Core Concepts for Your Long Game Clubs

From Cameron McCormick On November 03, 2022
With the longest clubs in your bag – driver, fairway metals and hybrids – it's important to have good control of contact and direction. This is because the longer the club, the faster the golf ball is... traveling. The faster the ball is traveling off-line, the further the ball is traveling off-line. And the further the ball travels off-line, the more strokes it's going to cost you.

So, what can you do to deal with such narrow margins for error? You seek help from an expert and we were lucky enough to hear from Titleist staff member Cameron McCormick. In this video, Cameron reveals an important core concept that applies to all long game clubs – extension through impact. He also details some foundational elements in setup that differ between the driver (where the ball is teed up) and fairway metals and hybrids (where the ball is struck from off the turf). These adjustments to ball position (relative to both your stance and your center of mass) are critical to solid strikes and square impact with the longer clubs.

Follow Cam's setup keys and practice his post-impact extension drill to get the most out of your long game:

• Use alignment sticks or club shafts whenever you practice. Set one stick up parallel to your target line and another perpendicular to the target line, in line with the ball. Over time, this visual reference will help you build consistency into your setup.

• For tee shots with the driver, position the golf ball forward in your stance (off the instep of your left foot for a right-handed golfer). You also need your center off mass to be behind the ball. Test this by holding the handle of your driver loosely against your sternum. Let the clubhead hang down. It should fall in the middle of your stance or even slightly to the right of the center of your stance. Setting up this way promotes an upward (positive) angle of attack into the ball, a key to longer driver distance.

• For shots struck off the turf with fairway metals or hybrids, position the the golf ball in the middle or just ahead of the middle of your stance (closer to your left foot for a right-handed golfer). For these shots, your center of mass will ideally be even with the ball at impact. Test this by holding the handle of your fairway or hybrid loosely against your sternum. Let the clubhead hang down. It should fall over the middle of your stance, even with the golf ball. Setting up this way promotes a level or slightly downward (negative) angle of attack into the ball, a key to crisp, ball-first-then-turf strikes.

• Extension through the ball is a great in-swing concept that produces excellent results with all long game clubs. To practice it, position your clubhead on the ground where your golf ball would ultimately rest. Extend your arms, grip and clubhead out towards the target, brushing the grass beyond the ball's position as you do so. Progress to making short backswings and brush the grass where the golf ball would be sitting, recreating that extension post-impact to the target. Through impact, you should feel like your arms have more extension than they did at address. This drill will improve your radius control, ensuring that your arms don't shorten up through impact, a key culprit in many thin and topped shots withe the longer clubs.
With the longest clubs in your bag – driver, fairway metals and hybrids – it's ... important to have good control of contact and direction. This is because the longer the club, the faster the golf ball is traveling. The faster the ball is traveling off-line, the further the ball is traveling off-line. And the further the ball travels off-line, the more strokes it's going to cost you.

So, what can you do to deal with such narrow margins for error? You seek help from an expert and we were lucky enough to hear from Titleist staff member Cameron McCormick. In this video, Cameron reveals an important core concept that applies to all long game clubs – extension through impact. He also details some foundational elements in setup that differ between the driver (where the ball is teed up) and fairway metals and hybrids (where the ball is struck from off the turf). These adjustments to ball position (relative to both your stance and your center of mass) are critical to solid strikes and square impact with the longer clubs.

Follow Cam's setup keys and practice his post-impact extension drill to get the most out of your long game:

• Use alignment sticks or club shafts whenever you practice. Set one stick up parallel to your target line and another perpendicular to the target line, in line with the ball. Over time, this visual reference will help you build consistency into your setup.

• For tee shots with the driver, position the golf ball forward in your stance (off the instep of your left foot for a right-handed golfer). You also need your center off mass to be behind the ball. Test this by holding the handle of your driver loosely against your sternum. Let the clubhead hang down. It should fall in the middle of your stance or even slightly to the right of the center of your stance. Setting up this way promotes an upward (positive) angle of attack into the ball, a key to longer driver distance.

• For shots struck off the turf with fairway metals or hybrids, position the the golf ball in the middle or just ahead of the middle of your stance (closer to your left foot for a right-handed golfer). For these shots, your center of mass will ideally be even with the ball at impact. Test this by holding the handle of your fairway or hybrid loosely against your sternum. Let the clubhead hang down. It should fall over the middle of your stance, even with the golf ball. Setting up this way promotes a level or slightly downward (negative) angle of attack into the ball, a key to crisp, ball-first-then-turf strikes.

• Extension through the ball is a great in-swing concept that produces excellent results with all long game clubs. To practice it, position your clubhead on the ground where your golf ball would ultimately rest. Extend your arms, grip and clubhead out towards the target, brushing the grass beyond the ball's position as you do so. Progress to making short backswings and brush the grass where the golf ball would be sitting, recreating that extension post-impact to the target. Through impact, you should feel like your arms have more extension than they did at address. This drill will improve your radius control, ensuring that your arms don't shorten up through impact, a key culprit in many thin and topped shots withe the longer clubs.
24 Videos
Filter:
  1. Instructor
  2. Alex Buckner
  3. Brad Faxon
  4. Dan Whittaker
  5. Dr. Mo Pickens
  6. Matt Leach
  7. Matthew Johns
  8. Sophie Walker
  9. Cameron McCormick
  10. James Sieckmann
  11. Mark Blackburn
  12. Michael Breed
  13. Trillium Rose
  14. Jonathan Yarwood
  15. Dave Phillips
  16. Brandon Stooksbury
  17. Justin Parsons
  18. Layne Savoie
  19. Dr. Rob Neal
  20. Dr. Greg Rose
  21. Skip Guss
  22. Jason Baile
  23. John Kostis
  24. Jennifer Hudson
  25. Ryan Hager
  26. Corey Lundberg
  27. Tom Patri
  1. Club
  2. Driver
  3. Fairway
  4. Hybrid
  5. Utility Iron
  6. Iron
  7. Wedge
  8. Putter
  1. Drill
  2. Fundamentals
  3. Shot Shaping
  4. Anti-hook
  5. Anti-slice
  6. Alignment
  7. Tight Lie
  8. Long Rough
  9. Bunker Play
  10. Consistency
  11. Distance Control
  12. Trajectory

Master the Up and Down with the Scales Drill

From Cameron McCormick On January 29, 2024
Titleist Staff Member Cameron McCormick is here with one of his favorite short...

How to Escape Greenside Bunkers

From Cameron McCormick On June 15, 2023
Add this crosshair bunker drill from Titleist Staff Member Cameron McCormick to...

How to Pitch It Closer from the Fairway or Rough

From Cameron McCormick On May 24, 2023
Not all shots are created equal and when you're facing different lies, whether...

Improve Your Ball Striking with Low Point Laneway Drill

From Cameron McCormick On March 02, 2023
Titleist Staff Member Cameron McCormick is here with one of his favorite drills...

Core Concepts for Your Long Game Clubs

From Cameron McCormick On November 03, 2022
With the longest clubs in your bag – driver, fairway metals and hybrids – it's...

Titleist Tips: Gamify Your Putting Practice

From Cameron McCormick, Corey Lundberg On September 14, 2021
Touch on the greens is a hard feat. In this video, Cameron and Corey from Altus...

Titleist Tips: Pre-Round Putting Drill

From Cameron McCormick, Corey Lundberg On September 14, 2021
Hitting some putts before a round is great, but not if it's done aimlessly. In...

Titleist Tips: 8 Ball Putting Drill

From Cameron McCormick, Corey Lundberg On September 14, 2021
Do you struggle making 5-15 foot putts? You're certainly not alone. Managing...

Fix Your Hook

From Cameron McCormick, Corey Lundberg On August 12, 2021
It's hard to control a hook. We need an active solution. The over-hook occurs...

How to Stop Hitting the Ground Before the Ball

From Cameron McCormick, Corey Lundberg On August 12, 2021
Do you have a problem with hitting the ground before the ball? This problem...

Titleist Tips | Gain Seven More Yards Off the Tee Right Now

From Cameron McCormick, Corey Lundberg On August 12, 2021
Do you want to gain some distance and ball speed without going to the gym,...

Fix Your Hook: Stop Swinging In-to-Out

From Cameron McCormick, Corey Lundberg On August 12, 2021
Do you swing too much inside out? If you do, you very likely hit a push or a...

Titleist Tips | Stabilize Your Putting: Quiet Hands and Steady Body

From Cameron McCormick On August 12, 2021
If you talk to just about any great putter, they'll eventually mention quiet...

Keys to Hand Path, Swing Plane, and Attack Angle

From Cameron McCormick, Corey Lundberg On August 12, 2021
Do you think you swing over the top? Do you all your friends constantly say so?...

How To Hit A Short-Sided Bank Shot

From Cameron McCormick On April 06, 2021
Knowing where to miss shots is a critical part of every player’s strategy...

Control Low Point for Success with Fairway Metals

From Cameron McCormick, Corey Lundberg On January 27, 2021
Unless you're one of those rare golfers who has dedicated a lot of practice time...

Your Playbook for Stopping The Slice

From Cameron McCormick, Corey Lundberg On January 27, 2021
In golf, there is no problem more common than the slice, a shot that curves...

Titleist Tips: 3 Point Game to Improve Shot Making Skills

From Cameron McCormick, Corey Lundberg On December 30, 2020
So how do you build a confident degree of certainty in your shot-making? It...

Titleist Tips: Tai Chi Reps for Improved Golf

From Cameron McCormick On March 26, 2020
Titleist staff instructor Cameron McCormick discusses the value of practicing...

A High-Spin Escape Shot When You’re Short-Sided

From Cameron McCormick On March 24, 2020
Titleist staff member Cameron McCormick has a solution - a “wide, sliding...

Downhill Wedge Off a Tight Lie

From Cameron McCormick On March 24, 2020
The keys to this shot are solid contact (to ensure that you clear the water) and...

Scrambling from the Tree Line

From Cameron McCormick On March 24, 2020
During nearly every round, a player is bound to find trouble and get out out of...

Titleist Tips: Short-Sided Bunker Shot

From Cameron McCormick On March 24, 2020
Knowing where to miss golf shots is often just as important as knowing where to...

Front Loft Wedge Shot

From Cameron McCormick On March 24, 2020
The Masters places a premium on approach play. Because the effective landing...
Results loading...
No results

Titleist Instruction Newsletter

Sign up to receive the latest tips from Titleist Instruction