Now by Devin Doyle
Devin Doyle believes that golf begins with clean contact, and the simplest key is balance Set your feet shoulder-width apart and let your weight rest evenly between your feet, not on your heels or toes. Keep your chin up so your shoulders can turn freely. Start the club back low to the ground, then hinge your wrists naturally At the top, feel a quiet pause before you shift pressure into your lead foot Turn through the ball with a steady head and a full finish that points your chest at the target. Record your swing on your phone to check posture, tempo, and grip pressure after each bucket, and use an alignment stick to confirm that your feet and shoulders are aligned.
Distance helps, yet control wins more holes. Build a repeatable wedge system by mapping three swing lengths with three lofts Use waist-high, chest-high, and full swings with your 50, 54, and 58, then note the exact carry numbers on the range and write them on a small card. On the course, select the carry that flies to your landing spot and let the ball release naturally. Practice a one-hop stop shot by leaning the shaft slightly forward and accelerating your hands through impact. Add a weekly ladder from fifty to one hundred yards, hitting three balls to each distance until your dispersion tightens, and your confidence rises
Putting deserves half your practice time because it counts for half your strokes Groove a square setup by matching your eye line to the ball and holding the putter light. Work on speed with a simple ladder drill from ten to forty feet Roll three balls to the fringe and try to stop them within a shoe length of each other For the start line, place two tees just wider than your putter face and pass through the gate. Build a pre-putt routine you repeat on every green. Read break from the low side to the high side, picture the ball falling over the front edge, and hold the finish until the ball stops
Course management turns solid swings into lower scores. Before the round, study the card and pick safe targets for each hole On par fours, choose the club that leaves your favorite yardage instead of always reaching for the driver. When trouble looms on one side, aim where a miss is playable. From the fairway, favor the fat side of the green and trust your two-putt. Track fairways hit, greens in regulation, and up and downs so you can shape the next practice session with purpose. Adjust for elevation and wind by choosing more club into a breeze and less with a helping wind, and avoid bringing penalty areas into play
Good gear matters, but fit beats hype Get a launch monitor fitting or at least test clubs on grass. Choose a driver with loft that helps you launch higher with manageable spin. Make sure your irons have consistent lie angles so contact starts on the middle groove Replace old grips each season for a better feel and control. Add a gap wedge that matches your set, a high bounce sand wedge for softer turf, and a low bounce option for firm links style trips Match shaft flex to tempo, compare two golf balls for spin windows, and wear stable shoes with fresh spikes for steady footing on all lies.
Fitness and the mind tie the whole game together Spend ten minutes most days on hip mobility, light core work, and forearm strength. Walk when you can to build endurance and learn the
course by feel Before each shot, picture your ideal flight and commit to one small cue like smooth tempo or quiet head. Accept the result, good or bad, and move to the next ball. Confidence follows action, not the other way around Use a steady inhale for four counts and exhale for six before big shots to lower your heart rate, then let your routine carry you through impact.
Keep your love for the game fresh with small adventures Try an early nine before work or a twilight loop with only wedges. Plan a long weekend at a classic public course and pack a half-dozen balls you trust Savor the details, the sunrise over a dew trail, the thump of a crisp bunker shot, the handshake on eighteen With steady habits and clear intention, every golfer can play with joy and shoot lower, round after round. Keep a simple journal of yardages, feels, and weather, and once a month, play a forward tee day to sharpen scoring instincts and rediscover pure fun