Tying Together Some of This Week's Posts (Video)

This video from Chris Ryan actually ties together a number of the things I've posted in videos over the last week. Perhaps this will help you make some connections about how the sequence of the full swing is created by a number of basics.

A Drill to Help You Draw Your Driver (Video)

While the idea of a perfect swing for everyone is nice, the fact is that different players are going to have different swings. Players have different builds, different amounts of flexibility, and different tendencies in their swings... and they have to learn how to balance all those things. Alistair Davies has an interesting 'cut-off' drill here that can help you stop lunging toward the ball with your upper body. It's not for everybody but, if you keep coming over the top, you might find this drill helps you create the proper feel for a repeatable draw.

How Walter Hagen Avoided Back Problems (Video)

It's from an older golf.com article, which you can also see at this link, but here Brian Manzella shows three things Walter Hagen did during his swing to help prevent back problems. Might be worth a look if you're struggling with pain during your finish.

Open Lead Foot = More Ball Speed? (Video)

This video discusses something many of us take for granted. We're often told we need to angle our lead foot toward the target to get a good hip turn. In this video Ali Taylor not only tells you why this move can create more ball speed — and consequently more carry — but reasons why you might not want to set up this way. Whether it changes your address position or not, it will definitely give you a better understanding of the mechanics of solid impact.

Get Your Hands Up (Video)

A proper turn away from the ball, as Jack Nicklaus always said, keeps your head position steady and keeps your hands pretty high at the top of your backswing. Russell has a couple of drills here that will teach you to get your hands up, your shoulders turned and still keep your head steady during your swing, which is important if you want to have consistent impact. Note that one of the drills doesn't even require a club, so you can do it inside where it's warm. That's a great drill for improving during the winter.

A Tom Watson Grip Tip (Video)

Alex Elliott has been experimenting with one of Tom Watson's anti-slice grips and found it to be very useful. This is a very simple explanation of what it is and how to do it. Have fun playing around with it!

Merry Christmas, Everybody!

A Really Simple Strategy Thought (Video)

It's Christmas Eve and I know most of you don't have time for anything complicated, so here's a super short tip from Mike Malaska that may help you play better with whatever swing you have today. It's an easy tip to remember!

Jonathan Kim-Moss on Releasing the Clubhead (Video)

It's been a while since I posted one of Jonathan's videos so this is a good one to bring him back into the conversation. I do think Jonathan rotates his forearms a bit much but that comes from him keeping his lead arm straight as he moves into the followthrough. I don't have a problem with it if you're duplicating his position — both arms straight — as he enters the followthrough. (You get roughly the same wrist position without as much forearm rotation if your lead elbow bends just a bit as your trail arm straightens, a mirror of your backswing that I favor). But he's still using the L-to-L drill I often recommend so I'm good with what he's teaching here; his version of the drill just uses that straight arm position as opposed to the slightly bent elbow used in the traditional version.

Some of the Best Launch Monitors Under $600 (Video)

The title pretty much says it all, doesn't it? If you're looking for a relatively inexpensive launch monitor, this video is a decent place to start.

Another Method for Dialing In Those Pitch Shots (Video)

I'm always looking for new approaches to playing certain shots, and pitch shots are no different. Learning to pitch to certain distances isn't all that hard yet most of us struggle to do it consistently. You just need a repeatable method... and the simpler, the better. Alex has a pretty simple one here. If you're having trouble with this part of your game, this might be the answer you're looking for.

Understanding How Overdoing One Move Can Mess Up the Others (Video)

While Russell says he's talking about the wrists, that's just the start of his explanation. He's explaining how, when you try to overdo one part of your swing (as in cocking the wrists too much), you automatically mess up the sequencing of the rest of the swing and introduce other problems. Fixing the first problem in the chain might automatically fix all the following errors! Always find the first problem in the sequence and fix it before moving on to the later problems.

The Limerick Summary: 2022 PNC Championship

Winner: Qass & Vijay Singh

Around the wider world of golf: Antoine Rozner won the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on the DP World Tour; and Matt Ryan won the Scotia Wealth Management Chile Open on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.

I guess I padded my Twofer Tuesday picks pretty well this week. I had Team Daly (T2) and Team Woods (T8). Wasn't expecting Charlie to have ankle problems. Still couldn't use the odds to pick another winner but nevertheless, my 2022 record looks pretty good overall.

• Top10s: 40 for 118 (24 Top5, 16 Top10)
• Winners: 5 for 60
• Top20s: 56 for 118

This is my last Limerick Summary of 2022 but it turns out to be a pretty good one. Qazz and Vijay Singh have played 16 of these PNC events and have picked up (I think) three seconds and three thirds. They finally picked up the win.

In a lot of ways I don't think this should have been any surprise. Not just because of their past record in this event but because Vijay has always been a bulldog-type player who refused to accept the odds against him. Let's not forget that he's the winningest player on the PGA Tour beyond the age of 40, beating out even the great Sam Snead. He does the unexpected all the time.

So it shouldn't be any surprise that he and Qass won by becoming the first team to post two sub-60 rounds back-to-back. Or that Vijay is 59 at the time they did it.

Given how wild this year in golf has been, it's fitting that Vijay and Qass pick up the last Limerick Summary of 2022. It's long overdue. Congratulations, guys... and Merry Christmas!

Team Singh’s sixteenth try got it done—
This time, they were second to none.
Back-to-back 59s
Brought to mind all the times
Vijay’s wins left the golfing world stunned.

The photo came from this page at pgatour.com.

Setting Up to Hit a Draw (Video)

I don't know that all of you will feel comfrtable with this, but it just might help some of you who are struggling to hit a draw off the tee. I do want to point out that you don't want a lot of forearm rotation, which Russell seems to be talking about here... but you need to recognize that, if you've been leaving the clubface open at impact, getting the clubface more square will FEEL like you're rotating your forearms a lot. This is more of a classic swing approach — you're trying to swing your arms past your body. If you're swinging up at the ball on the tee, that will help you stop leaving the clubface open. And remember: If you're playing the ball high on a tee, you need to move the ball position slightly forward in your stance.

The Square Clubface Drill (Video)

If you have problems with over-rotating your forearms or cocking your wrists improperly during your backswing or just bending your wrists incorrectly at the top of your backswing, Alex's little takeaway drill may be just what you're looking for. It's a very simple way to see how your hands and wrists are moving all the way from address to the top of your backswing.

How to Stay Centered During Your Backswing (Video)

Chris Ryan has a great image to help you keep yourself centered over the ball with your irons. The key is his "shoulder to the wall" image for your backswing. I love simple tips like this!

Playing Downhill Lies (video)

While there's quite a bit of useful information in this video about setting up for different types of lies, Mike's suggestion for playing downhill lies is of specific value here. Simply put, he wants you to make sure your shoulders are level to the ground — which means they're tilted slightly downhill — and then you pull your trail foot back a little (that is, close your stance a bit) to get your trail knee out of your way so you can swing the club into the ball properly and not hit the ground too early. A very useful tip for downhill lies!

NOT Twofer Tuesday: PNC Championship

Twofer Tuesday slacked off a bit this week because of the Champions Tour Q-School news. (Yay, Tim O'Neal!!!) But here's a quick look at the PNC Championship.

Admit it. This is probably your favorite end of season golf event. When else will you see Justin Thomas play with his dad (as will his buddy Jordan Spieth), Annika Sorenstam with her son Will McGee, and Nelly Korda with her tennis champ dad?

And of course we'll see some of the older legends — this is a Champions Tour event, after all — like the Faldos and the Trevinos, among others.

And did I remember to mention that Woods guy and his son Charlie?

They've all gathered together to chase down the defending champions, the Dalys — both Big and Little John. (Or, if this is a battle of Biblical proportions around your house, let's call them First and Second John.)

It's big enough for NBC to get in on the act this week and not leave all the coverage to GC. This page will give you all the times and places to catch the coverage (yeah, now we have to contend with Peacock as well), but the short answer for those depending on regular cable is this:

• Saturday: NBC 2-6pm
• Sunday: GC 12:30pm-1:30pm, NBC 1:30pm-4:30pm

Since I'm just padding my picks this week — let's face it, the odds of getting two Top20s is pretty good in a field of 20 teams — I'm taking Team Woods and Team Daly. But it's not so much about how Tiger and Big John are playing. According to what I've heard, their two boys are tearing it up in their own events!

I Gotta Give a Shoutout (Video)

Yeah, I'll talk about the PNC Championship later this week. Today I want to pay some respect to another Champions Tour event -- the 5 guys who made it through what used to be called Q-School.

First, let me just give you their names:

• Richard Green
• David McKenzie
• Tim O'Neal
• Wes Short Jr
• Brian Cooper

You can read PGATOUR.com's write-up about them here, and I congratulate them all. But I want to single out one guy in particular.

I've been pulling for Tim O'Neal ever since that final day of the PGA Tour's Q-School back in 2000 when he reached the final hole (the 108th) needing only a bogey to get his card and ended up with a triple. He's been on most of the tours that I guess you'd say are 'under' the PGA Tour but always coming up short in his efforts to make it to the big show.

Now he's 50 years old and there were only five spots available for the Champions Tour. He snagged a T3 finish. My man finally made it!!!

So congrats to all of the players who made it. I know this is a dream many have been after for a long while. But I don't know if anybody has worked any harder for it than Tim O'Neal... and I am so happy for him.

The Limerick Summary: 2022 QBE Shootout

Winner: Tom Hoge & Sahith Theegala

Around the wider world of golf: Ockie Strydom won the Alfred Dunhill Championship on the DP World Tour; Cristóbal Del Solar won the Neuquén Argentina Classic on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica; and Justin Thomas & Jordan Spieth beat Tiger Woods & Rory McIlroy in The Match.

My plan to pad my Twofer Tuesday picks this week worked well. I had Harris English & Matt Kuchar (3) and Steve Stricker & Cameron Young (7). Still couldn't pick a winner, even with such a limited field, but it still makes my 2022 record look better.

• Top10s: 38 for 117 (23 Top5, 15Top10)
• Winners: 5 for 59
• Top20s: 54 for 117

It was probably the biggest surprise of the week, that the oldest team with the worst Power Ranking this week (Charley Hoffman & Ryan Palmer) faced off against a rookie team (Sahith Theegala & Tom Hoge) for the QBE Shootout title. Meanwhile, the odds-on favorite team (Matt Kuchar & Harris English) struggled to try and keep up.

But such is the world of golf, isn't it? The weather was nearly perfect all three days and it seemed everybody was playing well. The old guys seemed to be particularly miffed at the perceived lack of respect in their ranking and they led from the first round.

However, the rookies hit their stride on Sunday. While they didn't shoot their lowest round of the week, they tied the lowest... and it was enough to squeak by the old guys and win by a stroke.

Hoge may have only one win on Tour and Theegala still waiting, but things look bright for them in 2023. And Sahith even gets his first Limerick Summary. If that's not a breakthrough, I don't know what is!

Theegala and Hoge were clutch;
Their skill down the stretch was too much.
Some managed to catch them;
For moments, to match them—
At the end, though, they couldn’t be touched.

The photo came from this page at pgatour.com.

Why You Can't Hit Long Irons Well Most of the Time (Video)

Again, this is probably basic knowledge for some of you experienced golfers... but not so much for you newbies. Chris shows you the most common reason for problems hitting a proper long iron and explains why it happens. It's not the only reason this can happen, of course, but it's probably the most common.

Drills to Fix Your Driver Woes (Video)

Alex has three drills to fix what he calls 'death moves' with your driver. These are all good drills... but I will point out one caution about the second one (the grip drill). If you primarily control your swing with your lead hand, you'll find this drill very useful. But if you're like me -- I have a more classic swing and control the club with my trail hand -- you'll find the grip drills may not be quite as effective for you.

The Driver From Your Knees Drill (Video)

Another easy drill that you've likely seen before... but maybe you've never tried it. Like Mike Malaska says, you can do this drill in your backyard if you substitute plastic golf balls for the real ones. But you don't have to actually hit balls to benefit from this drill. It's a good way to learn proper use of your upper body during your swing.

An Accuracy Drill... With a Tennis Ball? (Video)

Alex has a cool drill here that uses a tennis ball to tell you during your backswing whether you've got your clubface open, closed or square. And once you can associate your hand and forearm positions with the clubface position, your accuracy is going to improve dramatically.

Just a Quick Reminder About the Alfred Dunhill

There are a couple of DP World Tour events with Alfred Dunhill in the title. But this one wasn't played last year so I want to remind you about it.

The Alfred Dunhill Championship is played at the Leopard Creek Country Club in Malelane, South Africa — you might remember it mainly because you get to see all the gorgeous footage of the wild animals down there. Last year it wasn't played, due to the pandemic.

In 2020 there were actually two versions of the event played, with Pablo Larrazábal winning the first and Christiaan Bezuidenhout the second, making Bezuidenhout the defending champion. Crazy I know, but that's the way it worked out.

And this year it's back, with Ernie Els in the field with all the youngsters.

GC's live coverage begins Thursday morning at 5am ET. GC's website also has a page with links for the streaming broadcasts for both the Alfred Dunhill and the QBE Shootout; you can find that here. It's nice to have this event back on the schedule.

Twofer Tuesday: QBE Shootout

Twofer Tuesday continues to hit the Resort Circuit and pad its stats at the QBE Shootout.

Last week the Bahamas, this week Florida and another limited field — this time it's 12 teams. But it's the last time we'll be seeing that — in case you missed it, next year the QBE will become a mixed field event like the old JC Penney Classic. That's one man/one woman teams competing in the different formats each round. That's worth looking forward to!

But this year it's an excellent chance for me to pad my stats — with only 12 teams, the odds of my getting two Top10 picks is pretty good.

I should note that last year's winning team of Jason Kokrak and Kevin Na won't be defending because they're both LIV golfers now. That means we're gonna have a new pair of champions this year... and if it's one of the mixed teams in this year's event, I suspect we'll see them defending next year.

The fact is, I think any team has a good chance of taking home the trophy. Team events like this are less about form and more about attitude and cooperation. But surely some teams have an advantage... and I'm guessing at who they are.

• Harris English & Matt Kuchar
• Steve Stricker & Cameron Young

GC and Peacock will have live opening round coverage at 1pm ET on Friday. Like most December golf events, this is more about "feel good and have fun" than anything else because there are no world ranking points or anything else but pride on the line. But you NEVER want to underestimate the power of pride in the game of golf!

The Limerick Summary: 2022 Hero World Challenge

Winner: Viktor Hovland

Around the wider world of golf: Adrian Meronk won the men's division, Ashleigh Buhai won the women's division and Kipp Popert won the all abilities division at the ISPS Handa Australian Open on the DP World Tour/Australasian Tour; Thriston Lawrence won the Investec South African Open Championship, also on the DP World Tour; Sarit Suwannarut won the Indonesian Masters on the Asian Tour; and Zack Fischer won the 116 VISA Argentina Open on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.

I said I was going to pad my Twofer Tuesday picks this week... and I did! I had Justin Thomas (5) and Jon Rahm (T8). Makes my 2022 record look a bit better, anyway.

• Top10s: 36 for 115 (22 Top5, 14Top10)
• Winners: 5 for 58
• Top20s: 52 for 115

There's only 20 players in the field, but 15 of them were in the OWGR's Top20 so you hardly call it a 'weak field'. And the weather played havoc with the course, hitting the field with as much as 35mph winds and lots of mud balls.

And somehow, in the midst of all that, Viktor Hovland managed to become only the second player — after Tiger himself — to win the Hero World Challenge in back-to-back years.

To do it, he ended up making an unbelievable 20-foot bogey putt on the 18th to get up and down from the water and put an end to Scottie Scheffler's dreams of regaining the World #1 position. (For this week, anyway.)

Maybe it's not official money. Maybe it's not an official win. But it's an official move up the ranks to OWGR #9 for Viktor, who seems to just get better and better with each passing year. Next stop: Majorville!

And now he's picked up another Limerick Summary. What a way to spice up your Christmas season! Congratulations and Merry Christmas, Viktor!

Like Tiger, Vik’s gone back-to-back
And it looks like his game’s back on track.
Maybe next year we’ll see
Hero win number three
And he’ll give winning majors a crack.

The photo came from this page at pgatour.com.

Clubbing in Cold Weather (Video)

Nothing fancy here. Just a simple tip to help you choose the right club in cold weather.

A Useful Chipping Drill (Video)

This is a really useful drill for teaching you to square the clubface when you chip. One nice thing about this drill — besides giving you instant feedback — is that although Alex doesn't mention it, if you do the setup the way he says (wedge face under the ball of your lead foot, shaft touching your trail shin) you'll automatically set up slightly open with a narrow stance, which is usually a good position for consistent chipping.

Do You Tee Too High on Par-3s? (Video)

Teeing your ball at the wrong height on par-3s can really affect your iron play. Ali Taylor gives you some tips on how to find just how high is right for your game.

You Might Think This Move Is Wrong... But It's Not (Video)

I bet most of you will think the feeling these drills teach you is wrong, that it's too upright... but you're wrong. The fact is, power players tend to swing more upright than other players. If your swing isn't upright enough, you tend to move off the ball to create width and length of backswing rather than creating a strong shoulder coil. That causes you to mis-hit shots and lose distance. The drills Russell teaches you in this video will probably feel way too upright when you try them, but that's because you haven't been turning — you've just been leaning sideways. It's time to fix that!

Yes, It's the L-to-L Drill Again! (Video)

Yes, it's back! I try to at least mention the L-to-L drill every once in a while, simply because it's the best single drill you can do to build a bulletproof swing with speed and balance. It works with every club in the bag. And since Mike Malaska decided to do another short video about it, I'm posting it again. Don't underestimate the value of this simple drill!

Twofer Tuesday: Hero World Challenge

Twofer Tuesday goes for the gimme at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.

Tiger won't be in the field — he withdrew Monday because he has plantar fasciitis in his right foot. But that won't stop me from making a couple of picks this week.

I know what you're thinking. "Mike, you should be making picks from the Australian Open field." And you know, you're probably right. But I'm no dummy, folks. There are only 20 players in the field this week, which means that no matter who I pick, I'm getting at least two Top20s.

That's right, friends. I'm using this week to pad my stats. I've been a relatively good boy this year so I'm calling it my Christmas present to myself!

Here are my two picks:

• Jon Rahm
• Justin Thomas

GC's live coverage starts Thursday at 1:30pm ET. Don't worry — I'll be checking out the Australian Open this week. But the Hero is simply a fun event... and I intend to have fun padding my stats.

The Two DP World Tour Events

This isn't a Limerick Summary like I normally do on Monday, simply because I didn't even realize golf was being played this weekend. Between the Thanksgiving holiday over here in America, the World Cup (unless the USA wins against Iran today, I think we're out) and the other various things I had going on this weekend, I didn't realize the DP World Tour even had any events going on!

But I wanted to make sure I gave some space to the winners -- there were TWO events this past weekend!

First up -- and the biggest event of the two in my opinion — Cam Smith won his 3rd Fortinet Australian PGA Championship. This is part of the Australian Triple Crown of Golf, which includes this event, the Australian Open (that's next week) and the Australian Masters (which is no longer begin played, at least not since 2015).

And with this win, Cam Smith puts himself into some rarified air. There are players who have won more, and I believe Kel Nagle's 6 wins are the most — unless you count Dan Soutar's 7 wins (3 @ match play, 4 @ stroke play) over a century ago when it was the Australian Golf Union Championship. It's not unreasonable to think that Cam can win even more... and he won this one in bad weather that stopped the event twice on Sunday. Not bad, young man!

The other winner was Dan Bradbury, who picked up his first DP World Tour title at the Joberg Open. He won the event by 3 strokes, which is pretty impressive when you realize he just turned professional this summer.

It's worth mentioning both of these players not just because they won but because they're both headed for THE OPEN this coming summer. Cam would have been there in any case since he's the defending champion and being a LIV Golf player doesn't automatically rule him out over in Europe. And as much as I hate what LIV is doing to the golf world, I do agree that if an event is truly an Open and anybody can go through a qualifications process to get in, then LIV golfers should be able to get in through those qualifications.

At this point I realize there's some contention over what those qualifications should be, but Cam's qualifications seem pretty solid to me.

And for Dan to get in the way he did... well, that just plain deserves some applause!

I'll be doing a Limerick Summary next week since I know (at the very least) to look for the Australian Open. But I have to admit, I never thought I'd EVER have a weekend so busy that I'd forget golf. I can't even remember the last time THAT happened!

Pete Cowen's Bunker Drill (Video)

Chris Ryan says he learned this bunker drill from the great Pete Cowen. Do you really need another reason to watch this video?

Synchronizing Your Upper and Lower Body (Video)

I understand that, for a lot of you, this video will contradict much of what you've been trying to do. But this is more of a traditional approach to the golf swing and it worked for Jack Nicklaus, so why not at least try it? Too many players try to spin their hips too fast in hopes of getting more distance, but that's also a good way to hurt your back. Mike Malaska demonstrates the basics of what Jack did... and he wasn't short off the tee by anybody's measurement.

Solid Contact When Your Attack Angle Changes (Video)

While Alex says this drill helps you square the clubface — and I can see how it could do that — what this drill actually does is teach you to adjust how steeply you attack the ball with various irons. Short irons need a steeper angle of attack than medium or long irons, and this drill gives you a visual of how steep each should be. I like it when a teacher makes it easier to visualize what you want, and this drill certainly does that.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here in America it's Thanksgiving, a national holiday. But those of you in the rest of the world are welcome to enjoy our holiday as well. 

The Backloader Drill (Video)

If you're having trouble getting a good feel to your backswing, this is a great drill to help you create a good backswing position by creating motion with your followthrough. If you've never tried it, it can give you a whole new perspective on how good a backswing can feel.

4 Simple Strategy Tips to Cut Strokes (Video)

Alex Elliott has been using these four tips during competitive rounds to cut several strokes off his score. They're not hard and you can put them into use immediately. Can you afford to ignore his advice and not try them?

The Limerick Summary: 2022 RSM Classic

Winner: Adam Svensson

Around the wider world of golf: Lydia Ko won the Rolex POY, the Vare Trophy and the CME Group Tour Championship on the LPGA all in one fell swoop; Jon Rahm won the DP World Tour Championship but Rory McIlroy won the Race to Dubai; and Aaron Wilkin won the QLD PGA Championship on the Australasian Tour.

Did I even have a Twofer Tuesday pick this week? I had Tony Finau (DNP) and Mackenzie Hughes (MC). I thought Tony was scheduled to play and Mackenzie struggled. I suppose this is an appropriate finish to the official events for me. Still, with five winners, not a bad season.

• Top10s: 34 for 113 (21 Top5, 13Top10)
• Winners: 5 for 57
• Top20s: 51 for 113

One quote from Adam Svensson really stood out to me:

"To be honest, it's not even real right now," Svensson said when he finished. "I'm so happy. I put so much work in. To win on the PGA TOUR means everything to be me. ... I just kept believing in myself, and here I am."

The win means everything. It's definitely a career changer. Svensson was in his third season... and this win guarantees him two more, plus all the money and perks that go with a win.

I don't care what anybody says. The bling matters.

So I'll add my little Limerick Summary to the Canadian's substantial pile of bling from St. Simons Island. It'll be a nice holiday season at the Svensson household.

The cold must have been a good thing
For Canada’s new golfing king.
Cold? Svensson was not—
For three days, he was hot!
And his first Tour win means everything.

The photo came from this page at pgatour.com.

How 3-Wood Loft Works (Video)

I'm impressed with this video. This is the first easy-to-understand explanation I've seen of how you alter the attack angle of a 3-wood to produce the most effective flight for the shot you want to play. Plus it's got drills to help you practice! A great video for helping you master this club.

The Foot Back Drill (Video)

I may have posted something like this a month or so ago, I can't remember. But it's such a useful drill that I'm posting this new super-short video as well. At the very least, it's a good way to track down path problems with your swing.

Why Your Driver Strike Pattern Matters (Video)

Ali Taylor says you'll get more consistent performance from your driver if you understand your impact pattern. And if you don't understand it, you could get a custom fitted driver that doesn't perform the same way on the course that it did at the fitting. Useful knowledge for understanding your game!

The DP World Tour Championship

The DP World Tour plays its finale this week... and there will be a new champion this time around.

Defending champion Collin Morikawa withdrew from the event on Monday because of unspecified "upcoming personal commitments." Doesn't sound like injury, but it shouldn't affect the outcome since he's not really in position to win again this year.

Another notable player who won't be playing – although it isn't a surprise – is Will Zalatoris, who is #6 in the rankings but is still out with back problems.

That leaves the field pretty wide open, although Rory McIlroy and Ryan Fox are the favorites. If either wins, they take it all.

GC's live coverage starts TODAY at 6am ET. This should be a tightly contested event because so many of the players seem to be in top form coming in.

Injuries Are a Storyline at the CME Group Tour Championship

The LPGA's last event of 2022 is a big finale... but some of the top players are fighting injury in their attempts to win the LPGA's top non-major prize.

The CME Group Tour Championship is where a lot of prestige awards get settled, but some are already decided, Minjee Lee has the ANNIKA Major Award and the Aon Risk Reward Challenge, and Atthaya Thitikul won the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year. But the Money Title, Rolex LPGA Player of the Year and Vare (scoring) Trophy will have to wait until Sunday before we know who gets those.

And like I said, some of the top players are playing hurt. Jin Young Ko is playing with a wrist injury and Brooke Henderson with a back injury. Both players are taking it easy in the lead up to Thursday, hoping to nurse their injuries through the final event without causing further damage. After all, there's two months without an event before the 2023 season begins — time that can be used for therapy.

Perhaps the most confusing thing — or least confusing, depending on your point of view — is that the season-long race for points only determined who qualified for this event. The points are now wiped out and the winner of the event takes it all. Which means Pornanong Phatlum, the last player to make the field, can win it all with a good showing this week.

So who feels the most pressure this week? It's a good question! But now you know why the hurt players are teeing it up.

GC's live coverage of the event starts Thursday at 3pm ET. (If you can get it, there's an extra hour streaming at 2pm ET.) With so many storylines at play, we should get a great finale to the season!

Twofer Tuesday: RSM Classic

Twofer Tuesday leaves Houston TX for the Sea Island Resort in St. Simons Island GA to catch the last official PGA Tour event of 2022, the RSM Classic.

Another defending champion won't defend this week as Talor Gooch was one of those players who headed to LIV Golf. But that just leaves the last official title of the year up for grabs.

And I do mean up for grabs. ALL of the Korn Ferry Tour grads committed to the event and will get one last chance at a title before 2023. They will, of course, have to deal with Tony Finau -- who, as we sometimes say here in the Southeastern US, laid a hurtin' on the field in Houston. And there are other previous winners of this event in the field as well. Don't forget that a number of Tour players live on St. Simons Island and just might have a little advantage.

So I'm going for some proven winners this week. Will it work out for me? Got no idea. But let's give it a try, shall we?

• Tony Finau
• Mackenzie Hughes

GC's live coverage starts Thursday at noon ET, and PGA TOUR LIVE will start streaming at 9:30pm ET on ESPN+. I can't even pretend that this is the biggest event of the week -- both the LPGA and the DP World Tour are playing their Tour Championships. But this event frequently results in a playoff, which tells you the guys are competing really hard, so it's worth tuning in for a look.

The Limerick Summary: 2022 Cadence Bank Houston Open

Winner: Tony Finau

Around the wider world of golf: Nelly Korda successfully defended her title at the Pelican Women's Championship on the LPGA; Padraig Harrington blitzed the field to win the Charles Schwab Cup Championship but Steven Alker won the yearlong Cup race; Tommy Fleetwood won the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the DP World Tour; Andrew Martin won the Victorian PGA Championship on the Australasian Tour; Chiara Noja won the Aramco Team Series Jeddah on the LET; and Andy Ogletree won the International Series Egypt on the Asian Tour.

My Twofer Tuesday picks struggled in the wind and cold. I had Scottie Scheffler (T9) and Sam Burns (WD). Well, at least I got 1 Top10.

• Top10s: 34 for 111 (21 Top5, 13Top10)
• Winners: 5 for 56
• Top20s: 51 for 111

The tale of the tape, as they say, is simple: Tony Finau led or co-led every round at the Houston Open this past week, despite all kinds of weather changes like cold and wind and potential threats from Hurricane Nicole. Then he outlasted the entire field coming down the stretch. At one point he was eight strokes ahead.

Ultimately he won by four. Still pretty dominant, don't you think?

This was his fifth PGA Tour victory and his third victory in just seven starts. which means he's had three Limerick Summaries in his last seven starts. I'm pretty sure that's the kind of winning pace that ultimately sends guys to the top of the OWGR.

Okay, he's not there yet. But that doesn't mean he won't make it soon... !

Through the week he got farther ahead
And he left the whole field filled with dread
‘Cause his game was so bold.
Through the wind and the cold
Tony played like a real thoroughbred.

The photo came from this page at golfweek.usatoday.com.

Getting a Higher Driver Launch (Video)

Here's a trick to help you launch your tee shots higher, getting more carry and more overall distance. It's simple and doesn't require complicated technique changes, so you might want to give it a try and see if it helps.

Another Split Hand Grip Drill (Video)

A few weeks ago I posted a split hand grip drill that Rory uses but that video link is no longer good. So here's a new one that Mike Malaska posted to help you learn the same move.

You Need More Time to Create Clubhead Speed (Video)

There is plenty of evidence to show that you can create more clubhead speed with a slower overall swing. But the cool thing about this video is that Ali Taylor shows you two swings side-by-side so you can see why this seeming contradiction is true. This video just might change your approach to your swing!

The Final Champions Tour Event of 2022

It's time. The Champions will determine the season-long winner of the Charles Schwab Cup as well as the winner of the final event of 2022, the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Just as it used to be on the PGA Tour, there are often two winners at the Champions' Tour Championship. There's a winner of the event (which—no surprise—will not be defended by last year's winner Phil Mickelson). And then there's the winner of the Charles Schwab Cup itself (their equivalent of the FedExCup) which—again, no surprise—was won last year by Bernhard Langer for his 6th time.

It's a very different picture this year.

There are only two players with a realistic chance to win the Cup, Steven Alker and Padraig Harrington. And to be honest, even if Padraig wins the event, it's still very likely that Alker will win the Cup. (Yes, he's been that good this season.) But Padraig HAS to win just to have a chance at the Cup, so we should see some serious competition.

GC's live coverage starts TODAY (Thursday) at 4pm ET. since the event is played in Phoenix this may be fairly early in the round.

The Penultimate LPGA Event of 2022

The CME Tour Group Championship is next week... but the girls have one last chance to jockey for position at the Pelican Women's Championship.

Next year it'll be known as "The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican" but this year it's still just the Pelican Women's Championship. It's only the third playing of this event, thus far won by Sei Young Kim and Nelly Korda.

I mention jockeying for position simply because there are so many things still up for grabs at the Pelican this week — last chance to make the Top60 for next week's Tour Championship, get a shot at the Rolex Player of the Year, or maybe win the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year. It's all pretty tight right now.

Brittany Lincicome comes back from maternity leave this week, Jin Young Ko makes her return to an American venue after the wrist problems, and Hye-Jin Choi has to win or Atthaya Thitikul locks up the Rookie of the Year Award.

GC's live coverage begins Thursday at 10am ET. With so many tours rounding out their seasons this month, this is shaping up to be one of the more interesting.

Twofer Tuesday: Cadence Bank Houston Open

Twofer Tuesday makes the short trip north of the border from Mexico to Texas for the Cadence Bank Houston Open.

While a lot of players will be headed down Texas way this week, defending champion Jason Kokrak isn't one of them. Jason opted for LIV Golf so we'll be getting a new champion this week.

But Memorial Park Golf Course will be a familiar track for most of the field, this being its third year hosting the event since returning as the long-running tournament's host. A par 70 course measuring 7412 yards, it has five par3s and three par5s. To be blunt, it's a challenging track.

My picks should play well this week, I keep telling myself that, anyway...

• Scottie Scheffler
• Sam Burns

GC's live coverage starts Thursday at 1pm ET, and PGA TOUR LIVE starts at 7:30am ET exclusively on ESPN+. There's only one more full field event this season after Houston so we should see some serious play this week. FedExCup points are still on everyone's mind!

The Limerick Summary: 2022 World Wide Technology Championship

Winner: Russell Henley

Around the wider world of golf: Gemma Dryburgh got her first LPGA win at the TOTO Japan Classic; Bernhard Langer got his 44th Champions Tour win at the TimberTech Championship; George Coetzee won the PGA Championship on the Sunshine Tour; Jazz Janewattananond won the International Series Morocco on the Asian tour; and Ting-Hsuan Huang won the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship.

Given how unpredictable this event can be, my Twofer Tuesday picks didn't do too bad. I had Viktor Hovland (T10) and Aaron Wise (T15). I'll take it!

• Top10s: 33 for 109 (21 Top5, 12Top10)
• Winners: 5 for 55
• Top20s: 50 for 109

Russell Henley had developed a reputation for not finishing tournaments. The last five times he had at least part of the 54-hole lead, he couldn't get it done.

This time he did. He started with a six-shot lead and he finished ahead by four. He tied the tournament record with the win. That's good playing in anybody's book! And he credited the win to what he learned in all those losses. That's perspective!

It's Russell's fourth PGA Tour win and his first since 2017... which I guess gives him similar numbers on his Limerick Summary count. Not bad, Russ, not bad!

Russell led on the last day by six;
In the past, leads and wins had not mixed.
But this time, Russell knew
He could see the thing through
‘Cause the past losses taught him some tricks.

The photo came from this page at pgatour.com.

Shallowing the Club (Video)

In case you have trouble with tipping the clubhead forward on your downswing, Russell has a simple explanation of why you do it and a drill to help you stop. Just be clear about one thing: This is NOT the same thing as Jack Nicklaus's flying elbow. Just so you know...

Just Like Throwing a Ball...? (Video)

I think this video might challenge your ideas about how your wrists cock during your swing, But if you can understand how Mike Malaska is comparing a golf swing to how you throw a ball, this could make a huge difference in how easy you find it to square the clubface. Watch this short video as many times as necessary to understand it, because it's all about how you feel your golf swing!

Changing Shot Shape with Ball Position (Video)

There's more than one way to shape your golf shots, and Ali Taylor describes one way to do it -- by changing ball position. Note that he says you first have to learn to square the clubface -- which is something you have to learn no matter what method of shot shaping you use, and something I talk about a lot on this blog -- and then you can change your shot shape by moving the ball in your stance. Again, it's not the only way to do it but this is a good explanation of how the process works.

Just One More Event Before the Charles Schwab Cup

Just a reminder that the Charles Schwab Cup is almost decided.

If Steven Alker manages to defend this week at the TimberTech Championship, he wins the Charles Schwab Cup. All he's got to do is beat 49 other guys. Piece of cake, right?

Obviously that's not a given. We're down to the top players on the Champions Tour and players like Padraig Harrington, Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly will want to say something about that. Still, Alker's got a huge lead in the Cup and I think he's got it if he just plays decent the next two weeks.

GC's coverage starts Friday night at 6:30pm ET. This is one of three tours to finish their seasons this month, so it's going to be a very interesting November!

It's Baaaaak!

It's been three years since the TOTO Japan Classic was played as an LPGA event. That changes this week!

Perhaps no LPGA tournament was more affected by the pandemic than the TOTO Japan Classic. While the event was played in 2020 and 2021, neither was LPGA sanctioned, only JLPGA. So we have two defending champions in the field. While Ai Suzuki is the defending LPGA champ (2019), Ayaka Furue is the defending JLPGA champion (2021).

And while Jiyai Shin isn't a defending champion, she is the 2020 JLPGA champion. All three are in the field.

LPGA.com put the basics of this event in perspective:

The 72-hole event boasts a $2 million purse with no cut contested by a field of 42 of LPGA’s best and 36 JLPGA players.

Atthaya Thitikul is making her first appearance anywhere as the Rolex #1, and there are still seven players with a chance to win the Rolex Player of the Year Award. There's a lot at stake this week!

Because this event is in Japan, GC's live coverage begins Wednesday (TONIGHT!) at 11pm ET. It's gonna be nice to see this event back on the LPGA schedule.

And remember: After this event, there are only TWO left on the 2022 LPGA schedule.

Twofer Tuesday: World Wide Technology Championship

Twofer Tuesday hops from Bermuda to Mayakoba (that's in Mexico) for the World Wide Technology Championship.

He's baaaaack! Viktor Hovland is looking to threepeat this year at Mayakoba, something that hasn't happened anywhere since Steve Stricker's threepeat at the John Deere Classic (2009-2011). But Hovland continues to play well and he absolutely loves Mayakoba. He's definitely one to watch.

The El Camaleón course is... well, I'm just going to let PGATOUR.com explain it:

El Camaleón Golf Course at Mayakoba, par 71, 7,034 yards. There are three separate Mayan Rivera landscapes golfers traverse at Mayakoba: stretches on the oceanfront, tropical jungle, and mangroves. Birdies come in bunches at Mayakoba, with the winning score averaging at 20 under since 2013.

This course is very different from what the guys face most weeks. Different landscapes, different grass (Paspalum), and reasonably short — par-71, 7034 yards. Big greens, primary rough just over 2" and lots of penalty areas if you miss the fairways.

My picks are pretty simple:

• Viktor Hovland
• Aaron Wise

GC's live coverage begins Thursday at 3pm ET. One more thing: Scottie Scheffler is in the field and, with a win, he's got a chance to regain the #1 spot in the OWGR from Rory McIlroy. It's worth keeping an eye on.

The Limerick Summary: 2022 Butterfield Bermuda Championship

Winner: Seamus Power

Around the wider world of golf: Jordan Smith won the Portugal Masters on the DP World Tour; Combrinck Smit won the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final on the Sunshine Tour; Vanderbilt and Auburn won the East Lake Cup Men's and Women's Team titles, respectively; and Harrison Crowe won the Asia-Pacific Amateur.

My Twofer Tuesday picks didn't do so well but I'm okay with that. I had Ryan Armour (MC) and Aaron Rai (T54). Given the unpredictability of this event, what with the shorter track, wild weather swings and lack of big names, I didn't really expect much.

• Top10s: 32 for 107 (21 Top5, 11Top10)
• Winners: 5 for 54
• Top20s: 48 for 107

Another unpredictable event in Bermuda. After a day or two of calm weather, the wind and rain came up and players struggled. On Sunday it seemed it would come down to one-time winner Seamus Power and rookie Ben Griffin, tied to start the day.

But then the pressure hit them and both struggled down the stretch. Griffin suffered the most, going +6 in five holes. Thomas Detry and Patrick Rodgers put up good runs but it was a little too late... although Detry certainly made 'em look when he posted just one off the lead.

In the end Power's -1 round was enough to hold on and get the win. It's his second PGA Tour win and, not surprisingly, his second Limerick Summary. I guess good things come in pairs. Congrats, Seamus!

He struggled to finish the round
But Seamus, he never got down.
One shot under par
Was his worst score by far
For the week, but he still got the crown.

The photo came from this page at pgatour.com.

Rory's Driver Move (Video)

I include this video so you can see what Rory does. I will simply warn you: Rory lives in a gym. If you go at this too hard, you can hurt yourself. You've been warned!

Relax Your Wrists Before Your Round (Video)

It's simple but it's sooo cool. Mike Malaska shows you a slick little drill to get your wrists ready for your round... and impress your friends.

Using the Rope Drill to Improve Your Driving (Video)

The Rope Drill is so simple that it's often taken for granted. But Russell does a really good job of explaining how to use it to get the results you need to improve your driving. In my opinion, an extremely useful video.

Sand VS Clubface (Video)

A super simple concept that you need to have clear in your head. When playing from the bunker, the ball goes where the sand goes, not where the face is pointed; the face angle determines how deep the clubhead digs into the sand. Get this straight in your mind and your sand play will improve immediately!

The 2022 DP World Tour's Season Is in the Final Stretch

The Portugal Masters is the 41st of 43 events on the DP World Tour this year. This is the last event that counts toward the DP World Tour Rankings... and the last week to guarantee a Tour card for next season.

While the FedExCup has three events in its playoff series, the DP World Tour Rankings have only two — the Nedbank Golf Challenge (a 64-player field) and the DP World Tour Championship (a 50-player field). So the Portugal Masters is the make-or-break event for a lot of players, and most of them will be in the field this week.

The Portugal Masters has been held at the Dom Pedro Victoria Course (designed by Arnold Palmer) every year since its first back in 2007. It's a par-71 track measuring 7191 yards and the event has a prestigious list of winners, to which Thomas Pieters added his name last year.

GC will have live coverage starting Thursday morning at 8am ET. Time is passing quickly for 2022 and this is when the final scramble starts... and you don't want to miss any of it!

Twofer Tuesday: Butterfield Bermuda Championship

Twofer Tuesday heads for the beaches of Bermuda and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.

Port Royal GC in Southampton, Bermuda is a bear at times. While it's a par-71 of only 6828 yards, the winds and hills make it a challenging venue. But it's the kind of place that doesn't favor the big hitters.

Lucas Herbert won here last year but he's not in the field this time around.

Let's face it. This event isn't loaded with big name players. I don't know if this is the reason, but this event has the lowest purse in the remaining four events. That makes it a good chance for a winless player to break through, like Herbert did last year.

As far as I can tell, there are no 'chalk' picks this week. (Although you could do worse than pick 2019 winner Brian Gay, who is in the field.) But I like my picks.

• Ryan Armour
• Aaron Rai

GC's coverage begins Thursday at 1:30pm ET. What can I say? It's a chance to watch guys playing golf along an ocean beach at a time when the weather on the mainland is getting colder. Why wouldn't you want to watch?

The Limerick Summary: 2022 CJ CUP

Winner: Rory McIlroy

Around the wider world of golf: Lydia Ko won the BMW Ladies Championship on the LPGA; Yannik Paul won the Mallorca Golf Open on the DP World Tour; Steven Alker won the Dominion Energy Charity Classic on the Champions Tour; Deyen Lawson won the Nexus Advisernet WA Open on the Australasian Tour; Dylan Naidoo won the SunBet Challenge on the Sunshine Tour; and Olivia Cowan won the Hero Women’s Indian Open on the LET.

My fortunes have turned, at least this week! For my Twofer Tuesday picks I had Rory McIlroy (1) and Jon Rahm (T4). I finally got another winner plus another Top5. Cool!

• Top10s: 32 for 105 (21 Top5, 11Top10)
• Winners: 5 for 53
• Top20s: 48 for 105

He stumbled a bit at the end but Rory played so well in the middle of the final round that he built the necessary cushion to grab his 23rd PGA Tour win.

Rory also successfully defended his 2021 CJ CUP win, albeit on a different course.

And then he grabbed the #1 spot on the OWGR to top it all off.

I don't have any more words to describe what Rory's done over the last ten months. He's got three wins plus the FedExCup. And that's not counting the close calls he's had.

But I do have words to say congrats on another win and another Limerick Summary. You're really racking those babies up, Rors!

He’s back on the top of the heap!
Is the Number 1 Rory’s to keep
While youngsters take aim
At the McIlroy claim
As the best? The climb up’s pretty steep!

The photo came from this page at pgatour.com.

A Drill for Relaxing Tension (Video)

A simple shoulder-to-shoulder drill for reducing tension before you swing.

Improving Your Scores With Ball Position (Video)

While most teachers would say there's a 'best' ball position for optimal results, the simple fact is that most of us don't have optimal swings... and it takes a while to develop one. In this video Russell Heritage explains (1) how to change your ball position so you get better results with your existing swing and (2) how to use ball position to create drills that teach you that optimal position. There are good reasons to do both, and this video will help you do the right thing for the right reason.

Aim Your Clubface First! (Video)

You've heard this before but Ali Taylor gives you a simple procedure for aiming the ball properly time after time... so here it is. What else do I need to say?

The Champions Tour Playoffs Begin

The Champions Tour begins its three event Playoff series this week at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic.

So the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs kick off in Virginia with a 72-player limited field event, although only 68 are entered. One of those watching this week will be Fred Couples, who shot that amazing 60 last Sunday to blitz the field at the SAS Championship. He qualified; he just decided to take the rest of the season off.

Not taking the season off is Bernhard Langer, the defending champion and only two-time winner of this event. He's only two wins from tying Hale Irwin's record win total of 45, a mark previously thought unreachable. But he's not only the Tour's oldest winner, he's also PGATOUR.COM's top pick in the Power Rankings for this event.

GC's tape-delayed coverage begins Friday at 7pm ET. Let's face it, the big story this week is whether Bernhard Langer can defend his title and move within one win of Irwin's record. With the strong competition on the Champions Tour this year, it should be quite a show!

The Defending Champion Returns to Defend

Jin Young Ko returns after several weeks of rehab to defend her title at the BMW Ladies Championship on the LPGA in Korea.

She says it's not quite back to full strength but Jin Young told reporters it wasn't bad enough that she could blame poor play on it. We know from the past that she plays well after extended time off, but we also know that 2022 hasn't seen the game we've come to expect from her. It'll be interesting to see how her wrist holds up.

In fact, 6 of the Top10 in the Rolex Rankings will tee it up in this invitational event. No less than 18 players have a mathematical chance of winning Rolex LPGA Player of the Year so expect to see some serious competition!

On a sadder note, Na Yeon Choi is calling it quits this week as she tees it up for the last time. She hasn't won since 2015 and has been a bit off her game this year. The player who has always tried to keep her life balanced and interesting has apparently decided to try something new, and I for one wish her luck. I hope she has a great tournament this week.

GC's live coverage from Korea begins Wednesday night (TONIGHT!) at 11pm ET. Will Jin Young Ko be able to shock us all again with a win after a layoff? Will one of the other players take a big step toward the 2022 POY? Tonight's the beginning of the final run at the title!

Twofer Tuesday: CJ CUP

Twofer Tuesday takes the red-eye from Japan to South Carolina for this year's CJ Cup at Congaree.

The pandemic has played havoc with the CJ CUP. This event has moved from South Korea (3 times) before the bug to Las Vegas (2 times) and now to South Carolina at the Congaree Golf Club. Congaree has hosted only one other PGA TOUR event, that other being the 2021 Palmetto Championship. That event was won by Garrick Higgo (who didn't qualify for this year's field).

Congaree has the look of a links course, almost like an Australian sand belt course or Pinehurst No. 2, dominated by vast firm stretches of sand. The ball should bounce and roll a lot. And it should coax some great golf out of the field.

The course is a par-71 measuring 7655 yards with three par-5s, and it's hosting a field of only 78. Needless to say, the field is pretty strong. And because of that, I'm going chalk again this week.

• Rory McIlroy
• Jon Rahm

Rory has a chance to reach #1 in the world with a win this week. And Rahmbo is finally back on form.

GC's live coverage begins Thursday at 3pm ET. I am so looking forward to this event. Congaree was an awesome venue the first time around; I expect no less this time.

The Limerick Summary: 2022 ZOZO Championship

Winner: Keegan Bradley

Around the wider world of golf: Adrian Otaegui won the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters on the DP World Tour; Fred Couples won the SAS Championship on the Champions Tour; Lexi Thompson won the Aramco Team Series New York on the LET; Matias Sanchez won the CKB WA PGA Championship on the Australasian Tour; Stephen Ferreira won the Blue Label Challenge on the Sunshine Tour; and in the NCAA's Jackson T. Stephens Cup, the North Carolina Men's Team and the Stanford Women's Team won the team competitions, and David Ford and Rachel Kuehn won the men's and women's individual titles, respectively.

For my Twofer Tuesday picks I had Tom Kim (T25) and Xander Schauffele (T9). Both men had a strong start but neither could keep the pressure on over the weekend.

• Top10s: 30 for 103 (19 Top5, 101Top10)
• Winners: 4 for 52
• Top20s: 46 for 103

Three men who hadn't won in around four years — Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler and Andrew Putnam — found themselves in a battle with each other to break their individual win droughts.

It's probably no surprise that the winner was actually determined by the front nine. All three men shot even par down the stretch.

It was close though. Keegan won by a single stroke, Rickie and Andrew tied for second.

Personally I think it was a great showing by all three. It's hard when you haven't won in years. But Keegan had probably had the worst time since his career had been disrupted by the anchored putting ban.

It was such an emotional win for Keegan that all I can say is congratulations... and welcome back to the Limerick Summary club!

Poor Keegan! He bided his time,
His putting stroke ruled as a crime;
He had to regroup.
But folks, here’s the scoop:
He’s putting like back in his prime.

The photo came from this page at pgatour.com.

Bye Bye, Hosel Rocket! (Video)

If you're shanking the ball enough to affect your game, watch this video from Mike Malaska. Stopping this shot is easy once you understand why you hit them. Just remember: Everybody hits a hosel rocket once in a while. It's nothing to worry about unless it becomes a habit.

Rory's Split Hand Grip Drill (Video)

If Rory likes it, it must be good! Pay close attention to how Russell shows you to grip the club. While he says he believes your lead hand squares the clubface, that's not true for a lot of you. So make sure you grip properly with BOTH hands, and check Thursday's post to make sure you're squaring the clubface on the way down. This drill is about solid contact and accuracy, so don't cheat on this drill. You'll only be cheating yourself of all the benefits it can give you.

How Long Should Your Backswing Be? (Video)

Ali Taylor has a drill to help you find the perfect length for your backswing. Some players are more flexible than others; a shorter swing may actually give you more distance because you'll hit the ball better and more consistently. It's worth experimenting to find the swing length at which you get the most consistent and longest shots. Hopefully this drill will help you find that sweet spot.

Squaring the Clubface for Distance (Video)

I'm posting this as a sequel to yesterday's post. While Ali Taylor's video can help you get more distance from less speed, I'm focused on the second half of the video, starting around the 5:00 mark, about squaring the clubface. The very clear explanation of how an open clubface looks during the downswing and what you want at that point, combined with a half-swing drill to help you prevent it and the balance drill from yesterday, could really help you get control of your swing and dramatically improve your scores.

A Difficult Driver Balance Drill (Video)

Yes, if you've ever tried this drill, you know it's HARD. But that's what makes it such a good drill for improving balance when swinging your driver. Keeping your balance is key to creating good impact, which in turn increases your accuracy and distance. A TIP: Put a bit more weight on your lead foot at the start of the drill and try to keep it there. It'll help you minimize upper body movement and make it easier to keep your balance.

Twofer Tuesday: ZOZO Championship

Twofer Tuesday leaps the Pacific Ocean for a week in Japan at the ZOZO Championship.

The Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan is one of those unusual venues. This par-70 layout has five par-3s and three par-5s, tipping out at 7079 yards. It's a parkland-style layout, and each hole has two greens. The course has proven to be both beautiful and challenging, with a premium on both course management and putting.

Hideki Matsuyama did both last year, winning the event by five after barely missing out on a medal at the Japan Olympics.

I'm not sure who to pick this week as, like last week, I have more than two favorites. So this is a fairly random pair because I'm not sure it's possible for any of my faves to be a bad pick. I'm just wondering if I'll miss the winner again this week.

• Tom Kim
• Xander Schauffele

I really hate not picking Hideki this week but Tom could be on a Scottie Scheffler-type run and I'm curious to see if he can pull it off. I'm basing my picks mainly on how players have done in the overseas events this year.

GC's live coverage starts Wednesday night at 11pm ET. It'll be fun to see Japanese golf again. We so rarely get to see it live here in the US!

The Limerick Summary: 2022 Shriners Children’s Open

Winner: Tom Kim

Around the wider world of golf: Jodie Ewart Shadoff won the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship; Steve Stricker won the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS on the Champions Tour; Jon Rahm won the acciona Open de España on the DP World Tour; amateur Jaravee Boonchant won the Epson Tour Championship; Pieter Moolman won the Fortress Invitational on the Sunshine Tour; and Kajal Mistry and Luke Clanton won the women's and men's divisions (respectively) of the NCAA's Jackson T. Stephens Cup.

For my Twofer Tuesday picks I had Sungjae Im (7) and Patrick Cantlay (T2). I'll definitely take that. I also mentioned that I wished I could add Max Homa (T20) and Tom Kim (1) to the picks as well. I really wish that now!

• Top10s: 29 for 101 (19 Top5, 10 Top10)
• Winners: 4 for 51
• Top20s: 45 for 101

Wow, what a shocker of an ending at the Shriners! Patrick Cantlay and Tom Kim had separated themselves from the rest of the pack and headed to the 18th tied for the lead, three shots clear.

And then Cantlay unexpectedly hit a wild hook, made two bad decisions and finished with a triple bogey. He all but handed the win to Tom.

But then again, it wasn't as if Tom didn't do what needed to be done. Have you realized what he's done in less than two months? This week, a full 72 holes without a single bogey? The first player since Tiger Woods in 1996 to win twice on the PGA TOUR before turning 21? Picking up those two wins in just four starts? And let's not forget that he wasn't even a Tour member on August 1!!! 

The Presidents Cup star is certainly on the rise. He picks up his second Limerick Summary in just four starts as well. Way to go, Tom!

Cantlay wanted to win more this year
So he said, “Guess I’ll get started here!”
But then Tom Kim hung ‘round
Till the last putt went down
For his second big win of the year.

The photo came from this page at golfweek.usatoday.com.

Talking About 7-Woods (Video)

I'm not going to be coy about this; I'm telling you upfront this video is about 7-woods. I will simply say this: When I got my first full set of clubs 40 years ago, it had a 7-wood in it. (Back then, a 20° fairway wood was called a 5-wood.) And I can truthfully say that it's always been the best club longer than a short iron in my bag. On days when no other club worked for me, my trusty 7-wood gave me usable shots. (There were days I even chipped with it.) So I echo Ali's advice — consider testing one out if you don't already have one.

Understanding Why Shot Shapes Matter (Video)

Russell Heritage doesn't believe you have to follow Hogan's approach to addressing the ball, but he thinks you can learn a lot if you understand why he was sold on his approach. If you pay attention, you may learn how shot shapes can do more than just curve the ball.

Wrist Hinge or No Wrist Hinge? (Video)

I know a number of you think Matt at the MrShortGame channel is a nut, and this video will set some of you off. But there are a lot of ways to FEEL the correct hinging motion in your wrists and Matt is using the feel of extension in your arms to create the proper hinging action. For some of you this simply won't work -- not because it's wrong but because it just doesn't feel right to your body. But if you're struggling to correctly hinge your wrists, Matt's method is worth trying. It will eliminate that cupped wrist that causes problems.

As for slowing down your hip turn in your downswing... I happen to believe in this move. Unless you have an incredibly fast swing, spinning out on the way down will hurt your accuracy without giving you any extra distance. Again, it will work for some of you and not for others, but it's worth trying to find out which group you belong in.

What Is Counterweighting? (Video)

I'm posting this because I'm sure many of you have never heard of counterweighting. I only knew about it because I once heard Jack Nicklaus talk about doing it with some of his clubs. Mike Malaska did this short video to explain it (yes, he heard Nicklaus say it too) in case you want to give it a try. It's an incredibly simple concept but it might make a huge difference in how your clubs feel.

The LPGA Makes It Four in California

The LPGA is back in California for the fourth time this season, this time at the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship... but this time there's a change.

This is also the fourth playing of the MEDIHEAL, but this time it's moving from the Bay Area and the familiar Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City. This time they'll be playing at The Saticoy Club, which is in the hills of Somis CA on the Ventura County coast. This will be the first pro tournament held at this course and the first tournament held in Ventura County in over 20 years!

Last year's winner Matilda Castren was the first Finnish player to win on the LPGA Tour and she did it with a tournament record -14. But we could see another first-time winner since it appears that most of the top players in the CME points list are taking the week off, presumably to get some rest before hitting the season's final stretch.

However, there are a few players of interest in the field. Danielle Kang lives only 20 minutes from the course so this is sort of a home game for her, and she's been playing well since returning from that back tumor that sidelined her earlier this season. Atthaya Thitikul is the highest-ranked player in the field, looking for her third win of the season. And Lucy Li qualified for this event on Monday, so this is another chance for her to gain some LPGA experience. (And she's played pretty well so far in the events she's been in this year.)

GC's coverage is tape-delayed this week, so Thursday's broadcast doesn't start until 9pm ET. Still, counting this week, there are only four events left before the Tour Championship in November. And the POY race is pretty tight. This could be a big week for Thitikul.

Twofer Tuesday: Shriners Children's Open

Twofer Tuesday rolls into Las Vegas for the Shriners Children's Open... and hopes the roll of the dice is a bit friendlier to his picks this week.

Once again TPC Summerlin hosts this event, a par-71 measuring just over 7250 yards. If you're good on this course, you're really good. Scores are typically around 20-under. Defending champion Sungjae Im was 24-under.

Well, since we're in Vegas this week, forget subtlety. I'm going chalk, baby!

• Sungjae Im
• Patrick Cantlay

I wish I could take four picks this week. I'd add Max Homa and Tom Kim to my list. But two picks, them's the rules.

GC's live prime time coverage begins at 5pm ET on Thursday. PGA TOUR LIVE starts streaming at 9:30am ET. And don't listen when they say 'What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas' — I know everybody will know if I made bad picks.

The Limerick Summary: 2022 Sanderson Farms

Winner: Mackenzie Hughes

Around the wider world of golf: Charley Hull won the Ascendant LPGA; Ryan Foxx won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the DP World Tour; Celine Borge won the Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic on the Epson Tour; Chan Shih-chang won the Mercuries Taiwan Masters on the Asian Tour; Ruan Korb won the Vodacom Origins of Golf on the Sunshine Tour; and Bryson DeChambeau nearly pulled off an upset when he came in runner-up at the PLDA World Championships on the Professional Long Drivers Association Tour.

For my Twofer Tuesday picks I had Sam Burns (T30) and Sahith Theegala (MC). Not so good, guys. Perhaps you should have taken another week off...? Still, I realize that having 4 winners in 50 tries is 8%... and that would be an amazing number if I was actually winning that many events, so I'll try not to gripe too much.

• Top10s: 27 for100 (18 Top5, 9 Top10)
• Winners: 4 for 50
• Top20s: 43 for 100

The final round at the Sanderson Farms Championship was probably a lot closer than anyone expected. Only Scott Stallings had an unexpectedly bad round; almost everyone else in contention moved up the leaderboard on Sunday.

Ultimately though, the battle came down to three men — Mackenzie Hughes, Sepp Straka and Garrick Higgo. And each man was looking to double his wins on Tour.

That's right, each had a single PGA Tour win.

The big talk going into the week had been about Hughes's work over the past year or so to increase his strength and clubhead speed, and to add a dependable fade to his game. But perhaps ironically, it was his short game — and particularly his proven putting touch — that finally won it for him.

He scrambled his way in when he began to miss fairways, finishing #1 in those stats at 91.67% for the week and 88.89% for Sunday's round. (I believe the actual number was 22 for 25. Amazing.) And after hitting a 105-yard putt from the fairway inside 4 feet to make a playoff, he canned two putts — a par from 5 feet and a birdie from 7 — to seal the win.

Mackenzie Hughes waited nearly six years to pick up his second PGA Tour win and just as long for his second Limerick Summary. It may have taken him a long time to get that monkey off his back, but I'm sure the floodgates for more Limerick Summaries is open now. Congrats, Mac!

All week, people talked about Hughes—
How he’d spent the year paying his dues
Building swing speed and muscle.
Now, ripe for a tussle,
His scrambling was what made the news.

The photo came from this page at pgatour.com.

More Distance with Less Flexibility (Video)

As Ali Taylor says, you don't have to be old to lack flexibility. Maybe you have arthritis, maybe some joint pain that reduces your ability to turn, maybe your muscles are just tight. There are ways to make up for some of that inability to turn. Take a good look at his video here and you might find something that will help you pick up a few mph with your swing, maybe even become a little more accurate.

Short Game Weight Shift Drill, Take Two (Video)

Mike Malaska did another short video about the same problem as yesterday's post, but with a different drill. You've probably seen this drill before -- you drop your trail foot back so it's on its toe, to force your weight onto your lead foot. But it got me thinking... suppose you used both drills at the same time? Would it really ingrain that feeling of moving your weight to your front foot? In either case, now you've got two drills to help you get your weight forward during short game shots.

A Drill for Proper Weight Shift in Your Short Game (Video)

You've been told you need to get more of your weight on your lead foot for short game shots. Here's a simple drill to help you ingrain that feel... by pushing your lead heel into the ground as you strike the ball. Simple but effective, it can help you make that setup position second nature. One less thing to think about when you're trying to chip it close.

An Interesting Step Drill (Video)

Many of you will find things that help you in this video, but I'm posting it for one specific drill you'll find around the 3:20 mark. Russell has a very interesting step drill that I don't believe I've ever seen before. What it does is teach you to make your backswing without swaying backward and moving off the ball. It's something you might want to try if you want to learn a more positive move into the downswing.

The Defending Champ Is Unavailable

Jin Young Ko is still out, nursing her injured wrist. But that doesn't mean there's not a stacked field at the Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America.

Yes, last year this was the Volunteers of America Classic. But it has picked up a new sponsor, Ascendant National Title, a Cypress Ascendant Company, who is partnering with the Volunteers of America. The result is — among other things — a $200,000 increase in the purse.

Despite Ko's absence, six of the Rolex Top10 are in the field:

• Nelly Korda
• Atthaya Thitikul
• Lydia Ko
• Brooke Henderson
• Lexi Thompson
• Nasa Hataoka

Add in past winners and such, and you've got a pretty strong field.

GC's live coverage begins Thursday at 12:30pm ET. While the sponsor is new, the track is not — Old American Golf Club, located at The Colony TX, is celebrating its fifth anniversary as the host site. Golf Magazine named it the #5 ’Best Public Golf Course’ in Texas, so we should see some good golf out of the gals.