GW_Sept.pdf

AT HOME WITH THE SHARKGREG NORMAN ON LIFE, BUSINESS AND HIS GREATEST MAJOR BLOW-UPSMcILROY EXCLUSIVERORY’SSCORINGSECRETSThe World No.1 reveals his 6keys to shooting super low scoresPLUS His best tips to help youhit it longer, straighter and closerUS PGAPREVIEW> Whistling Straitscourse guide> Gary Player Q&A> The new DustinJohnsonSEPTEMBER 2015 £4.50IAN POULTER“Golf needs to thinkmore about spectators”GREAT GOLFSpotlights on Arizona,Belek and SotograndeGEAR EXCLUSIVEFirst look at Ping’s newi-Series and G-Max irons

XXXXXXXXXXXXOPEN REVIEWMAGICJOHNSONZach Johnson produced a stunning final round and won a three-man play-off toclaim his second major title. Kit Alexander witnessed the drama in St Andrews.

Learn a simplergolf swingA swing concept that is simple to grasp andeffortlessly promotes an orthodox movement.When you picture thegolf swing simply asthe clubhead movingin a circle around you,technical issues likeplane, arc and rhythmfall naturally into place.To perform any motor skill, it’s vital we havea clear mental picture of what we’re tryingto achieve. When we have a clear image, themovements needed to execute it presentthemselves, such as hammering a nail.However, when it comes to hitting a golfball this vision is usually blurred. The varioustechnical aspects of the swing, coupled withthe language used to express them, tend tocreate more confusion than clarity; and thiscreates many common swing flaws.I believe there’s a simpler way – an allencompassingconcept known as the CircleSwing. This is an easy-to-grasp approachthat syncs up your mind and body, whileautomatically taking care of all those littletechnical details that can bog us down.Here, I’ll show you how it works andexplain why it’s so effective. Plus, you’ll learnhow the Circle Swing can cure your flawsand help you progress faster and easier.BY STEVENORREngland GolfRegional Coach86Golf World August September 2015 2015

INSTRUCTIONUnderstanding the Circle SwingTo grasp the Circle Swing, see yourself standing in the middle of a large circle, set at an angle. Your chest represents the centreof the circle; the clubhead and golf ball are sitting at the bottom of the circle, on its perimeter. To picture the angle for the circle,imagine a line running from your sternum to the ball.The Circle Swing concept asks you to feelthe clubhead tracing the circle’s perimeteras it swings around you. This ‘external focus’helps you respond more effectively to themomentum created by the swinging club.STARTING THE SWINGNATURAL WIDTHStart the Circle Swing by imagining theclubhead has its own power source, asmall motor that moves it away smoothlyfrom the ball. As the clubhead traces thecircle’s arc back, it automatically createsthe width every swing needs for powerand coordination.PHOTOGRAPHY: BOB ATKINS. SHOT AT STOKE PARK, BUCKS: VISIT WWW.STOKEPARK.COMThe more technical your thinkingbecomes, the harder you’ll find itto develop flow and rhythm. Butby simply thinking about keepingthe clubhead moving on the circleyou free your mind to createnatural coordination and speed.AT THE TOPNATURALON-PLANE MOTIONSwing plane is set by the shaft angle ataddress. With good set-up angles, theclub starts on plane and it will onlymove off-plane if you manipulate it.A clear image of the clubhead tracingthat wide circle makes it less likelyyou’ll interfere with the club path.September 2015 Golf World 87

BATTLE GROUNDWhistling Straits is not just the host venue for this years’s PGA Championship,it’s prime territory that two of America’s most powerful golf organisations – theUSGA and US PGA – have been fighting over for more than a decade, says Tony Dear.58 Golf World The Open Issue 2015

WHISTLING STRAITSYou’ll never hear it spoken ofcourse, but it’s a pretty safebet that there were a fewfolks at the PGA of Americaquietly delighted by theplayers’ harsh comments about thecourse during this year’s US Open atChambers Bay.The United States Golf Association(USGA), which conducts the US OpenChampionship, and the ProfessionalGolfers Association, which stages the(US)PGA Championship, have a rockyrelationship at times. Of course, the twobodies are too careful and too clever toallow their reservations towards eachother spill out into a full-blown mediaconfrontation, but there is definitely anelement of one upmanship between them.In 2013, the USGA made a standagainst anchoring long putters, somethingthat the PGA President at the time TedBishop was clearly opposed to. Then inAugust last year, the USGA announcedits new TV deal with Fox Sports on theeve of the PGA Championship – a movethat Golf Channel reporter John Hawkinsdescribed as a ‘serious breach of etiquette’,and a ‘burp at the dinner table amongheads of state’. In a tweet, BrandtSnedeker, hardly one of the most vocaland opinionated of players, said the timingseemed ‘petty’. “Couldn’t wait?” he added.During the late 1990s, part of theantagonism was centred aroundWhistling Straits, venue for this year’s

INSTRUCTIONTOUR INSTRUCTIONMy 5 BestLessonsChris WoodThe 2015 Lyoness Open winner shares his grip,alignment, pitching, chipping and putting tips.CHRISWOODWorld Ranking: 78Stroke average: 71.0Fairways hit: 63.7%Putts per GIR: 1.74

INSTRUCTION1IMaintain a solid and consistent gripwas hitting it terribly in practice whenI got to the final stages of EuropeanTour Qualifying School six years ago.I rang my coach the night before thefirst round and we immediatelyidentified the problem.I had a history of fidgety hands on thegrip. My long, skinny fingers werealways moving and affecting mybackswing. With no steady grippressure I was getting cupped andclosed at the top of the backswing.I was all over the place.I’ve always struggled to get myfingers comfortable on the grip and it’ssomething a lot of golfers with largehands have problems with. When I wasa teenager I went two weeks withdouble-sided tape on my grips.I couldn’t move my hands once I’dgripped the club, but we came up witha better solution on that phone call.I finished 5th to kick-start my careerand this is the drill that helped me.Promote a solid and consistentgrip pressure by holding a pieceof card between the thumb andfinger of the left hand.Keeping the card in position throughout my swing stopsmy hands from moving and maintains a consistent grippressure, improving my club control and backswing.September 2015 Golf World 81

EXCLUSIVEMCILROY’S BEST LESSONSIMPROVE FROMTEE TO GREENWITHRORY McILROYThe US PGA Champion reveals what he’s focused on to improve year-on-year...and top coaches explain what you can learn from his tee-to-green improvements.September 2014 Golf World 39