Insight from Mark Komives on Backswing.com:
Align the Face First, Body Second
Posted on: 15 Jun 2023
Most common is that many player’s work diligently in an attempt to get perfect “square” body alignment of their feet, yet pay little attention to where their club face is actually aiming- which is far more important. It should also be noted that square feet does not guarantee a straight shot, contrary to popular belief. […]
All Your Technique to Influence Your Divot
Posted on: 31 Jul 2022
Taking a divot with irons is a byproduct of your impact conditions (Angle of Attack, Dynamic Loft, Club Head Speed, Swing Direction, etc.) and the turf conditions (grass type, firmness of turf, moisture level, etc). In general, we often see Tour players take larger divots while amateurs may struggle to take any. Whether this is […]
Putter Fitting: Art & Science
Posted on: 06 Jul 2022
Finding the best putter for your game is part art and part science. The best putter should help you improve your performance on the green- that is in speed control, start line consistency, and alignment. Unfortunately, many players use a putter which hurts them in these skill areas. A good fitting is one where you […]
Utilize Sway Correctly to Create Efficiency
Posted on: 27 Jun 2022
The term “sway” in a golf swing can carry a lot of meaning, both good and bad. First, to define sway, we are normally speaking about lateral shift of the body in the backswing (only). To take it a step further, we generally assess “sway” in two body segments: the pelvis (lower body) and the […]
Get Your Ducks in a Row Early On for Better Strikes
Posted on: 24 Mar 2022
This is a loaded question Backswing! But I’ll do my best to answer. 1) It is correct that a slight downward strike (what we call a negative Angle of Attack in the teaching world) is desirable anytime the golf ball is resting on the ground. This slight downward strike (in the range of 2-4 degrees […]
Learn the Fundamentals of Green Reading First
Posted on: 28 Feb 2022
The key to improving your ability to read greens is first to recognize that effective green reading involves skills that can be developed. Reading greens is not a mystical art form. Instead, green reading is based on the structured principles of understanding Slope & Friction. Understanding slope involves first recognizing how to see/find it and […]
One Way is NOT for Everyone
Posted on: 22 Feb 2022
Boy, this question is loaded…in today’s information sharing age, there is more info than ever being told to more golfers than ever before. While it’s great to share info, it’s often difficult for amateurs to filter out the gold from the noise. And the reality is there is plenty of noise that isn’t very good […]
Focus on Contact First
Posted on: 13 Feb 2022
Most amateur players struggle with contact on an uphill lie, often hitting “chunks” or “skulls”. With poor contact comes poor distance control. Therefore, step one is to ensure good contact when faced with an uphill lie around the green. Because the uphill slope will naturally tend to launch the ball higher into the air than […]
Hit Behind No More
Posted on: 19 Nov 2021
Hitting behind the ball is one of the most frustrating encounters a golfer can have when making a full swing and especially in the short game. Most players struggle with hitting the ground behind the ball for one of the following reasons: • Weight staying back on trail foot thru impact; • An early release […]
Set-Up Sequence for Alignment Success
Posted on: 01 Sep 2021
One of the best ways to find proper alignment when putting is to sequence your set-up appropriately. Many amateurs walk into a putt by setting the feet first, then take the grip, and finally try to align the putter face toward the target. Unfortunately, this set up sequence of Body-Grip-Putter can cause players to get […]
Speed vs. Accuracy- Not Quite a Fair Debate
Posted on: 26 Jul 2021
Absolutely. Speed vs. Accuracy isn’t quite a fair debate. Most amateur players swing slow and hit it crooked because of poor movement patterns and poor club face control. Think about it: If the club face is wide open during the swing, it’s difficult to swing hard without losing the face completely. Most players slow down […]
Grip Keys
Posted on: 28 May 2021
The reality is that how a player holds a golf club is critical to his or her ability to influence it. In order to apply forces to swing the club and control the club face, a player must have a functional grip. A poor grip is a (perhaps THE) leading cause of amateur struggles. The […]
Fix the Tops- Fix Your Radius
Posted on: 10 May 2021
Topped shots result when a player’s swing radius shortens through impact. This can happen several ways, but most common is over-bending of the arms. To remedy this, two easy drills: 1) Place a tee in the ground a few inches in front of the ball being hit. Make sure the tee is level with the […]
Backswing Secrets: Key Fundamentals
Posted on: 19 Mar 2021
Improving the backswing is a mighty goal of many players- even top professionals work on this part of the swing! However, it’s important to realize that a good backswing is derived from a quality grip and set-up position paired with athletic body motion in the takeaway. If these fundamentals are correct, the backswing becomes more […]
Don't be a Duff, Lay-up out of Rough
Posted on: 04 Mar 2021
Escaping deep rough while advancing the ball a long distance requires tremendous club head speed. Unless you are a high-speed player, the odds are in your favor to lay-up in the fairway and attempt to get up and down. Even if you do have speed, we often see many tour players still lay-up out of […]
Simple Yet Effective
Posted on: 04 Feb 2021
A 4ft ruler from your local hardware store. The yellow ones are best as one side is blank and even comes with a 1/4″ hole pre-drilled at the end. Place your golf ball on the drilled hole and putt down the ruler at various speeds on a level surface. If your golf ball makes it […]
When Playing In The Wind, Manage Your Spin
Posted on: 23 Nov 2020
When playing in windy conditions, a key element to a player’s success is to manage the amount of spin put on shots. Many player’s try to hit down on the golf ball to flight it low in the wind (ie: ball position more back in stance at address). Unfortunately, this can lead to also creating […]
Learn the Stock Pitch Shot for Short-game Success
Posted on: 02 Oct 2020
For amateurs looking to improve their short-game, the most important shot to learn is the basic 15 yard pitch. While most short-game instruction stresses the importance of the low running chip shot, a stock pitch shot is a better option to actually build short-game technique around. The reason for this is that once one has […]
Green Reading and Speed Control are Key
Posted on: 20 Aug 2020
Golfers may 3-putt for several reasons, but the top two stand out: 1) Poor Green Reading 2) Poor Speed Control The first, poor green reading, is the number one cause of 3-putting that I see. If you think the putt is uphill right-to-left, and it’s actually downhill left-to-right, you haven’t got a chance. Poor green […]
A Dynamic Impact Requires Dynamic Practice
Posted on: 06 Aug 2020
Where the hands should be at impact is a common question many amateurs ask. While it’s understandable to think practicing getting the hands in the proper spot at impact would help achieve better contact, a couple points to consider: 1) In a real golf swing (not a drill) impact is dynamic- it’s a motion, not […]
Make Warming Up a Warm Up- Not a Practice Session
Posted on: 16 Jul 2020
When warming up before a round, the best advice I can give is to literally treat your time as a warm-up. You should not be trying to work on your swing (a common amateur mistake). That’s what practice time is for. Warm up time, instead, should be utilized to get your body and mind ready […]
Nervous? Where's your attention?
Posted on: 15 May 2020
The first thing when feeling nervous is to understand that nerves are natural. I like to say if you’re not nervous, you’re not ready! Second, nerves are just excess energy and normally dissipate on their own. Simply having this awareness alone, paired with the understanding that nerves aren’t something to fret about, can help many […]
Impact Spot, Club Face, and Carry Distance are Key
Posted on: 04 Mar 2020
Launch monitor technology is invaluable tech for any golfer who is serious about improvement. Devices like TrackMan or FlightScope provide important feedback to measure your current technique and improvements over time, as well as to dial in your club fitting needs. The key is to find a certified instructor or fitter who can utilize the […]
The best part is seeing talented players with different areas of expertise win at the tour level- big bombers and short game aficionados alike
Posted on: 11 Jan 2020
Absolutely. Today, more than ever, we have the opportunity to watch the best in the world compete at the highest level of competition. The best part is seeing talented players with different areas of expertise win at the tour level- big bombers and short game aficionados alike. In addition, it’s exciting to have players from […]