5 Things You Can Learn From Masters Champion Jordan Spieth
Jordan Spieth thrilled golf fans everywhere with a decisive win at the 2015 Masters Tournament at Augusta National. His level-headed, mature demeanor belies his young age. He’s what many players hope to get out of their golf careers. Here are five things you can learn from this bright new star on the PGA tour.
Play Like A Kid
Spieth learned golf as a kid at the Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas. Rather than pressure their young golfers into a high-stakes training regimen to create future golf stars, the club let them be kids. Competitions stressed the fun of the game, and this atmosphere allowed them to develop whatever talent they had. Kids don’t think about their swing plane, tempo or swing keys. They plop the ball down and hit it. They don’t doubt themselves. Playing like a kid means playing without fear. If you have become stiff, robotic and overly swing-conscious, get in touch with why you love the game in the first place. Swing loose and confident — some pros call it “freewheeling.” Make golf fun again, and your golf swing will flow naturally.
Don’t Worry About A Bent Left Arm
Often golfers are instructed to keep their left arm straight. Yet Spieth’s left arm bends slightly at the top of the swing. The problem golfers run into when thinking about keeping their lead arm straight is that it will tend to get stiff and locked up. Conversely, Spieth’s lead arm stays soft and athletic. When he comes through the ball, the slight bend helps ensure that the club will not flip past the hands. This increases power and accuracy.
Use The Ground As Leverage
As he begins the downswing, Spieth moves slightly forward and down to set up incredible compression into the ball. He does it by using the ground as leverage. This means using the ground to help release stored power loaded into the rear leg. Think of other sports where an athlete pushes off the ground to accelerate forward. Runners, skaters, baseball players and others use this principle to build and release tremendous force.
Strive For Constant Improvement
Jordan Spieth has natural talent and a solid swing honed from years of play. It is fluid and comfortable, and doesn’t put undue stress on his back and joints. Nonetheless, he knew he needed to up his game to compete at the highest levels. As a teenager, he began working with a swing coach to iron out the speed bumps in his swing. For example, he tends to hit his long irons to the right under pressure. However, his coach makes sure that swing changes do not mask his natural ability. It’s tricky, but their efforts are bearing fruit.
Learn To Win
Learning to win means gaining confidence by actually winning games and tournaments. According to Golf Digest, as a youngster, Jordan Spieth won almost everything he entered. This ingrained a self-image as a winner. He won over and over partly because he expected to win. You might hear advice to, “Act like a winner and eventually you’ll be a winner.” It’s more than that. You want to actually enter and win tournaments to gain the feeling of winning. Find tournaments you can win, and use that experience to create unbeatable confidence. You are not acting. You know in your bones you are a winner. Jordan Spieth has a lot of maturity for his age. At only 21 years of age, we can expect to see many more wins in the future. Use these ideas and you’ll find yourself winning more as well.
You can learn more about rewarding golf careers available by contacting us today at the College of Golf at Keiser University.
