Why America’s top golfers are getting it right…

America's top golfers getting it right
Why America's top golfers are getting it right

America's top golfers are doing great.  A couple of weeks ago we saw Justin Thomas clinch victory in the PGA championship, followed by an impressive Solheim Cup win last week by team America.  These wins add to what has been a hugely successful year for American golfers.

In the men’s game, three of the four Majors were won by American golfers.

Brooks Koepka, used his power and finesse to win the US Open at Erin Hills. Jordan Spieth added the Open Championship to his Masters and US Open wins, at Royal Birkdale. Then Spieth’s good friend and rival from junior days, Justin Thomas, showed what a phenomenally talent he is, with a first Major win at Quail Hollow.

 

Why are Americans doing so well on the world stage?

What strikes me about the young AAndrew Cooper quotemerican stars is their fantastic confidence. I also love their individuality.

They’ve grown up in an era where Trackman, video analysis, 3D motion capture, and all sorts of amazing technology, is readily available. Yet, perhaps surprisingly, far from being robotic clones with “perfect” technique, the best young Americans all have their own swings, with their own quirks.And that’s because playing great golf is about much more than having a pretty swing.

Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed and, in the ladies’ game, world no.2 Lexi Thomson; all very different styles, but all phenomenal golfers. What have they got in common?

The key ingredient...

The key ingredient I think is self-belief. And a big part of that self-belief comes because they’re not copying anyone, or trying to fit themselves into a model swing, or trying to be perfect; they’re playing their own game. They have been lucky enough, or smart enough, to find and listen to coaches who understand that and have allowed them space to develop their own way.

Free from doubts and fears, they get on with playing golf. They’re far from perfect golfers. They hit plenty of brilliant shots, but plenty of poor ones too. However, they know that a bad shot, or a bad round, even a bad tournament, doesn’t mean they need to overhaul what they do and start again. They trust what they do.

That’s not to say that they’re not striving to improve. I’m sure they’re doing that every day. But they’re striving to improve their skills, to develop as golfers, to get better; they’re not stressing about fixing faults, or worrying about making mistakes, or chasing perfection. And that’s a big difference.

What we can learn from America's young golfing stars

  • Golf is a game to be played and enjoyed.
  • It is a game that we can try to get better at, but ultimately a game we'll never perfect, so don't stress about bad shots! 
  • Watching and learning from top players is good, but avoid trying to copy them.
  • There are few "must do's" in golf technique, rather lots of preferences. Understand the difference between quirks and flaws. 
  • Practise to develop your skills, not to fix your faults. 
  • Self-belief is a must! 
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