Cameron McCormick, left, and Jordan Spieth at the 2020 Masters.
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Cameron McCormick starts out somber.
Pieces, he says.
Blades.
Excessively high iron shots “that travel much shorter than they should.”
But the mood quickly improves. He says the terrible triad has a symptom and a cure.
McCormick, a top 100 GOLF teacher AND of Jordan Spieth longtime instructor, was speaking in a video recently posted to his Instagram account — which you can watch in full here — and the cause behind the problems, he said, is an “overactive” trailing hand (your right hand if you’re right-handed) in motion.
“That overactive right hand,” McCormick said in the video, “basically causes the grip, this end of the grip (he gestured toward the end of the grip, near the shaft), and therefore the clubhead, to roll down toward it grinds in too early, causing that greasy contact, causing that high dynamic loft and high launch irons.”
So what is the fix?
In practice swings, McCormick uses what he calls “a pencil grip.”
Here, McCormick holds the end of the grip between his right thumb and right forefinger while keeping his left hand in its normal position — so the hands are inches apart — before swinging, driving the club behind the golf ball with his left hand. He then grips the club normally.
“And you’re going to see the effect that has,” he said in the video. “It’s actually increasing the angle between your lead arm and the shaft of the club.
“Without skipping a beat, place your hands again correctly, relax the involvement of the right hand, and then blend it into a full movement. It will eliminate greasy contact, (and) drop the launch angle of your golf ball, providing more ball speed and longer distance.”
Has the author tried it? You bet. The result? The movement is fluid. Feedback is also immediate.
Let’s continue the small talk. Below is text from an article published by GOLF.com in 2022 and written by Top 100 Teacher Kellie Stenzelwith the title: “10 Ways to Stop Your Irons from Shattering”:
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There are few shots in golf more frustrating than hitting the ground too soon before the shot. Fat shots not only leave you feeling out of shape, with your tee traveling farther than the ball, but they also leave you with little time to “get it out” before attempting the same shot again!
Follow this plan to avoid losses from turf tearing:
1. Check your posture
One of the most common set-up mistakes I see from golfers who hit a lot of heavy shots is a very tight stance in the set-up, with the golfer standing too close to the ball and club. Leaning back to give yourself more space between your body and club can be a simple adjustment that can result in immediate improvement.
2. Position your club correctly
Club soles are designed to help the club glide through the ground. If you incorrectly twist the club as you put it down so that the sole is not properly on the ground, the leading edge can easily get stuck and dig. Assuming your grips are installed correctly, simply making sure the marks are centered on the grip when placed behind the ball can prevent the leading edge from catching and digging.
3. Minimize axle lean
If your club leans too far forward at impact, the leading edge can dig in. This happens more often with short-game shots because shorter shots don’t generate enough speed to compensate for digging tendencies. If you’re prone to angled “dig” shots, at address make sure the end of the club grip points more towards the center line of your body.
4. Correct ball position
If your ball position is too far forward, you will likely hit the ground ahead of the ball. I tell my students, “You’re hitting the ground where the ball should be.” For hybrid shots, wood and iron, your ball position should not be as far as your driver. If you are hitting the ground in front of the ball, try simply moving the ball position back to where your club is hitting the ground.
5. Focus on your separation
In your forward motion, you should have an athletic pivot where your heel comes off the ground. (Keeping the back foot flat will often result in a fat shot.) This shift and rotation will help you get separation after the shot. Practice a pitching motion to get a feel for and produce the proper pivot you should try to add to your swing.
6. Round back
While all swings are different and there are so many versions of good swings, the backswing and almost all of the correct golf swing is circular. When you do a correct backswing, where your lead armpit should stay closer to your chest, the resulting rotation will induce a circular turn, instead of a turn that is wrongly towards your back. When your rear end turns the corner and becomes circular, this will prevent it from leaning too far and digging into the ground. The resulting shallower swing path will not only help your club slide through the ground, but also produce more power.
7. Swing to your point of flexibility (and not beyond!)
The length of a golfer’s backswing is generally determined by their flexibility. More flexible golfers tend to have longer swings. Less flexible players have shorter turns – and that’s okay! You don’t want to move past your point of flexibility. Excessive movement can lead to injury; also, when you swing beyond your body’s comfort level, your swing plane tends to shift up and become steeper, causing dig in before impact. To test how far your body will allow you to move back, drop to your knees and swing your arms back as far as you can without letting your lower body collapse. This will tell you your range of motion and how far you should swing the club.
8. Width of stay
At address, your stance should be about hip-width apart and slightly wider for the driver. When your stance becomes too wide, you increase the number of possible places your club can hit the ground. Narrowing your stance will also help your swing be more rotational and less lateral, minimizing the chance of hitting the ground in front of the ball. If your stance is the right width for your swing, when you rotate your body through the stroke, your right knee should meet your left without a gap between them.
9. Hybrids are your friends
Hybrids have a wider heel than irons and so are more likely to slide across the ground. If you hit a lot of fat fairways, consider swapping out your low to mid irons for hybrids.
10. Find the right wedges
Raised wedges have bounce on them, which basically means when the sole hits the ground, the back edge of the club is closer to the ground than the front edge. There are some amazing wedges in which the swing is so well designed that with good technique you can hardly get the club to dig. This is very helpful for players who hit a lot of fat shots, because if you know the club isn’t going to dig in, there’s no reason to fear actually slamming the club into the ground.
When you’re practicing or playing and you hit a fat, reacting quickly and making the necessary adjustments is essential not only to improve your contact, but also to maintain your confidence. Experiment with the tips above to see what works best for you. Your game will thank you for it, and so will your supervisor.
