Insight from Erik Barzeski on Backswing.com:
Grip it With Impact Force
Posted on: 12 Aug 2022
Just before impact, a golf club can pull with over 100 pounds of force. You’ve gotta hold onto the club pretty firmly or it will slip from your hands. I’m a fan of gripping the club the same level of firmness throughout the swing, which means gripping it fairly firmly at setup and throughout, so […]
Do Your Homework
Posted on: 06 Jun 2022
Instructors like students who are committed to the process, because improving at golf is not often “take one lesson” type of situation. Often instructors like to see a student three or five times over the course of several months to continue to build and refine. So, it’s important to do your homework when choosing an […]
Commonalities and Windows
Posted on: 09 May 2022
There are a lot of differences in the swings of the best players and few commonalities. By considering ranges, however, the commonalities will increase in number. By considering these ranges, in addition to the commonalities that exist within patterns, you can start to consider the whole.
Get the Weight (and Pressure) Forward
Posted on: 19 Nov 2021
Good golfers get their weight and their pressure forward during the downswing, with PGA Tour players getting as much as 80-95% of their pressure under the left foot at impact. Sure, most bad golfers flip, but they flip because their weight/pressure isn’t forward enough. They often sway back a bit too far during the backswing, […]
Hit Your Driver
Posted on: 20 Sep 2021
Most people think they’re more accurate with their 3W than their driver, but that’s not true in countless studies. They’re shorter, for sure, but they’re just as accurate or less so than they are with driver. The driver is easier to hit (it’s larger, you tee up the ball higher) than the 3W, which is […]
In the Fingers!
Posted on: 28 May 2021
Far too many people grip the golf club in the palms. If you grip the club on the ground like you would at setup, it naturally sits across the palm. Instead, grip the club in the air so your fingers can go “across” the grip rather than down the grip. I tell many students that […]
Situational Awareness
Posted on: 07 Jan 2021
I think that taking students to the course and putting them in a variety of situations – a sort of “modified” playing lesson – where you can talk through the options and then play them out, can be some of the best time spent on the golf course.
Hit an Extra Club, Hit it Solid, and Play the Wind
Posted on: 23 Nov 2020
I tell my students three things when playing in the wind: 1. Hit an extra club. If you hit your 7-iron 165, hit a 6-iron from 165 instead (assuming a cross-wind that doesn’t really affect your playing yardage). The ball will come out lower, and with a bit less spin, both of which stabilize the […]
30-Day Indoor Plan
Posted on: 02 Nov 2020
In April I created a whole 30-day plan at with videos and a brief description of each day’s drill.
Learn a Basic Chip
Posted on: 02 Oct 2020
I define a chip shot as a shot that has minimal moving parts and is hit with a de-lofted club that engages a bit of the leading edge. It’s best chosen when there’s a bit of a cushion under the ball, as it’s not the most forgiving motion, but it is one of the simplest. […]
Learn Distance Control
Posted on: 19 Aug 2020
Most three-putts occurs because of poor speed: a golfer leaves a putt well short or blasts it well past the hole. You’ve heard the advice to “not decel on it” but I’m here to tell you that’s WRONG. The best putters OFTEN DECEL their putts… and it’s a big part of why they’re so good […]
It's Just a Game
Posted on: 15 May 2020
I’ll answer this one in two parts. First, nerves are a sign that you care. If you weren’t a little nervous, I’d wonder why you’re even playing the game. Calm the nerves by doing something you’ve done thousands of times before – your pre-shot routine. If you don’t have one, DEVELOP one! If you’ve heard […]
You're not John Daly. My answer to this question for almost everyone is to work on swing length for your partial wedge shots.
Posted on: 26 Feb 2020
John Daly once asked Tiger why he practiced so much, and Tiger said something like “John if I had half the talent you have in your pinkie finger, I wouldn’t need to practice as much as I do.” John Daly made a full backswing, with his club draping down his back, on even 60-yard wedge […]
Absolutely. All golfers have a few (I'd say five) commonalities, and a whole lot of different preferences
Posted on: 11 Jan 2020
Absolutely. All golfers have a few (I’d say five) commonalities, and a whole lot of different preferences, like grip strength, alignment, how far off their ribs the trail elbow gets in the backswing, and a whole lot more. Golfers should notice and focus on the commonalities in their own practice, though. We call them the […]
I will fairly thoroughly check range of motion, etc.
Posted on: 08 Nov 2019
I am generally not a fan of conducting anything like a full screening before getting down to the lesson. It is often irrelevant if a student’s left elbow has a restriction if what we’re working on is their knee work. Which is not to say I don’t ever check on anything here – I will […]
If the grip is noticeably firm, or slick
Posted on: 19 Aug 2019
It depends on many factors, but if the grip is noticeably firm, or slick, then you’re past the time when you should have replaced the grip.
A "Driveway Marker" Stick
Posted on: 16 Jul 2019
Half the time I visit Lowe’s it’s to buy something for my home. The other half of the time… it’s to buy something for training golfers. That said, the single best item is a $2.99 “driveway marker” stick. Orange or yellow, most often, and sometimes with a metal cap and/or reflective tape, these are found […]