Boone Valley G.C., 9 tim sam 5 nick bova Monroe Township 9 kevin sprecher 4 michael finney 15 bob dolan 11 gary bissell Augusta GolfTEC Henderson Hamilton Farm G.C., 22 vince ramagli Sleepy Hollow C.C., University of Louisville Columbia C.C., Meadows G. Cse., 3 rob sedorcek 10 paul marchand Gladstone Springdale G.C., Scarborough G.C., Simpsonville Chevy Chase nick clearwater / t-33 Allendale Family Golf and The Summit C., 6 david glenz Princeton 10 john graham 5 grover justice 16 mark evenson 12 lee houtteman Learning Center, Las Vegas Black Oak G.C., Webster G.C. High Performance Golf The Suburban C., Long Valley Manitou Passage G.C., Kirkwood 11 vic wilk ▶ NEW MEXICO 11 christopher make a better backswing for distance & accuracy Academy, Nicholasville Pikesville Cedar 4 helen kurtin Butch Harmon School 7 brian dobbie toulson 6 mike thomas 17 ryan chaney 13 brian cairns St. Louis Golf Academy of Golf at Rio Secco Montclair G.C., 1 henry stetina Sunningdale C.C., Harmony Landing C.C., Ryan Chaney Golf, Fox Hills Learning 5 bobby pavelonis G.C., Henderson West Orange New Mexico State U., Scarsdale layers who try to “stay behind it” by making a big shift away from the target in the Goshen Laytonsville Center, Plymouth Norwood Hills C.C., 12 shawn callahan 8 bill britton Las Cruces 12 marty nowicki backswing might think they’re doing something that produces long and straight tee shots, 7 todd trimble 18 kevin tanner 14 paul haase St. Louis Butch Harmon School Trump National G.C., 2 todd kersting Turning Stone Resort, The Golf Complex, GolfTEC North Kendall Academy at 6 rick grayson of Golf at Rio Secco Colts Neck Puerto del Sol G. Cse., Verona but they’re actually making it harder to do just that. If you want to hit your drives longer Paducah Bethesda Miles of Golf, Ypsilanti Rivercut G. Cse., G.C., Henderson 9 gia bocra liwski Albuquerque 13 john hobbins 8 ralph landrum 13 greg labelle P Springfield Hamilton Farm G.C., 3 tom velarde Greenside Golf and straighter, start with this drill: Take your address in a doorway with the lead side of your head 15 dave kendall Butch Harmon School World of Golf, Florence 7 ryan martin Gladstone Black Mesa G.C., Academy at Trinity ▶ MASSACHUSETTS Kendall Academy at of Golf at Rio Secco touching the frame. Make a backswing all the way to the top, keeping your head from moving 9 tyrus york Miles of Golf, Ypsilanti Sunset C.C., St. Louis Espanola Centre, New York High Performance Golf G.C., Henderson off the jamb. You’ll feel your chest expanding, which is a key move to creating and storing power 1 shawn hester 16 tom harding 8 maria palozola Academy, Nicholasville TPC Boston, Norton Carl’s Golfland, St. Louis Golf Lessons, without needing to let your body drift behind the ball. Remember this feel when you swing. 10 brad bachand 2 tom cavicchi Bloomfield Hills Valley Park Man O’ War Golf Harmon Golf, Rockland 17 nick pumford 9 ed schwent 16 jim goergen 16 david impastato 6 tony pancake Learning Center, 3 jane frost Oakland University, Old Hickory G.C., ▶ ILLINOIS Capitol City C. Golf Channel Academy, Crooked Stick G.C., Lexington Jane Frost Golf Rochester St. Peters Brookhaven, Atlanta Batavia Carmel 1 kevin weeks (48) Performance Center 18 mike fay 10 jeff mullican 17 chad phillips Cog Hill G. & C.C., 17 jake thurm 7 gary gant ▶ LOUISIANA at Sandwich Hollows Boyne Golf Academy, Golf Headquarters Pinetree C.C., Lemont Ruffled Feathers G.C., Chestnut Hills G.C., G.C., East Sandwich Harbor Springs Family Golfplex, Kennesaw Lemont Fort Wayne 2 todd sones 1 brian manzella (28) 4 adam kolloff 19 chad kurmel O’Fallon White Deer Run G.C., 18 john perna 8 colby huffman Brian Manzella Golf Pure Drive Golf, Woburn Spartan Golf Academy, 11 brenndan cooper Golf Channel Academy Academy at English ▶ HAWAII Vernon Hills TPS Player Service, 5 brendan walsh East Lansing Staley Farms G.C., at Wood Wind G.C., Turn G. & C.C., 3 e.a. tischler Downers Grove The Country Club, 20 ed laprade Kansas City Westfield New Orleans 1 claude brousseau Olympia Fields C.C. 19 t.j. sullivan Chestnut Hill Crystal Mountain 12 craig story 9 fred mattingly 2 james leitz (t-45) Wailea Golf Academy 4 rick silva GolfTEC Oak Brook 6 cathy macpherson Resort, Thompsonville Greenbriar Hills C.C., Golf School of Indiana, Tchefuncta C.C., 2 ben hongo Movement 3 Golf, 20 louise davis MacPherson Golf St. Louis Carmel Covington Kapalua Golf Highland Park Cog Hill G. & C.C., at Ferncroft C.C., 10 tony day 3 shaun webb Middleton ▶ MINNESOTA Academy, Lahaina 5 pat goss Lemont G.C. of Indiana, David Toms 265 Golf ▶ MONTANA 3 kevin shimomura Northwestern 21 greg baresel 7 skip guss 1 chris foley Zionsville Academy, Shreveport GolfRite, Southborough Ko Olina Golf Academy, University, Evanston Cantigny Golf, Wheaton Chris Foley Golf 1 david baucom 11 jamie broce 4 rob noel 8 kevin rhoads Kapolei 6 garrett chaussard 22 kiel alderink Schools, Brainerd Black Bull, Bozeman IUPUI, Indianapolis Rob Noel Golf Academy, The Country Club, 4 david ishii Skokie C.C., Glencoe Champion Ways Golf 2 luke benoit 2 travis olson 12 jon hoover Abita Springs Chestnut Hill Pearl C.C., Aiea 7 louis sauer Performance, Interlachen C.C., Edina Rock Creek Cattle Otter Creek G. Cse., 5 ryan mcgwyer 9 mark heartfield 5 eddie lee Louis Sauer Golf, Lake Bluff 3 mike barge Company, Deer Lodge Columbus GolfTEC Baton Rouge Sankaty Head G.C., Hualalai C., Northbrook 23 shane lebaron Hazeltine National G.C., 3 greg morris Siasconset Kailua Kona 8 connie demattia Knollwood C., Lake Chaska Iron Horse G.C., ▶ MAINE 10 sean mcternan 6 kyle kunioka Cantigny Golf, Wheaton Forest ▶ IOWA 4 steve fessler Whitefish Brae Burn C.C., Honolulu C.C. 24 lloyd higley Medina G. & C.C. 9 dan kochevar 1 abby spector West Newton 7 kevin ralbovsky Oak Brook G.C. Diversey Range, 1 luke donah 5 brad pluth Chicago Cedar Rapids C.C. Riverside G. Cse., 11 chris carpenter ▶ NEBRASKA KMR School of Golf, 10 clayton Portland Deer Run G.C., Victoria 2 lori gaffney- Nashawtuc C.C., Kaneohe pendergraft 2 paul piveronas Concord 6 eric chiles 1 james sieckmann (12) Cog Hill G. & C.C., burmeister Chaska Town Cse. The Golf Academy at ▶ INDIANA The Woodands C., 12 graham Lemont Glen Oaks C.C., Shadow Ridge C.C., Falmouth cunningham 7 scott dirck ▶ IDAHO West Des Moines Omaha 11 carol rhoades 1 jeff smith 3 jason hurd Framingham C.C. Scott Dirck Golf Cog Hill G. & C.C., Sagamore C., 3 john bermel Augusta C.C., Academy at Geneva 2 james kinney 1 paul weyland 13 sara dickson Lemont Noblesville Pheasant Ridge G. Cse., Manchester G.C., Alexandria GolfTEC Omaha Falcon Crest G.C., Boise Cedar Falls The Country Club, 12 mike small 2 brad fellers 4 john king 8 craig waryan james leitz / t-45 2 jim empey Chestnut Hill 3 mike cornell University of Illinois, Golf School of Indiana, 4 mark egly Poland Spring Resort, Medina G. & C.C. Champions Run, Quail Hollow G.C., Boise Des Moines Driving 14 chip johnson Champaign Carmel Poland 9 sheryl maize Omaha 3 tommy sanderson Range Hatherly G.C., 13 mike carbray 3 ryan schrecongost Crystal Lake G. Cse., 4 chris thomson Valley C., Sun Valley Scituate train your lead foot to create more power Butterfield C.C., GolfTEC Carmel 5 sarah bidney Lakeville Wilderness Ridge G.C., Wakonda C., ▶ MARYLAND 15 bill mcinerney 4 jonathan gibbs Oak Brook 4 john dunham 10 angie ause Lincoln BanBury Golf Cse., Des Moines Kohr Golf Center and 14 dan shelden Riverside Golf Oak Marsh G. Cse., 5 mike schuchart verage golfers don’t push into the ground with their lead foot early enough or hard Eagle 1 bernie najar (42) Academy, Natick Ruth Lake C.C., Academy, Indianapolis Oakdale Nebraska Golf 5 zach abels Caves Valley G.C., enough when they swing. Here’s a drill that helps improve footwork: Set up in your Hinsdale 5 mike o’toole Owings Mills 11 aaron jacobson Academy at Canyon Springs G. Rush Creek G.C., Wilderness Ridge G.C., normal stance with an iron, but adjust so your feet are together and behind the ball. Cse., Twin Falls 15 michael wenzel Riverside Golf 2 trillium rose (t-50) Sportsman’s C.C., Maple Grove Lincoln A Academy, Indianapolis Woodmont C.C., As soon as you take the club back, lift your lead foot and step toward the target, planting it Northbrook Rockville before you swing down and strike the ball. Re-create this amount of ground force when you play.

70 golfdigest.com | december 2019/january 2020 13 seth thompson 4 cary cozby 12 erik barzeski 18 tim cusick 38 mark steinbauer 2 tom mackey The Hasentree C., Southern Hills C.C., Golf Evolution, Erie ▶ TENNESSEE Four Seasons Bentwater Yacht & C.C., Ekwanok C.C., ▶ WASHINGTON ▶ WEST VIRGINIA Wake Forest Tulsa 13 eric cogorno G. & Sports C., Irving Montgomery Manchester 14 ben blalock 5 jimmy saenz Bethlehem G.C. 1 joe hallett 19 bill moretti 39 carlos brown 3 sue newell 1 jeff coston 1 billy winters North Ridge C.C., Fountainhead Creek Vanderbilt Legends C., Austin G.C. Hackberry Creek C.C., Mount Snow G.C., Jeff Coston Golf The Greenbrier, 14 john spina Franklin White Sulphur Springs Raleigh G.C., Checotah Philadelphia Cricket C., 20 troy denton Irving West Dover Academy, Blaine 2 matt killen 15 brad clayton 6 e.j. pfister Flourtown Maridoe G.C., Dallas 40 anne marie 2 jason aichele Troubadour G. & Field gildersleeve PuzzleDuck Golf, Oak Tree National, 15 andy miller 21 steve johnson Meadow Springs C.C., ▶ WISCONSIN C., College Grove Austin C.C. ▶ VIRGINIA Durham Edmond LedgeRock G.C., Hank Haney Golf Richland 3 rob akins Ranch at Vista Ridge, 41 nick dunn 1 kevin kihslinger 16 ben hynson 7 ryan rody Mohnton Rob Akins Golf 1 erika larkin 3 craig welty Lochmere G.C., Cary Southern Hills C.C., Lewisville Altus Performance Creighton Farms, Aldie GolfTEC Milwaukee 16 scott chisholm Academy at Spring at Trinity Forest G.C., Skagit G. & C.C., Tulsa Rolling Green G.C., Creek Ranch, 22 pat o’brien 2 leighann albaugh Burlington 2 david roesch Lakewood C.C., Dallas Dallas Storm’s Golf Range, Springfield Collierville Magnolia Green G.C., 4 todd erwin ▶ NORTH DAKOTA 23 jonathan buchanan 42 justin poynter Moseley Brookfield 4 brian lackey Crown Golf, Arlington Tacoma Firs ▶ OREGON Dallas C.C. 3 chris george 3 jim schuman 1 john dahl G.C. of Tennessee, Golf Center ▶ RHODE ISLAND 24 erik wait 43 kaylin skovron Kingsmill Resort, Blue Mound G. & C.C., Oxbow C.C. 1 jeff ritter Kingston Springs Jeff Isler Golf, Williamsburg 5 christopher Wauwatosa Pronghorn Resort, 5 nancy quarcelino GolfTEC Plano Southlake 1 ryan galloway 4 steve slotterback runyan 4 dennis tiziani Bend Gaylord Springs G. 25 stephen aumock 44 scott hause GolfTEC Rhode Island, Kinloch G.C., GolfTEC Spokane Cherokee C.C., Madison ▶ OHIO Links, Nashville Gleneagles C.C., Plano Westwood G.C., 2 noah horstman Cranston Manakin-Sabot 6 derek siesser 5 larry tiziani Southern Oregon Golf 6 virgil herring 26 mike bury 1 kyle morris 5 mark guttenberg Indian Canyon Golf Cherokee C.C., Madison Academy, Medford Ensworth Golf Center, Las Colinas C.C., Dallas The Golf Room, Dublin Nashville Bull Run G.C., Academy, Spokane 3 brian henninger ▶ SOUTH CAROLINA 27 derek hooper 2 don sargent 7 henrik simonsen Haymarket The Golf Farm, Tualatin Royal Oaks C.C., Scioto C.C., Columbus 1 dana rader The Honors C., Houston 3 doug spencer 4 bruce furman Belfair Learning Ooltewah Spencer Golf Academy, Langdon Farms G.C., Center, Bluffton 8 matt walter Aurora Cincinnati 2 carol preisinger Vanderbilt Legends C., 4 todd casabella 5 jerry mowlds Kiawah Island C. Franklin Pumpkin Ridge G.C., Golf Channel Academy 3 krista dunton 9 ben pellicani Portland at Barrington G.C., Berkeley Hall, Bluffton Westhaven G.C., 6 grant rogers Aurora 4 jonathan yarwood Franklin Bandon Dunes G. 5 chad middaugh International Junior 10 walt chapman Resort, Bandon G.C., Golf Academy, Bluffton Fairways and Greens, 7 christopher smith Knoxville Dublin 5 colin swatton Eugene C.C. 6 steve mulcahy Belfair/Berkeley Hall 11 brad redding Shawnee C.C., Lima 8 sean lanyi C., Bluffton Target Golf Practice Langdon Farms G.C., and Training Facility, 7 jon jones 6 tim cooke Aurora Knoxville Youngstown C.C. Golf Learning Center trillium rose / t-50 12 jake reeves 8 mike emery at Sea Pines Resort, Fox Den C.C., Knoxville Hilton Head Island Brookside C.C., Canton ▶ PENNSYLVANIA 13 gaylon cude improve your contact on short-game shots 9 nick paez 7 kevin britt Golf House Tennessee GolfTEC Cleveland 1 john dunigan (49) C.C. of Spartanburg Learning Center, West, North Olmstead White Manor C.C., 8 allen terrell Franklin common fault when chipping or pitching is hanging back and 10 gary robison Malvern Dustin Johnson Golf 14 jex wilson 2 ted sheftic School, Murrells Inlet trying to scoop the ball off the turf. If you’re hitting chunks or Brookside C.C., Canton Old Fort G.C., 11 gene powell Ted Sheftic 9 brandon ray Murfreesboro blading the ball, it’s a safe bet your weight distribution and your Four Bridges C.C., Learning Center Patriots Point Links, A Liberty Township at Bridges G.C., Mt. Pleasant club’s angle of approach need to be corrected. Practice hitting chips and Abbottstown ▶ TEXAS 12 jimmy logue 10 marc lapointe 3 dom dijulia pitches with your weight on your lead leg­—from address all the way until Cincinnati C.C. Marc Lapointe Golf, 1 chuck cook (5) DiJulia Golf at 13 chase wilson Fort Mill University of Texas you finish the swing. You can make sure you keep your weight on that Jericho National G.C., The Virtues G.C., 11 doug weaver G.C., Austin New Hope leg by setting up and swinging with your other leg pulled back from Nashport Palmetto Dunes Golf 2 chris como (9) david orr / t-33 4 john bierkan 14 joe stago Academy, Hilton Head Dallas National G.C. the target line, resting only on its toes for balance. This will force you Aronimink G.C., GolfTEC Dublin Island 3 cameron Newtown Square to keep your weight forward, letting the club swing down into the ball. 15 rob moss 12 rick barry mccormick (10) 5 mark sheftic connect your stroke to your target Pepper Pike C. Sea Pines Resort, Altus Performance Merion G.C., Ardmore at Trinity Forest G.C., 16 patrick milkovich Hilton Head Island 14 sarah stone 7 ryan dailey 6 eric johnson Dallas ▶ NORTH CAROLINA Canterbury G.C., 13 ron cerrudo good putting stroke won’t help you if your aim is off. One of the most common issues I see comes when players Westchester C.C., Rye Operation 36 Golf, Nemacolin Woodlands 4 jim hardy (14) Garner Beachwood Daniel Island C., 15 kirk oguri 1 david orr (t-33) Resort, Farmington Charleston Plane Truth Golf at aim too straight for the putt they have and then make adjustments mid-stroke to push or pull the ball onto the Pete’s Golf Shop, 8 jimmy hamilton 17 tim lambert Pine Needles Lodge 7 mark anderson 14 david la pour BlackHorse G.C., Mineola Golf Academy at Shaker Run G.C., Cypress correct line. You need to be conscious of lining yourself up to your true target and making a stroke toward that and G.C., Southern Philadelphia Cricket C., Colleton River C., Wildwood Green G.C., Lebanon A 16 brian jacobs Pines Flourtown Bluffton 5 hank haney (21) target. In many cases, that stroke won’t be directly at the hole. For example, the putt I have here will break to the left, so Brian Jacobs Golf Raleigh Hank Haney Golf 2 ed ibarguen 8 lou guzzi 15 meredith kirk my stroke needs to be toward a target right of the hole. If my stroke was more toward the actual cup, I would miss the putt at Mill Creek G.C., Duke University G.C., 9 kelly mitchum ▶ OKLAHOMA Lou Guzzi Golf Ranch at Vista Ridge, Churchville Indian Wells G.C., Lewisville Durham Academy at Talamore Murrells Inlet to the left. Make sure your stroke matches up with your true target. When it does, it should feel more relaxed and free. 17 jeff urzetta 3 eric alpenfels 10 rick murphy 1 todd graves C.C., Ambler 6 randy smith (37) Royal Oaks C.C., Dallas 28 ej kim 45 cliff mishler 6 adam harrell 7 tom sovay 6 brent snyder Oak Hill C.C., Rochester Pinehurst Resort Rick Murphy Golf Graves Golf Academy, 9 nathalie filler Axis Golf Academy, Hank Haney Golf 1757 Game Troy Burne G.C., 18 gary weir 4 jason sutton Academy, Greensboro Edmond Philadelphia Cricket C., ▶ SOUTH DAKOTA 7 dave pelz (38) The G.C. at Redmond Dave Pelz Scoring Montgomery Ranch at Vista Ridge, Improvement Center, Hudson Westchester C.C., Rye Carmel C.C., Charlotte 11 tom ream 2 steve ball Flourtown Ridge, Redmond 1 todd kolb Game Schools, Austin 29 buck mayers Lewisville Dulles 7 kevin kramp 19 steve haggerty 5 robbie fritz Prestonwood C.C., Cary Ball Golf Center, 10 mike dynda 8 brian thornton Laurel Links C.C., 12 matt reagan Oklahoma City Sanford Power Golf 8 chris o’connell Escondido G. & Lake C., 46 jeff isler 7 adam smith Meridian Valley C.C., Hidden Glen at Greensboro C.C. LuLu C.C., Glenside Academy, Sioux Falls Plane Truth Dallas, Horseshoe Bay Jeff Isler Golf, The C.C. of Virginia, Bentdale Farms, Laurel Operation 36 Golf, 3 tracy phillips Kent 6 gus ulrich 11 dave wedzik Plano Southlake Richmond Cedarburg 20 bobby heins Garner FlyingTee, Jenks 30 deb vangellow Pinewild Golf Academy, Golf Evolution, Erie 9 mike mcgetrick 47 brian schorsten 9 rick fehr Old Oaks C.C., Purchase Riverbend C.C., 8 robert mcnamara 8 tim boegh Pinehurst Mike McGetrick Sugar Land Colonial C.C., Farmington C.C., Pro Golf Discount, GolfTEC Madison 21 mike sweeney Bellevue Golf Academy, Humble 31 doug strawbridge Fort Worth Charlottesville 9 todd gamroth The Bridge G.C., 10 kevin kirk GolfTEC Upper Kirby, 9 andrew brewer 10 kathy GolfTEC Wauwatosa Bridgehampton dana dahlquist / 27 The Woodlands C.C. gildersleeve- Houston ▶ UTAH Bayville G.C., 10 molly braid 22 carl alexander 11 joey wuertemberger 32 bryan gathright Virginia Beach jensen Westmoor C.C., G.C. of Purchase Kalispel G. & C.C., Texas Rangers G.C., The Clubs of Cordillera 1 doug roberts 10 jon eisman Brookfield 23 jeff warne copy rory’s secret to smashing the driver Arlington Ranch, Boerne Entrada at Snow Eisman Golf Academy, Spokane 11 pat gorman The Bridge G.C., 12 jon sinclair 33 christy longfield Canyon C.C., St. George Lorton 11 doug doxsie Pat Gorman Bridgehampton Sinclair’s Golf Training Spanish Oaks G.C., 2 corey badger 11 billy hoffman Seattle G.C. Golf Academy 24 matt dobyns Center, Euless e all love to watch Rory McIlroy hit it long and straight Austin Golf Lab, Salt Lake City Westwood C.C., Vienna 12 joe thiel at the Oaks G. Cse., Meadow Brook C., 13 cameron doan 34 charlie epps 3 jon paupore 12 mike hott Joe Thiel World Cottage Grove Jericho off the tee. You can integrate some of what he does in the Preston Trail G.C., Mike McGetrick Jim McLean Golf Salisbury C.C., Wide Golf Schools, 12 brendan locke 25 dan benzenberg Dallas Golf Academy, Humble Midlothian GolfTEC Madison downswing for better drives. The key is what his lead shoulder School at Red Ledges, Woodinville GolfTEC Carle Place 14 corey lundberg 35 robert scott 13 peter weisel 13 todd wagner W Heber does, and my “Rory Drill” will help train you to move it properly. Hold 13 bill tindall 26 michael diffley Altus Performance Royal Oaks C.C., 4 tommy sharp Hunting HIlls Golf Kohler Golf Academy at Trinity Forest G.C., The Golf Club Pelham C.C. your driver with only your lead hand and pose the position the driver Houston Golf Lab, Salt Lake City Academy, Roanoke 14 lucas hana Dallas at Newcastle 27 kate tempesta 36 david ogrin 14 eric layton Green Bay C.C. Urban Golf Academy, would be in when the shaft is nearly parallel to the ground in the 15 jeff barton Golf Channel Academy The C.C. of Virginia, 14 josh mckinley Preston Trail G.C., New York at David Ogrin Golf, ▶ VERMONT Richmond GolfTEC Spokane downswing. From this spot, firmly push into the turf with your lead Dallas ▶ WYOMING New Braunfels 15 brian rogish 15 erin menath 28 eden foster 16 jim murphy 1 jay morelli Maidstone C., leg and move your left shoulder up and then away from the target as you 37 marty fleckman G.C. at Landsdowne Erin Menath Golf, Sugar Creek C.C., Mount Snow G.C., 1 jon mclean East Hampton Marty Fleckman Golf 16 tom mcknight Redmond swing the club through impact. After you practice this for a while, put this Sugar Land West Dover The Club at 3 Creek, at BlackHorse G.C., Farmington C.C., Jackson shoulder move into your driver swing, and you’ll start smashing the ball. 17 brech spradley Cypress Charlottesville Barton Creek Golf Academy, Austin 72 golfdigest.com | december 2019/january 2020