March 2024

Why is it that Pro golfers hit an iron longer than some average golfers hit a driver? The obvious answer is that they are more flexible and stronger, but they also compress the ball, and you can too.

All golfers hinge and unhinge the wrists in the golf swing. The difference is that better golfers unload over the front leg and average golfers do so over the trail leg.

To get this pro power transfer feeling we are gonna do a variation on the cross handed drill. take your orange whip (if you don’t have one stop what your doing and get one) or a long club in your lead hand and and low so there is room for your trail hand at the top (we will add it once you get the feel with the lead hand). Now just let the club hang at your side and start to hinge the club and release it out toward the target. start small and keep increasing the length and speed of this one handed swing.

Now that you have the hang of this one handed move stop and return to your start position for the drill. Without moving the club, grip the club with your trail hand above your lead hand. With the cross hand grip, start the lead hand drill and let the trail hand passively follow. you will have to pivot to get your trail hand to follow the lead hand swing without interrupting the flow of your release. Once you are able to go fluidly back and through, start to add speed with the trail hand. Continue this drill until you feel this front leg power transfer is ingrained.

With the new power transfer feeling still fresh pick up a club and hit a ball or two. You should see immediate improvements in contact and distance, but don’t be discouraged if you regress after a few bombs, this kind of swing rewiring takes time to replace the old move.

Just keep doing this drill and your swing will thank you.

**The Essence of Competition**
On the Holy Duffer Podcast’s recent episode titled ‘Fairways to Fortitude: Strolan’s First Major on the US Am Tour’, hosts Strolan and Mark dove into the intricacies of what makes competitive golf both demanding and exhilarating. As Strolan recounted his experiences at the Red Hill Country Club in Southern California, listeners got a candid look at the pressures and challenges faced on the course.

**The Mental Game**
Tournament golf isn’t just about perfect swings and birdie putts; it’s a test of mental endurance and adaptability. Strolan’s narrative of his day emphasized the need for resilience. He shared a particularly taxing hole where he went ‘bush to bush’, chipping from one troublesome spot to another. This tale wasn’t about the score—it was about his response: maintaining composure and focusing on what he could control.

**Reflection and Resilience**
Despite a ‘triple, double, then quad’ series, Strolan didn’t let frustration consume him. Past Strolan might have ‘gone nuclear’, but the man on the microphone reflected on recognizing good strokes amidst bad breaks. It highlighted a universally relatable point: the importance of learning from each shot and carrying those lessons forward.

**Glimpses into Professionalism**
An intriguing segment of the discussion provided a window into the echelons of professional play. Strolan brought up John Daly’s awe-inspiring shots at Red Hill—hitting a seven iron over a 70-foot fence—emphasizing the otherworldly skills at the professional level.

**Practice Under Pressure**
Strolan and Mark discussed the value of simulating high-pressure situations in practice—a technique emulated by golf legends like Tiger Woods. It’s about challenging oneself to the extreme to make real competition feel more manageable. Such dedication to deliberate, difficult practice stood out as a key takeaway for aspiring competitors.

**Perseverance Through Every Round**
An essential principle that recurred throughout the episode was the necessity of not dwelling on past mistakes. Each hole is a new opportunity, demanding focus and a short memory for errors. This isn’t just a golf lesson—it’s a life lesson on perseverance and presence.

**The Continuous Learning Curve**
As the podcast wrapped up, so did the broader discussion on the perpetual learning curve in golf and the importance of gaining experience. The duo underscored the relevance of practice, experience, and the ongoing adjustment to varying conditions as instrumental in a golfer’s growth.

In summary, the Holy Duffer Podcast episode ‘Fairways to Fortitude: Strolan’s First Major on the US Am Tour’ imparted key wisdom on competitive golf: embrace the struggle, never surrender to frustration, and always find meaning in every swing. The path to mastery, as Strolan and Mark show us, wends through the rough.

Month: March 2024

Power Speed and Distance

Embracing the Challenges of Competitive Golf: Insights from the Holy Duffer Podcast