Follow Jordan Spieth’s Process from Start to Finish to Hit it Close

Beginning

• You begin by choosing a starting line. The best way to practice this is with the driver. Next time you find yourself on the practice range start hitting drives with a very specific starting point. Since 99% of those reading this don’t hit straight drives, the starting point will be different than the finishing place. Be specific in your practice and choose that starting target. Follow through to that spot every time and let the ball bend toward the target.
• Aiming at the end target when you know the ball will always curve leads to reactionary golf. Stop that trend and start accounting for the bend. Watch on the range as your shots not only become more consistent, but more solid. A powerful combination to playing better golf.

Middle

• The next step is to practice the middle. Great short game players know you need an intermediate target to get the ball close. They pick a landing spot. In watching and listening to Jordan it’s obvious he selects where he wants the ball to land to get it close. The average golfer just hits it at the hole. You must consider the ground and how it will affect the shot. Picking a landing area and then making sure you hit it the spot rather than at the hole will help you score.
• PGA Coaches always love to lay down targets on the green when practicing their chipping. This helps them focus on their landing place rather than get distracted by the hole. Practice selecting and hitting your landing target and the ball will continually get closer to the hole.

End

• Spieth’s shots tend to go in because he looks at the entire situation. Follow the shot he played on the 5th hole yesterday from the fairway. His landing target was beyond the hole. He certainly could have landed the ball in front of the hole and bounced it up. But he didn’t. He chose to land it past the hole and spin it back into the cup. The everyday golfer only sees a straight line to the hole.

• Be creative in your approach to playing golf. Sure, Jordan can spin it back and you cannot. That’s not the point, the significance is that if he just bounced it up there it probably won’t get close. It doesn’t always have to go in to be a great shot. Golf courses are designed to give you all sorts of options. Make a personal choice to really focus on the area around the hole. The best route might not always be the most obvious one.