The post Master this golf-swing ‘X-factor’ to add serious power to your game appeared first on Golf.

The post Master this golf-swing ‘X-factor’ to add serious power to your game appeared first on Golf.

So you want to generate more clubhead speed? Me too. Unfortunately, there’s not a single video you can watch or article you can read to make that happen overnight. The good news is, there is hope yet — and it all starts with understanding how power is created.

When you watch a pro blast a drive, you’ll notice them coil during the backswing, and then uncoil during the downswing. Simple stuff.

However, if you want to hit it like they do you’ll have to uncoil in the same sequence that they do.

Watch the pros swing in slow motion and you’ll notice their lower body firing first and then their upper body following suit. By doing this, they are creating massive potential energy that is then unleashed during the downswing.

Back in a 2006 issue of GOLF Magazine, Peter Kostis — a GOLF Top 100 Teacher Lifetime Achievement member — broke down this sequence perfectly. Read below for more info on how to incorporate this “X-factor” into your own swing.

The power ‘X-factor’

The new X-factor is achieved when you rotate your hips toward the target as fast and as fully as possible, while keeping your shoulders tured back. I see this downswing move in every slow-motion swing we replay on CBS telecasts. Yet the move is so basic that anyone can gain distance with it, even those of you who aren’t as athletic and, let’s face it, as young as guys like Tiger and Ernie (in other words, just about all of us).

You will hit the ball longer by stretching your downswing “x.” If you’re currently slicing the ball or hitting weak pop-ups, changing the way you start your downswing will help you swing the clubhead to the ball from the inside for amore explosive hit. Longer drives will allow you to hit more greens and score better.

You will max out your clubhead speed and your power when your club impacts the ball like a spring that has just been released from its tension. Imagine snapping a towel or casting a fly in fishing: You want that burst of speed to start when the object changes direction. It’s the same concept in your golf swing.

3 elements of the ‘X’

1. Hips

The key to the new ‘X-factor’ is the first move down from the top — the change in direction — and you should start it by rotating your hips toward the target just as your shoulders are competing the backswing turn. Contrast this with the common fault of starting down with the upper body, which actually narrows the “X” between your shoulders and hips. Learn to separate your hips from your shoulders and you’ll hit longer driver right away.

2. Trail heel

You generate power in your downswing from the ground up, and you can’t stretch your “X” if you’re out of balance. So before you do anything else, work on your footwork. Your right foot should roll onto its instep as you swing down. Do this and your hips can rotate forward as they should. Avoid lifting your heel straight up off the ground, which thrusts your hips toward the ball and throws you off balance.

3. Trail knee

Your legs support you during the swing, and they must do their part to allow your hips to shift forward. Imagine a second ball teed up between your knees at address. You want your right knee to knock that ball off the tee just as your clubhead contacts the ball you’re hitting. Kick your right knee toward your left knee, and your hips will have the solid base they need to rotate forward properly.

2 drills to get the ‘X’

1. Feel your new hip turn

To feel how much more hip rotation you’ll need during your swing to stretch your “X,” drape a long towel across your upper back and grab both ends. Turn back and through, keeping the towel pulled tight /right]. This action turns your entire upper body and moves your hips with it. Take note of how much hip rotation you need to rotate your shoulders 90 degrees both ways. Keep the tension in the towel all the way through to know that your hips are rotating enough. If you fall behind and rotate your hips too little, the towel will slacken.

2. Use a cart to swing under

This drill will give you the sensation of what it feels like to stretch your “X.” Grab hold of a golf cart with your left hand, get into your golf posture and mimic a backswing with your right hand. Now fire your right arm through underneath your left arm, which is still holding the cart. See how my hips turned through while my shoulders held back? That’s stretching the “X.”

TheStack + Stack Radar Bundle

Save over 15% when you combine TheStack + Stack Radar with our most popular bundle. Enjoy personalized speed training with TheStack, gamified wedge practice with Stack Wedging, Tour-caliber insights with Stack Putting, and 60+ instructional videos in the Learning Library – along with our Bluetooth-enabled Stack Radar, which sends your speed data directly to TheStack App for seamless training    Stack Radar is a great multi-purpose launch monitor that packs into your golf bag easily, making it perfect for speed training with TheStack, Stack Wedge practice on the range or indoors, and measuring your speeds on the course.  TheStack App – Speed Training, Wedging, and Putting  Rated 4.9 with over 5,500+ Reviews on the App Store  Includes 1-Year Membership to TheStack App Now on iOS, Android (Beta), and Chrome Web (Beta) Adaptive speed training formulated by Dr. Sasho MacKenzie Guided workout timer for reps, sets, and rest intervals Custom speed metrics to track your gains Bluetooth Connectivity to integration devices.  Hands-free data entry using voice entry technology for non-integrated devices Membership includes Bundled access to Stack Putting (iOS), Stack Wedging (iOS), and the Learning Library (All Platforms) Train and track up to twenty local (i.e. family) users under one login.  App works with Family Sharing so the entire family can train easily on separate devices Connect to any other Stacker using Share Codes Are you a Coach?  Learn about our Coaches License  TheStack Hardware  5 milled Stack weights enable 30 weight combinations between 0g and 300g Dual-purpose weight case / phone stand Precisely engineered training club – Adult (41.5″).  For Junior sizing, see Fitting Juniors Stack training requires a speed device that can measure swings without ball contact. This bundle includes our own Stack Radar. View all compatible devices here.  Stack Radar  Measures Swing Speed and Ball Speed.  Calculates an estimated Carry Distance and Smash Factor. Can capture swing speed without ball contact Powers Stack Wedging (iOS), our newest gamified practice feature. Enjoy Seriously Fun wedge practice indoors or outdoors and get accurate feedback regardless of range ball quality or practice environment conditions. Pairs with TheStack App via Bluetooth to enable advanced features. Adjust for temperature and altitude while fine-tuning ball speed and launch angle for the most accurate feedback Set speed trigger threshold at 25, 35, 45, or 55 mph to avoid false triggers from fast backswings Includes a stylized carry case to protect the screen while stored (available exclusively for purchases from our website)  Platform Availability iOS: Access TheStack App from the App Store when your order arrives. Requires iOS 15.0 or newer. Access Speed, Wedging, Putting, and the Learning Library. Android & Web (Beta): Install TheStack App from the Google Play Store or access it on Chrome Web when your order arrives. Access Speed + Learning Library today; Wedging + Putting coming in a future update. See our FAQ pages for questions about membership access.         

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The post 5 key components for making a perfect backswing appeared first on Golf.

The post 5 key components for making a perfect backswing appeared first on Golf.

That said, no two backswings are the same. Based on your body type, flexibility, and desired ball flight, your backswing may look very different from someone else’s — just as you see on professional tours and practice ranges every day.

Here are five key fundamentals that influence an effective backswing.

1. Solidify your grip

While it may seem removed from the backswing itself, your grip has a major influence on it. Holding the club properly in the fingers allows the wrists to hinge and release correctly. If you tend to wear a hole in your glove, there’s a good chance your grip needs work.

The club should rest across the crease between your fingers and palm, with the heel pad sitting on top of the grip. Grip strength — whether it’s more “weak” or “strong” — also affects forearm and shoulder alignment. Since your shoulder line influences swing path, your grip ultimately plays a direct role in your ball flight.

2. Maintain proper posture

Good posture and setup are essential for consistent, center-face contact. Proper spacing between your arms and body also affects the club’s starting direction.

Standing too close or feeling crowded often causes the backswing to move away from the body, leading to a pull or fade pattern. Standing too far from the ball encourages a more rounded swing, often producing pushes or hooks. Correct posture allows your arms to swing naturally underneath your shoulders, creating a strong foundation for the swing.

3. Understand how the arms work

Swinging your arms generates speed and power. Their primary job is to move the club up and down in the swing. As the backswing begins, allow your arms to swing freely. Once they move across your chest, your body will naturally begin to engage.

Using arm momentum helps create proper backswing length and keeps the club on a functional path.

4. Let the body do the turning

As the arms start the motion, the body responds. When the shoulders and hips engage, the club begins to move around the body, creating depth that sets up an effective downswing path.

The phrase “don’t let the club get behind you” can be misleading. When the upper body turns away from the target, the club naturally moves into depth — and that’s not a problem. Any club position that matches your body rotation is generally correct.

5. Know your flexibility limits

Your flexibility determines how long your backswing should be. If flexibility is limited, avoid forcing extra length — it can lead to injury and cause you to lose your setup structure, making consistency much harder to achieve.

A simple test: sit in a chair and swing your arms back as far as you can without moving your lower body. This gives you a realistic sense of your natural limitations and an appropriate backswing length.

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The post I’m pumped for 2026’s new club offerings. You should be, too appeared first on Golf.

The post I’m pumped for 2026’s new club offerings. You should be, too appeared first on Golf.

A handful of my colleagues and I just returned home from a week-plus of testing the 2026 club offerings from the major manufacturers in Carlsbad, Calif., and Phoenix — and, boy, am I excited.

In fact, I feel so confident that my 2026 set will take my game to the next level that I’ve started fixating on finally qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur. (It doesn’t hurt that next year’s event will be held at Sand Valley’s spectacular Lido course.)

As an equipment editor here at GOLF, I already had a finely optimized setup for my game, and yet I still expect to change every club in my bag next season — with the exceptions of my mini driver, putter and potentially my hybrid. That’s after coming into our recent gauntlet of fittings and testing wary only of my driver setup.

Now I’m certain I will have a set of clubs that mitigates my dreaded left miss while also allowing me to easily hit any shot I want without having to “make it work.” In a video we’ll publish early next year, you’ll see a great example of me making my current driver work as opposed to the driver working for me.

Essential to our testing process were the supremely talented fitters with whom I was lucky enough to work: Bryan Rourke at Ping; Chandler Carr and Brandon Dooley at TaylorMade; Louis Raynard at Titleist; Andrew Lusty at Cobra; and Gerritt Pon at Callaway. Collectively, they help me find new grinds for wedges, different shaft profiles for my woods and irons dialed to my loft/lie specs.

There is so much amazing new tech coming and I’m eager to tell you all about it — but I can’t just quite yet! What I can tell you is that 2026 can’t get here soon enough. 

3 Things I’m Thinking

TaylorMade and Ping coming in hot to 2026: While I can’t go into detail about my experiences with the TaylorMade Qi4D and Ping G440K driver yet, I will say these two clubs are already hot on global tours. TaylorMade has its top dogs (Scottie, Rory and Tommy) gaming its new drivers before 2026 even starts, in addition to a host of other pros on various tours. Meanwhile, Ping also has seen strong adoption of its G440K driver; Lauren Coughlin just won with it on Sunday at the Grant Thornton Invitational.

Is Cobra’s mini driver finally coming? Lexi Thompson was spotted with a new Cobra King Tec MD Mini Driver at the Grant Thornton. Could this be the long-awaited Cobra mini driver we’ve seen prototypes of since late last year? Images shared by GolfWRX appear to show finished cosmetics and no mention of “prototype.” 

What is Jason Day up to? We used this same headline several weeks ago in this space — and it still applies! In October, Day debuted a set of Avoda prototype irons in his bag. He didn’t play again until the Grant Thornton last week, and came armed not only with a new set of Avoda prototypes but also with a seven-year-old TaylorMade M5 driver, which to this day is my favorite driver I’ve ever owned. (It’s also the driver Tiger Woods gamed at the 2019 Masters.) Day is cooking up some cool stuff for 2026, and I’m 100 percent here for it.

Want to overhaul your bag in 2026? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

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The post 5 easy ways to lower your scores, according to a Top 100 Teacher appeared first on Golf.

The post 5 easy ways to lower your scores, according to a Top 100 Teacher appeared first on Golf.

The common thread? Predictability. The more you can control your ball — its distance, direction and where it misses — the more consistent your scoring becomes. These fundamentals don’t require elite athleticism; they just require attention and smart practice.

Here are five reliable ways to lower your scores, no matter your skill level.

1. Improve your putting distance control

If you want to score well, you must putt well — and distance control is the biggest piece of that puzzle. The simplest and most effective “distance controller” is the length of your backstroke. A consistent backstroke length regulates how fast the putter head falls, which determines how far the ball rolls.

Practice hitting putts in three-foot increments, increasing your backstroke length as you move farther from the hole. You’ll develop reliable feel — and eliminate three-putts.

2. Know your wedge distances

Wedge shots are your best scoring opportunities, but only if you know how far each one goes. That means understanding not just your full-swing yardages, but also how different backswing lengths change your carry distance.

Spend time hitting wedges to specific targets and noting the results. The better you know your “numbers,” the more makable birdie and par chances you’ll create.

3. Stop short-siding yourself

Smart course management can save as many strokes as a great swing. One of the biggest mistakes amateurs make is short-siding themselves — missing on the side of the green closest to the hole. With little green to work with, even a good shot can’t stop quickly enough, leaving a difficult up-and-down.

Plan your misses. Aim for the side of the green that gives you room to run the ball, play a lower-risk chip, and get the ball closer far more often.

4. Chip with solid, consistent contact

A low-running chip should be one of your most dependable scoring shots. Because the motion is small and shallow, it’s naturally forgiving — as long as your setup is sound.

Your chipping motion should resemble your putting stroke, but with your sternum slightly forward to create a steeper, ball-first strike. Good posture helps you find the center of the clubface and control distance with ease.

5. Play the percentages into the green

If your goal is to hit more greens — and it should be — start aiming for bigger, safer targets. The flag isn’t always the smartest choice, especially when it’s tucked. Aiming at the widest portion of the green increases your odds of finding the surface and takes pressure off your ball-striking.

Try this in your next round: aim for the fat side of the green unless you have a dialed-in wedge in hand. Compare your score to a round where you fired at every pin — the difference may surprise you.

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The post 5 crucial keys for keeping your golf game sharp in the winter appeared first on Golf.

The post 5 crucial keys for keeping your golf game sharp in the winter appeared first on Golf.

While I always recommend planning a winter golf trip to stay motivated, there’s plenty you can do at home to keep your game sharp during the colder months, too. Below I’ve outlined five ways you can keep the rust at bay during the winter.

1. Make putting practice a priority

Growing up in the snow belt meant winter putting was all I had — and it’s probably why putting has always been a strength of mine.

Today’s training mats are far better than what I used as a kid. They let you check your setup, monitor your stroke, ensure your ball is rolling end-over-end and work on distance control up to roughly 12 feet.

Now that we live in Florida, weather isn’t an issue — but we still keep a Perfect Putting Mat around because it’s that useful.

Perfect Putting Mat

– Length: 9ft 6in Trusted & Used by Over 100 PGA / LPGA Tour Pros.

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2. Use a mat and net to keep your swing fresh

If you have a garage or small indoor space, a hitting mat and net create an easy year-round practice setup. Options are endless, and even a compact space is enough to work on solid contact and swing mechanics. We set up a net in our garage and paired it with a launch monitor to dial in wedge distance control throughout the off-season.

3. Train your grip with a molded training grip

Your grip determines your clubface — and ultimately the direction your ball starts. But grip changes can feel uncomfortable, which makes the off-season the ideal time to address them.

A molded training grip allows you to rehearse proper hand placement without the pressure of hitting shots. Even Scottie Scheffler is known for constantly checking his grip. You can also install a fitted grip on a dedicated practice club and rehearse swings. Improving your grip often leads to better wrist action — and better ball striking.

4. Check your posture and setup in a mirror

Winter is the perfect season to work on fundamentals. Proper posture is crucial for consistent contact, but it’s hard to evaluate without feedback. Using a mirror, you can ensure your arms hang naturally and your hands sit directly under your shoulders at address. This simple visual checkpoint pays huge dividends.

5. Build speed

Everyone wants more distance, but swinging faster only gets you so far without specific training. Winter is the ideal time to build clubhead speed, and The Stack System is one of the best ways to do it. We’ve used it consistently, and the overspeed/underspeed protocols truly work — as long as you stick with the program. If more speed is your goal, it’s a worthwhile investment.

TheStack + Stack Radar Bundle

Save over 15% when you combine TheStack + Stack Radar with our most popular bundle. Enjoy personalized speed training with TheStack, gamified wedge practice with Stack Wedging, Tour-caliber insights with Stack Putting, and 60+ instructional videos in the Learning Library – along with our Bluetooth-enabled Stack Radar, which sends your speed data directly to TheStack App for seamless training    Stack Radar is a great multi-purpose launch monitor that packs into your golf bag easily, making it perfect for speed training with TheStack, Stack Wedge practice on the range or indoors, and measuring your speeds on the course.  TheStack App – Speed Training, Wedging, and Putting  Rated 4.9 with over 5,500+ Reviews on the App Store  Includes 1-Year Membership to TheStack App Now on iOS, Android (Beta), and Chrome Web (Beta) Adaptive speed training formulated by Dr. Sasho MacKenzie Guided workout timer for reps, sets, and rest intervals Custom speed metrics to track your gains Bluetooth Connectivity to integration devices.  Hands-free data entry using voice entry technology for non-integrated devices Membership includes Bundled access to Stack Putting (iOS), Stack Wedging (iOS), and the Learning Library (All Platforms) Train and track up to twenty local (i.e. family) users under one login.  App works with Family Sharing so the entire family can train easily on separate devices Connect to any other Stacker using Share Codes Are you a Coach?  Learn about our Coaches License  TheStack Hardware  5 milled Stack weights enable 30 weight combinations between 0g and 300g Dual-purpose weight case / phone stand Precisely engineered training club – Adult (41.5″).  For Junior sizing, see Fitting Juniors Stack training requires a speed device that can measure swings without ball contact. This bundle includes our own Stack Radar. View all compatible devices here.  Stack Radar  Measures Swing Speed and Ball Speed.  Calculates an estimated Carry Distance and Smash Factor. Can capture swing speed without ball contact Powers Stack Wedging (iOS), our newest gamified practice feature. Enjoy Seriously Fun wedge practice indoors or outdoors and get accurate feedback regardless of range ball quality or practice environment conditions. Pairs with TheStack App via Bluetooth to enable advanced features. Adjust for temperature and altitude while fine-tuning ball speed and launch angle for the most accurate feedback Set speed trigger threshold at 25, 35, 45, or 55 mph to avoid false triggers from fast backswings Includes a stylized carry case to protect the screen while stored (available exclusively for purchases from our website)  Platform Availability iOS: Access TheStack App from the App Store when your order arrives. Requires iOS 15.0 or newer. Access Speed, Wedging, Putting, and the Learning Library. Android & Web (Beta): Install TheStack App from the Google Play Store or access it on Chrome Web when your order arrives. Access Speed + Learning Library today; Wedging + Putting coming in a future update. See our FAQ pages for questions about membership access.         

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The post This common golf advice is killing your driving accuracy appeared first on Golf.

The post This common golf advice is killing your driving accuracy appeared first on Golf.

In a game where fractions of an inch can be the difference between birdie and bogey, it sounds like sage advice. But just because it sounds good doesn’t mean it’s true.

Does aiming at a smaller target actually guarantee a better miss? That’s the question Eric Alpenfels, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher, and Dr. Bob Christina of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro set out to answer in a 2018 study.

To determine how target size affects performance on the course, they conducted studies across various shots: tee shots (driver, 3-wood), irons (9- and 6-iron) and short game (pitching, chipping and putting). 

While all of the studies revealed surprising conclusions, the results from the driving portion might be the most unexpected of all — and their findings could even help you hit more fairways.

Conclusion: Aim big to hit more fairways

Contrary to the “aim small, miss small” belief, Alpenfels and Christina’s study proved that aiming at a larger target led to improved performance in driving accuracy and distance off the tee.

How they got there

To reach this conclusion, Alpenfels and Christina monitored 32 right-handed male golfers, with an average age of 65. Players were split into two skill levels: low- and high-handicap golfers. The USGA indexes ranged from 1 to 11.8 for the low-handicap group and 13.4 to 30 for the high-handicap group.

A pre-study questionnaire revealed that, like many of us, most of the players in the test preferred aiming at small targets off the tee and typically chose driver over a 3-wood when given a choice. 

Instruction

To determine if small or large targets were more effective, each player hit 12 tee shots — six with driver and six with 3-wood — using their own clubs and the same ball for consistency. For each club, they hit three shots using a small target (roughly 0.30-yards wide) and three aimed at a large target (about 30-yards wide). Performance was measured by three data points: distance from the center of the fairway, fairways hit and total distance.

After analyzing the data, Alpenfels and Christina found that players performed better overall when aiming at a large target.

Average driving error (distance from the center of the fairway) was smaller when players focused on the larger target (~13 yards) than when using a small target (~14 yards). The number of fairways hit was also significantly higher when using a large target (64 fairways hit) when compared to using a small target (48 fairways hit).

Players also saw a small spike in driving distance — roughly 5 yards — when using a large target off the tee. The average driving distance when using a large target was ~220 yards, while players average driving distance with a small target was about ~225 yards. 

With the data from this study, Alpenfels and Christina demonstrated that the old phrase “aim small, miss small” doesn’t hold up. In fact, they proved that “aiming big” might just be the key to unlocking more accuracy and distance off the tee.

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The post Seve Ballesteros’ brilliant tip for hitting putts with perfect speed appeared first on Golf.

The post Seve Ballesteros’ brilliant tip for hitting putts with perfect speed appeared first on Golf.

If you watch high-level players on the greens, you’ll be amazed by their touch. They may not make every putt they line up, but most of the time they’ll have more or less the right speed. This not only reduces three-putts, it also expands the effective hole size and helps them sink more putts.

Recreational players are quite the opposite. Hitting a putt with proper speed — and on their intended line — is an exception rather than a rule.

Things only get tougher when a putt breaks a lot. These putts require the perfect balance of line and speed to get the ball in the hole. Most amateurs struggle just getting one of these variables correct, so expecting them to get both right is extremely unlikely.

There is a trick that can help you find the right formula on these putts, though, and it comes to us courtesy of five-time major winner Seve Ballesteros.

Seve’s tip for matching line and speed

One of the club golfer’s biggest problems on the greens is being too bold and knocking putts through any break.

Because sharp left-to-right and right-to-left putts depend so heavily on pace, they require an expert touch to get the ball rolling on the right line at the right speed — slow enough to take the slope but fast enough to reach the hole. Hitting the ball just right is a tough assignment, particularly when a match is on the line. 

I understand this problem well, which is why I’ve developed a strategic — and slightly unorthodox — method for putting that takes a little pressure off hitting the putt at the perfect speed. And if you aren’t sweating the pace, I guarantee you’ll make more breakers. 

The key is swinging on an out-to-in path, which means I catch the ball on the toe of the putter at impact. Because the toe end of the putter is lighter than the center, it effectively deadens the hit, allowing for a more aggressive stroke. Naturally, the combination of cutting across the ball and catching it on the toe is going to cause the ball to move a hair to the right. By using this rightward spin, I can hit the ball on an “inside line” to the crest of the break and let it drift back and down to the hole. 

Exactly how you hit the “inside line” putt depends on the direction the putt is breaking. 

Faced with a right-to-left putt, many golfers make one of two mistakes: 1) Fearing they won’t reach the crest of the break, they hit the ball too hard and run right through it; or 2) Attempting to be too delicate, they never reach the crest so the ball falls off line on the low side of the hole. 

I take precautions against both mistakes by setting the blade square to a point inside the highest point of the break and then making a firm stroke. I take an open stance, which promotes the out-to-in stroke and a hit off the toe of the putterblade. Now when the ball reaches the crest of the break, it is moving fast enough not to fall off course, but slowly enough to take the break. 

Again, to hit the left-to-right putt I set up open and aim the putterblade inside the crest of the break. This way the ball will drift back to the normal break and toward the cup. 

I’ve been using this method for a few years with success, especially on lightning fast greens. Despite its unorthodoxy, I consider this percentage putting because even if I hit the ball a little easier or harder than I should, the ball still has a chance of rolling in one of the side doors; that’s a luxury the bold putter never has. He has to be right on the money, otherwise the ball will run past the hole or pop out because it’s moving with too much steam. 

If you fall into the category of the overly bold putter, make a visit to the practice green and give my method a try. I’m sure it will give you the inside line to lower scores.

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The post So you want to build a golf course? Here’s how — and what it will cost appeared first on Golf.

The post So you want to build a golf course? Here’s how — and what it will cost appeared first on Golf.

A nice piece of land with pretty views, a bulldozer, 18 flags — what’s so complicated? World Top 100 here we come! Thankfully, your accountant, spouse, employer and so on will quash such Keiser-esque visions, because creating any course, never mind a great one, is hugely complex and fraught with danger — not unlike juggling chain saws on a unicycle while giving a toast.

A world-class course can easily run into the tens of millions of dollars. Here’s a quick primer on the process.

SITE SELECTION

Finding an enticing piece of land for golf with sufficient acreage (120 minimum for 18 holes) is tough enough — but that’s just the starting point and likely involves real estate brokers and lawyers, who don’t work pro bono. The question then becomes: Is it feasible? The answer comes down to the golden rule of real estate: location, location, location. Meaning, firstly, is there a market for your would-be course? Is there sufficient demand locally, regionally, nationally or internationally? Research and possibly specialist consultants can determine if you’re answering a need beyond your ego or building a snowball for hell.

Then there’s location as it bears on the physical qualities of the land as well as growing conditions. Rolling hills are nice, but suitability involves more than topography. Soils, water availability, drainage, geology and vegetation must be considered. Oh, and then there’s potential environmental and legal restrictions, the local infrastructure and service provider situation, never mind safety issues and other possible hurdles and conflicts.

DUE DILIGENCE

Think you’ve found a winning site? Great. You’ll likely either acquire an option to purchase the land or make an agreement to do so with a specified due diligence period. That means going through title insurance, figuring out if there are any deeds or liens and such on the land. Also, site surveys to make sure there aren’t ancient burial grounds or endangered salamanders to consider. Due diligence is an expensive proposition, involving several experts and often hundreds of thousands of dollars just to figure out if you want to make this long-term commitment.

“Development costs can be insane,” says renowned architect David McLay Kidd of Bandon Dunes (Top 100 World No. 85), Nanea (Top 100 U.S. No. 83) and Gamble Sands (Top 100 U.S. No. 100) fame. “Pre-construction/development costs are very location dependent and in no way associated with the quality of the site. You could have a great site that costs the earth to get a permit, or a terrible site that’s supercheap, or vice versa. But the construction costs are somewhat linear. The better the site, the lower the cost.”

PERMITTING

Presumably, you’ve checked with the zoning board already, so it knows your plan, but you’ll still need an official sign-off on it. There will be a number of permitting hurdles to clear — related to streams, wetlands, wildlife and trees, just to name a few — at both the state and federal level. Without sign-off from multiple agencies, you will be DOA. Welcome to your new reality. For our developer, Trey Marucci, hard at work on Bounty Club, a nascent private club in Nashville, it took almost two years to go through the permitting process, which can be patience-testing and expensive too, given the costs of a civil engineer on the payroll as well as specialists to support the engineer.

“Making sure you’re doing everything by the book is one of the biggest challenges in the process,” says Marucci, who is overseeing the project for 8AM Golf. “There are a lot of books out there, and you must read them all. One regulatory authority wants X, the other regulatory authority wants Y, and sometimes those two things might be in conflict.”

PICKING AN ARCHITECT

Unless you’re a DIY lunatic, you’ll require a course architect. How many you solicit plans from is up to you. The top names might well be busy, and they’ll for sure be pricey — anywhere from the high six figures to the low(ish) seven figures. Anyone you do contact will likely ask for a pin so they can first check the site on Google Earth.

“Back in the days of Donald Ross, they’d stick him on a train, and it would be the first he’d seen of it,” says Brian Curley, veteran designer of layouts from Palm Springs (The Plantation Course) to China (Mission Hills). “Nowadays, between the topo and Google Earth and drone images, I’ve already kind of got it figured out before I set foot on a property.”

Assuming no red flags like, say, not enough acreage or it’s in a FEMA floodplain, some architects will go put boots on the ground.

“If I know the developer is real, then they’re not paying for me to go look — I am,” says McLay Kidd. “It’s hard to get someone to pay and then tell them no. That feels really bad, so I generally don’t charge to go see a site.”

… AND PICKING A PLAN

Architects will eventually give you a (probably rudimentary) development idea, a (ditto) budget and a proposal that includes their design fee. Eventually, you’ll choose the one you prefer and sign a contract. At this point, the designer starts putting more flesh on the bone in all the different components of course construction — earth-clearing, demolition, earth-moving, materials needed, irrigation and so on. From this, the budget gets refined. Going from preliminary design to detailed design will likely take a few months.

“Courses can cost wildly different amounts,” says McLay Kidd. “In only the last three years we’ve built courses for under $10 million and well over $20 million. The main difference is the suitability of the site when you start.

“Including all fees and the grow-in costs,” he adds, “$1 million per hole is a reasonable ballpark figure.”

What drives up the cost? Features, mainly. “Bunkering, water features and landscaping,” says Curley. “Those are the three line items where an owner might say, ‘Oh, no, I just need a basic thing.’ Otherwise, irrigation is irrigation, cart paths are cart paths, grass is grass.”

PICKING A BUILDER

While there are some design-build firms that handle both jobs, more often you’ll bid out the job to a few of the specialist golf course construction firms like Heritage Links, LaBar Golf Renovations or Landscapes Golf Management.

You’ll pick one based on schedule, the architect’s relationships and experience with them and price, although they’re unlikely to vary much. Things generally cost what they cost.

BUILDING THE THING

Hands on? Hands off? Some degree of collaboration between the developer and the architect is always there. No plan perfectly mirrors the end product, and issues and changes are inevitable. Communication structures vary; some owners employ project managers for day-to-day contact, others are involved hour by hour themselves.

Sometimes it’s a committee. And some — well, maybe one or two — are essentially hands-off.

CONSTRUCTION

The architect oversees the construction crew and will spend time on-site — how much varies, and associates will be there otherwise, but they’re all there to read the plans and interpret them because, as McLay Kidd notes, “there’s a lot of interpretation. Some architects follow the plans quite closely, some barely follow them at all. So, the contractor is working hand in glove with the architect to realize the course and hopefully follow the budget and bring it together inside the original estimates.”

WATER, POWER

“Where you start the process is at your irrigation lake,” Curley says. “Number one is: Where are we going to have water available so we can start irrigation as soon as possible? And you’ve got to get power to your irrigation lake. The building process doesn’t go in a binary, yes/no fashion — it’s overlapping and interconnected. The construction schedule might have to do with just how you get the equipment around. A lot of factors determine the construction sequence. But one thing is inviolable: Drainage always comes before irrigation. Because drainage is gravity flow. You have to keep a constant flow going. Irrigation can be laid on top of drainage because irrigation is pressurized.”

SEQUENCING

That sequence starts with “rough grading” — moving dirt around with big equipment — then shifts to feature shaping. Which gets done twice: pre-irrigation and post-irrigation, because after irrigation the features need to be put back together and cleaned up.

“Once irrigation’s in, it’s a full-court press,” Curley says. Depending on planting windows to grow grass — Montana’s, say, is a lot tighter than Malaysia’s — and the time frame, the tension can ramp up considerably.

PRAY FOR GOOD WEATHER

Weather delays inevitably mean an increase in cost; people’s time is money, and so are resources like bulldozers sitting idle. A good architect and builder will do what they can to mitigate such expenses, but there are limits to fighting Mother Nature’s budget busters.

THE GROW-IN

Going from something in the shape of a golf course to an actual golf course means growing grass. That’s not on the contractor or the architect (who may stay involved, keeping an eye on mowing lines and other bits of fine-tuning). That’s the superintendent’s job, responsible to the developer. It might take six months to a year for the grow-in to be completed. And if you think growing grass is as simple as watching grass grow, well, you haven’t been paying very close attention.

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The post Do this move with your trail elbow for more crisp ball striking appeared first on Golf.

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To keep this from happening, delay your release by moving your body and trail arm like you’re throwing a ball sidearm toward the target. This will allow you to deloft the club, which produces more ball speed and positions the low point of your swing farther in front of the ball. When you get it right, you avoid hitting the ground before the ball and produce that ball-first contact that every golfer strives for.

So, in your practice, focus on making your regular downswing but keep your trail elbow in front of your hands for as long as you can as you approach impact (above). Key: Don’t drive your trail elbow into your trail hip; it should move in front of it and always be moving toward the target.

Groove this move and the ball won’t know what hit it.

Jason Baile is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher and the director of instruction at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Fla., and the 2025 PGA National Teacher of the Year.

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The post 5 fundamentals you need to understand for better putting appeared first on Golf.

1. Your putting path follows your shoulder line

Your stroke path influences both contact and start line — but it’s not something you should try to manufacture. The putter naturally swings along the line your shoulders create.

2. Posture sets your shoulder line

Good posture is the foundation. When you hinge forward from the hips and let your arms hang naturally under your shoulders, your stroke will track along that shoulder line every time. Let the motion happen rather than trying to steer it. Path is a result of solid setup, not something you impose.

3. Backstroke length controls distance

Ask golfers what controls distance and you’ll hear plenty of different answers. But from a physics standpoint, it’s simple: distance comes from backstroke length, not how hard you “hit” it. A shorter backstroke falls more slowly, delivering less energy. A longer one falls faster, sending the ball farther. Let the length dictate the speed — not effort.

4. The “acceleration” myth

When a putt comes up short, friends love to say you “decelerated.” In reality, your backstroke was probably just too short. Great putters often have a forward stroke that’s slightly shorter than their backstroke because the ball collision slows the putter down. Recently, while teaching alongside Sam Burns — one of the best putters on the PGA Tour — his stroke was a perfect example: smooth, unforced, with a natural fall. No added hit. No intentional acceleration. Just pure pendulum motion and elite distance control.

5. Most putts break

Nearly every putt has some curve, even the shorter ones golfers often assume are straight. You may not need to aim outside the hole on tap-ins, but you do need to identify the break before you set your aim. Start your routine with a read — not with your setup.

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