Insight from Philip Cardwell on Backswing.com:
Widen to Shorten
Posted on: 29 Mar 2023
I rarely use the term “shorten” when it comes to the backswing. Often times this will lead a player into not completing their swing. Most of the great players of all time stressed the importance of completing their swing when under pressure. An incomplete swing usually results in poor rhythm which is the “glue” to […]
Slow=Low
Posted on: 14 Feb 2023
Assuming controlling trajectory usually means lowering ball flight. The simplest way is to take one or 2 more clubs and swing slower than normal. This brings down the ball speed and backspin rate. There are also setup changes such as leaning more to target foot, playing the ball back in the stance. This tends to […]
Widen out that backswing!
Posted on: 08 Aug 2022
Many times people people confuse a long backswing with an overswing. I often here coaches trying to shorten a long swing telling a student to only go back 3/4 or 1/2. I believe this is the wrong approach and a bit of a conundrum. We have heard many of the great players talk about the […]
Divot or No Divot? It Depends!!
Posted on: 31 Jul 2022
It is definitely true that most of the great iron players took a divot after they struck their golf ball. That being said the many of the greatest ball strikers of all time took shallow divots or no divot unless the shot required them to do so. There are so many different lies that the […]
To sway or not to sway
Posted on: 27 Jun 2022
The history of golf certainly has shown and continues to show that there are many ways to swing. Nowhere is that more true than in the backswing. It seems to me that many instructors today are very against lateral motion in the backswing. I’m not sure why because most of the players in the hall […]
Find one who can beat you!
Posted on: 06 Jun 2022
When I was young learning to play I was lucky to have a fantastic instructor. He taught me solid fundamentals and on course instruction to become my own best coach. I was referred to him by the best players from my area. I suggest you ask the better players in your area who to work […]
Distance control in Greenside Sand
Posted on: 07 Mar 2022
Controlling distance from green side sand is a must have skill. It is actually quite simple. Players must first learn the main skill in a bunker which is learning to compress the sand out of the bunker in a desired direction. If the technique is sound, the ball will go exactly in the direction the […]
Open up and move that ball forward!
Posted on: 07 Feb 2022
A blocked tee shot is usually a shot that comes from the fear of a hook. Those that have closed club face issues usually have an overly in to out path as well. If the face to path ratio is perfect, a nice draw is the result. All is good! If that ratio is off […]
3 wood go far!
Posted on: 20 Sep 2021
The 3 metal can be a fantastic weapon on the tee box. In fact, many players actually hit the 3 farther than their driver on average. This happens for many reasons: Shorter shaft = center face contact More loft = less side spin More loft = more carry distance for lower club speed I think […]
#6 Mesa Country Club. Mesa, AZ
Posted on: 22 Feb 2021
I have always loved #6 at Mesa CC designed Billy Bell 1948. The hole is so far from what one would picture in the Sonoran desert. The tee shot is one of the most intimidating in golf. The ball must thread the needle through o shoot of giant eucalyptus trees, carry the Arizona Canal 220 […]
Patience and solid contact
Posted on: 23 Nov 2020
Having spent 3 summers as the Teaching Professional at Sankaty Head Golf Club on Nantucket Island has given me vast experience playing in the wind. Nearly every day the wind would blow 30 MPH. It was more common to se 50 MPH than below 20 MPH. The most important thing in my opinion is center […]
The inside path to better golf
Posted on: 10 Sep 2020
As a golf instructor helping a “slicer” experience a hook/draw is very exciting for both the teacher and the player. It is critical for long term development of a player to learn to hit an intentional hook. Nearly every low handicap player develops this skill. The ingredients for the hook/draw are simple. Through impact the […]
Beathpage Black Course In Farmingdale NY
Posted on: 27 Aug 2020
The Black Course at Bethpage State Park is one of the absolute best tests of golf in the world. The Black Course has hosted two US Opens and one PGA Championship and will soon host the Ryder Cup. Although extremely difficult, it is equally fair which is why I love it. It is always in […]
Anyone who allowed their lead heel to rise in the backswing
Posted on: 22 Jul 2020
It has perplexed me for many years that golf instruction has gone away from copying the amazing footwork evident in most all of the players in the hall of fame. One of the hallmarks of the great players is superb footwork. Nearly EVERY great player has allowed their lead heal to come up as they […]
Calm Yourself with a Ball Toss
Posted on: 15 May 2020
First tee jitters are a good thing. It means you are engaged and you care about the adventure you are about to experience. Embrace it! Nervousness and excitement are the same emotion. Sometimes it gets a bit overwhelming, especially when you can feel your heartbeat. This means your mind is “racing” and you need a […]
In today’s Information Age, less is more
Posted on: 07 Dec 2019
What a great question. I try to instill in my students that there is a lot of information out there. I relate to that info as “medicine”. When someone is sick, they go to a doctor and the doctor will prescribe the right medicine for that particular illness. Taking the wrong medicine will usually make […]
Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale, NY
Posted on: 18 Jul 2019
That is such a hard question to answer because I have been fortunate to play so many great clubs both for fun and in tournament competition. I think I would have to say Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale, NY. It is very difficult for the expert player to shoot a low score but it […]