The Facts of Impact

When it comes to putting, most golfers worry about line and speed. But those are results, so they’re somewhat out of your control. The best you can do to putt better is control how you impact the ball, specifically where on the ball the putterface makes contact. Once you learn how to create proper impact and get the ball rolling with forward spin, your command of line and speed will come. In this video, Michael Breed discusses perfect putting strikes and how to produce them.

As we move from the green out to the fairway, the characteristics of impact change dramatically. The attack angle goes from upward to downward; the ball rotation goes from forward spin to backspin; the shots go from the ground to the air. What remains the same is, the dynamics you create at impact determine where the ball goes. On shots inside 100 yards—the subject of this video—that means trajectory, distance and roll. Here, Michael Breed takes you through the details.

For many golfers, the hardest clubs to find consistency with are the irons. If you battle fat shots, thin shots and wild variations in distance, understanding a few keys to good iron impact can improve your approach play. In this video, Michael Breed explains creating a downward hit versus simply trying to hit down on the ball—it’s a dramatic difference. He also discusses how to produce a penetrating ball flight and predictable distances with your irons.

The driver is the most unique club in the bag, but there are principles you can take from both putting and iron play to improve your impact off the tee. The dynamics of the swing are in full bloom with the driver, yet the angle of attack should be slightly upward, like in putting. With distance as your primary goal, you need to maximize your turn behind the ball and swing into impact on an inside path. Here, Michael Breed demonstrates how to optimize your driver strikes.