Hideki Matsuyama stormed to victory at the 2024 Genesis Invitational, and it’s easy to see why when you drill down into the stats. The nine-time PGA Tour winner gained over 6 strokes on the field from tee to green in a final round 62, and hit over 66 percent of greens in regulation over the week.
In what will surely be one of the rounds of the year, Matsuyama gained a staggering 8.47 strokes on the field, more than doubling the combined strokes gained score of both runner-up finishers Zalatoris (1.47) and List (2.47) in the final round.
After watching his tee to green masterclass, you might be thinking… how can I improve my ball-striking? Well, wonder no more, as we asked Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Andrew Reynolds to share a simple ball-striking tip that can help you flush it like Hideki…
Better Ball-Striking Drill
“Often, the difference between a good swing and a bad one is nothing more technical than your rhythm. Finding the right tempo will help the sequencing of your swing as a whole, and this drill will give you a great feel for what the right speed is for you,” says Reynolds.
Hideki Matsuyama’s unique swing tempo, with that trademark pause, allowed him to hit consistently precise tee shots at Riviera Country Club
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“Take nine balls and split them into three piles. For the first three shots, hit the balls as hard as you can and keep a rough note of where they go. For the next three shots, swing the club as smoothly as you can. Finally, hit the last three balls taking ten percent off your smooth swing.”
Matsuyama put on a ball-striking masterclass as he stormed to victory at the 2024 Genesis Invitational
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“You will notice some trends in terms of the ball flight. It might be that your flat-out swing hits the ball a bit to the right (you might well be able to use that knowledge to your advantage on the course). Of course, what you will also notice is which swing speed delivers the straightest flight, and that’s the one you need to stick to on the course.”
Andrew’s Ball Striking Drill Checklist
1) Focus on tempo to improve your sequencing
2) Split the drill into three sections, using three sets of three balls, varying your swing speed in each
3) Make a note of the ball flight for each swing speed
4) Decide which swing speed delivers the straightest flight and use that on the course
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