Padraig Harrington hits his second shot last Friday on the 1st hole at St. Andrews.
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Padraig Harrington, by many measures, had reason to feel cheap. Last weekend, at the DP World Tour's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, he tied for a respectable 25 years. In the pro-am part of the event, played over four days and across three Scottish treasures – St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns – Harrington and team-mate Kieran McManus finished 14 places up.
But Harrington cried.
Harrington is equal parts golf teacher and golf instructor these days, and as the former played, the latter spotted one ball error from a rookie group that seemed stuck in repetition.
Skipping swing turns.
The three-time major winner recently explained the issue on his X social media account, and broke down what he saw on both the high and low handicaps, as well as offering solutions, and we'll update each. Commenting, his post started like this: “A few things noticed by the newbies. Most beginners who struggle with hitting the ball seem to have the idea that it's all about good swing (often due to impact) and as a result they do it poorly. Most would be much better off swinging their hands/arms and letting their bodies follow. (The body will naturally move out of the way.)
Disabled players
Low-handicappers — and former low-handicappers — “all seem to be circling [their] hips or torso in the morning, and the club falls back, causing a big push or quick hooks from the late release/swing,” Harrington says.
So what is his fix?
“If you miss two fairways,” Harrington wrote, “release the club early or you just come down hard with your arms.” If you want to keep swinging hard at the waist, you need to literally hit balls every day to keep the arm moving.”
High handicap players
High handicappers who struggle with hitting the ball, Harrington said, “rotate their hips/torso as they go down, but their arms come off the pitch in a spin.”
The solution here?
“When you cut your shots, practice hooking (not straight shots; you'll have to go for a big hook to make any slice, so it sticks),” Harrington wrote. “Do this by using your hands to release more and try to hit the side slope with the ball above your feet.”
The conclusion
Harrington also offered this wrap:
“I can teach a young person how to lead with their hips,” Harrington said, “but it seems to be the worst case for beginners who don't play every day — they just can't keep up with the quick hips anymore. very open positions of influence.
“If you're not happy with your swing, try to focus on the swinging hands/arms and let the body handle them.”
Editor's note: Harrington also offered tips after playing the 2022 Alfred Dunhill Links event, and this writer summarized them. That story can be found by clicking hereor by scrolling down.
***
#Paddysgolftips. Point of view ams. “
That's how you start a golf tweet.
Padraig Harrington, the pro, played with the underdogs last week in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He saw other things. And he got his iPhone. And we put out 1,113 characters, over 202 words, over four tweets, at around 6:30pm, Scottish time.
We are lucky. Harrington, a three-time major winner and last year's European Ryder Cup captain, has given away his wealth before; you may have seen similar tweets, or his YouTube series, all under the label “Paddy's Golf Tips.” And this is it. Call it the novice hour.
His enemies were two.
In short, the first one was this: Hands first. Then the body.
“The only thing holding the clubface together is your hands, not your hips and not your timing,” he wrote in his first tweet. “Yes your chance can change where your hands are but maybe it's better to focus on your hands and let your chance take care of itself. @dunhilllinks”
“Many ams believe that faster turning/more opening increases power,” he wrote in his second tweetcontinuing the first one. “In a perfect world, yes, but in general it is not the case for ams as their arms just don't hold. Most of the speed in the swing comes from the arms and hands. Focus on moving these quickly and let the body respond to them. “
“To learn the feel of a square clubface. Work some shots with your hands/clubface too close and too open,” he wrote in his third tweet. “It's hard to feel a small change, that's why you practice different methods that can be used in a lesson. @DPWorldTour”
Good stuff. It is noticeable in the power of speech and expression that both were concentrated in Harrington; he belongs to No. 1 this season on the PGA Tour Champions circuit in driving, by seven yards.
Takeaway two was one tweet, and you've heard some of this before, just maybe not like this.
Head down. But still.
“Another common thing with ams is to keep their heads down and still,” Harrington wrote. “Definitely keep your eye on the ball but it's good to put your head back in the backswing and go forward because of the result. The image above is a static image of the dynamic environment. @dunhilllinks #paddysgolftips”
On Saturday, Harrington had more.
A day earlier in Alfred Dunhill, Scotland had its own way and field; rain, high winds and low temperatures found balloon points throughout St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. And journalists didn't so much want to know what went down, but how to get past it.
“Yesterday, the weather was very bad, 10 guys broke the law, and I think most people would have taken you as one of the guys who couldn't do it,” the reporter began. “What is mental toughness when it comes to golf?”
“I'm not 100 per cent sure,” said Harrington, who was actually under on the day in question, with a 71-under at Kingsbarns. “It's something I've always had. There is no doubt that you have to be strong. But I think when it comes to bad weather, you have to manage your game and your expectations. It helps, and it helps to get ahead of the game.
“I started well. I made an early bird. It helps to have a good start and to have momentum in your team. But overall, it's about managing expectations and managing your game. Sometimes a good shot, a smart shot, dare I say it, take an extra club. And if you hit it right, you'll pass the flag, but chances are that's going to happen in bad weather – you've got to play good golf.
“There is no doubt that you have to record and place well, which is something I am good at. A lot of stamina, but a lot of mental strength to manage your way on the golf course. “
Another question.
“He won 15 times on the DP World Tour; explain what makes a good player communicate in normal situations. “
“Honestly, we're seeing a lot of golf — professional golf is going to great conditions, everything is going well,” Harrington began. “And there are a lot of players playing now, and if one of them plays well, they are good. As you go on the links golf course, it takes more than swinging the golf club to get around the links golf course.
“And sometimes hitting too well is a problem. I saw on TV, Rory put it in the water at first. You don't want to have that strike sometimes. You have to get your spin out, and you have to play sensible shots. I think I have 190 yards to the first. I hit the 9-iron so it wouldn't spin back into the water. You have to be smart sometimes about not hitting it too hard – is that a bad thing to say? And sometimes, you have to hit good shots.
“The first day, I had a 230 on the 18th green at Carnoustie, and I'm hitting a 4-iron and there's trouble everywhere. You just have to hit a great golf shot. Links golf asks that. Sometimes it's asking you to hit the best, and sometimes it's asking you to be smart, play the odds and play the averages and make sure you don't miss that putt.”
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