The Secret to Shaping Golf Shots Like Rory McIlroy and Other Great Players
If you watched this year's Masters Tournament, you witnessed some of the most spectacular golf shots in recent memory.
Sure, there was Justin Rose's epic putt that ultimately led to a playoff, but it was eventual champion Rory McIlroy who really showed off his superb ball-striking ability, shaping golf shots like only a few players in the world can.
Advertisement
Whether it was McIlroy's 'shot of a lifetime' on No. 15 — a big, sweeping draw that rolled to a few feet of the pin — or his impeccable strike on No. 17, the five-time major winner put on an absolute ball-striking clinic.
While 99% of us can only dream of hitting it like McIlroy, we can at least learn some fundamentals to help! That's why the Rainmakers Golf crew tapped top-ranked golf instructor Kelvin Kelley to share some pro-level tips on shaping golf shots — which you can see in the video below.
How to Shape Golf Shots - Hitting a Draw
Shaping golf shots might be an elevated skill, but when you understand the concept and what changes you need to make in the golf setup, it's actually easier than you might think.
Advertisement
Kelley acknowledges this, and explains how to shape golf shots by simply repositioning your feet.
'Shaping the ball is an important skill in golf, and it's actually pretty easy if you understand the physics of how the clubface and shaft work,' Kelley says.
To get started, Kelley sets up an easy drill on the driving range that can help you practice shaping golf shots, simply laying down a golf club on the ground between the ball and his feet. He then explains how to position your feet based on the desired ball-flight.
'If I want to draw the ball, I just drop my trail foot back, which closes off my body and promotes a more in-to-out club path,' Kelley instructs. 'The face starts it in the golf swing and the path will curve it.'
Advertisement
When using your feet to shape golf shots, Kelley reminds players the importance of swinging along the body line — helping to promote the proper swing path — and ensuring the face is square at address. He then offers a quick trick.
'A quick trick that'll help you get that feeling is taking a range ball and [using or drawing lines] on it,' he shares. 'I'll take those lines and, for my draw, point them out to the right. So when I drop my right foot back, I'm going to picture the path coming from the inside and hitting that line.'
How to Shape Golf Shots - Hitting a Fade
Now that you understand the fundamentals for hitting a draw, conversely, Kelley explains what adjustments to make when shaping golf shots for a fade.
Advertisement
'To hit a fade, I'll take those lines on the golf ball and get them pointed to the left,' he explains. 'I'm now going to open my stance, so my feet, hips and shoulders will be pointing left of the target.'
Just as you would when hitting a draw, Kelley reinforces the importance of swinging along your body line, which will ensure your path is correct as it comes through impact.
By making the suggested adjustments and dialing in your fundamentals, Kelley says you can use his golf tips to work on shaping shots during golf practice.
'So alter your feet the next time you're on the driving range to shape it, but also use the golf ball to get a feeling of the path,' he states.
Advertisement
Related: Xander Schauffele's 3 Keys for Putting Killer Backspin on a Golf Ball
Related: Cameron Young Shares 3 Types of Tee Shots to Better Maximize Your Driver
Related: Try Nick Dunlap's Easy Practice Drill for Straighter Putts
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Scheffler chases back-to-back majors at US Open
World number one Scottie Scheffler plays a shot during his final practice round at Oakmont for the 125th US Open (Andrew Redington) Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler launches his bid for back-to-back major titles as the US Open gets under way on Thursday. The world's top golfers face an ultimate challenge at Oakmont, where dense rough, sloped fast greens and tricky bunkers have Scheffler among many calling it the hardest course they might ever play. Advertisement "This is probably the toughest golf course in the world right now," defending US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau said. Scheffler noted the tall rough, saying, "What's so special about this place is pretty much every time you're off the fairway it's going to be very difficult for you to get the ball to the green." Scheffler, whose nine wins last year included Paris Olympic gold, has won three of his past four starts and his matchup against iconic Oakmont is golf's version of a heavyweight showdown. It begins at 1:25 p.m. (1725 GMT) when he starts off the first tee alongside fourth-ranked American compatriot Collin Morikawa and Norway's Viktor Hovland. Advertisement After capturing last month's PGA Championship for his third major crown, Scheffler is trying to become the first man to win consecutive majors since Jordan Spieth in 2015 by taking his first US Open title. Scheffler is a heavy oddsmakers' favorite but tries to ignore such things, especially after bettors forced him to dump his Venmo account. "I was either getting paid by people or people requesting me a bunch of money when I didn't win. It wasn't a good feeling," Scheffler said. Second-ranked Rory McIlroy, who won the Masters in April to complete a career Grand Slam, and DeChambeau, who won last month at LIV Golf Korea, will be among the first to test Oakmont after Indianapolis dentist and former Oakmont caddie Matt Vogt hits the opening shot off the first tee at 6:45 a.m. Advertisement Five-time major winner McIlroy, who says he has seen progress after driver struggles in the past month, begins off the 10th tee at 7:40 a.m. with playing partners Justin Rose of England and Shane Lowry of Ireland. Northern Ireland's McIlroy could become only the seventh player to win the Masters and US Open in the same year, joining Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Spieth, Arnold Palmer, Craig Wood and Ben Hogan. DeChambeau, seeking his third US Open victory in six years, goes off the first 10 at 7:29 a.m. alongside fourth-ranked US countryman Xander Schauffele, the reigning British Open champion, and Spain's Jose Luis Ballester, the reigning US Amateur champion. Phil Mickelson, who turns 55 Monday, can complete a career Grand Slam with a victory. He starts at 8:02 a.m. off the 10th tee, two groups behind McIlroy. Advertisement Mickelson, the oldest major winner at age 50 from his 2021 PGA Championship victory, is a six-time major champion and six-time US Open runner-up. A field of 156 from a record 10,202 entries will be trimmed to the low 60 and ties for the last two rounds, although thunderstorms are in the weekend forecast. js/rcw
New York Post
12 hours ago
- New York Post
Golf's best brace for pain of ‘impossible' Oakmont a US Open
OAKMONT, Pa. — If you're a fan of golf and revel in watching the best players in the world suffer like you do while playing the maddening sport, tune into the 125th U.S. Open, which begins Thursday at Oakmont. There will be pain. Advertisement Shane Lowry, who finished runner-up in the 2016 U.S. Open, the last time it was played at Oakmont, walked off the course after a nine-hole practice round Tuesday and looked knackered. 'It is exhausting,'' Lowry said. 'I'm not going to do much else today. Just a lot of rest.'' Lowry, after playing the Memorial two weeks ago, had planned a reconnaissance trip to Oakmont on his way to play the Canadian Open last week. But after having a conversation with Rory McIlroy, who'd made an earlier visit to the course and was beaten up by it, Lowry decided to skip it. Advertisement McIlroy said he shot an 81. 'It felt impossible,'' McIlroy said. 'I birdied the last two holes for 81. It felt pretty good. It didn't feel like I played that bad.'' 'After talking to Rory, I was happy I didn't come,'' Lowry said. Advertisement Gil Hanse, perhaps the most sought-after golf course designer, reworked Oakmont to prepare it for this U.S. Open. He said over breakfast Wednesday morning that he was given one edict from the club membership. 4 Jason Day plays a shot from a bunker on the 18th hole during a June 11, 2025 practice before the start of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club which begins Thursday. Getty Images 4 General view of the 18th green in front of the clubhouse during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament at Oakmont Country Club. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect 'Make sure you don't leave the course any easier than it was before you're finished with your work,'' Hanse said. 'This might be the only club membership I've worked for that wanted its course more difficult than it was before I did any work on it.'' Advertisement This is Oakmont's record 10th U.S. Open. Dustin Johnson's winning score in 2016 was 4-under par. In 2007, Angel Cabrera won at 5-over. Ernie Els won at 5-under in 1994, Larry Nelson won at 4-under in 1983, Johnny Miller won at 5-under in 1973 and Jack Nicklaus won at 1-under in 1963. 4 Jon Rahm AP The course is wet from a lot of rain in recent weeks, and thunderstorms are in the forecast Friday to Sunday. Even in the wet conditions, Hanse predicted a winning score 1- or 2-under. Without more rain, he believes the winning score will be 1- or 2-over. 'You're aware of what a golf tournament here is going to be like,'' former U.S. Open winner Jon Rahm said. 'It's going to be a challenge. A lot of unfortunate things are going to happen. It's hard fairways to hit, bad lies, difficult bunkers, difficult greens. It's going to be a nice test, a difficult test. And I think one of the truest representations of what a U.S. Open is all about. 'It's just a tough course. If it doesn't rain, most likely over par will win again. It's something that none of us, I would say, are used to, but it's a challenge you need to embrace. If there's any part of your game that will be tested on a week like this, it will be your mental game, that's for sure.'' Rahm was asked if he'd like to be a member at Oakmont if he lived nearby. 4 Rory McIlroy Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Advertisement 'I would say yes just because you'd be able to say you're a member at Oakmont and play it whenever you want,'' he said. 'Would I play here every day? No. I actually met with a member at a function [Monday] and I was asking him, 'Do you play Oakmont every single day?' 'I feel like, when they set it up hard — like if they have a superintendent's revenge here — I don't know what the average score must be. I think 90 percent of the field doesn't finish. It could be absolutely impossible.'' The rough is high and juicy. The fairways are narrow. And the greens are rock hard. Other than that … The par-3 eighth hole will be pushed to some 300 yards. Advertisement Collin Morikawa, in a practice round earlier in the week, mistook it for a short par-4. 'Yeah, I completely forgot that that was the long par-3, and I honestly asked my caddie and everyone in the group, 'Do you go for this par-4 or do you lay up?' '' Morikawa said. 'I'll probably hit driver or 3-wood and hopefully hit the green. Just hit and hope, honestly. It's a hole I'll take four pars right now and walk away.'' That probably goes for all 18 of the holes at Oakmont this week.
Newsweek
14 hours ago
- Newsweek
Red Hot Paige Spiranac Gives U.S. Open Dark Horses, Breaks Down Oakmont
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. When it comes to predicting major championships, Paige Spiranac has a better track record than many expert forecasters, at least for the current season. The popular golf influencer correctly predicted the winners of the Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship, and she hopes to extend her streak at the US Open. Spiranac shared her US Open predictions on her X account, which has over one million followers. "Cream normally rise to the top in championships like this, so no surprise the favorites are going to be Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau, but if you're looking at some dark horses, I'm liking Harris English and Ben Griffin," she said. "I'm looking for carnage this week and fingers crossed that we actually get an over par winner." There's no question that these four picks are extremely interesting. Scheffler is the overwhelming favorite in any prediction given his recent performance, especially over the past month. During that period, the World No. 1 won three tournaments, including the PGA Championship, his third career major. DeChambeau, for his part, has been second to none in terms of strong results. The reigning U.S. Open champion has a victory in LIV Golf and finished in the top 10 in the first two major championships of this season. In fact, the two-time major champion has finished in the top 10 in five of the last six majors, including one victory and two runner-up finishes. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 16: Paige Spiranac attends the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2024 Issue Release and 60th Anniversary Celebration at Hard Rock Hotel New York on May 16, 2024 in New York City.... NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 16: Paige Spiranac attends the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2024 Issue Release and 60th Anniversary Celebration at Hard Rock Hotel New York on May 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo byfor Sports Illustrated Swimsuit) MoreAs for Spiranac's dark horses, they are certainly two of the hottest players on the PGA Tour right now. English won the Farmers Insurance Open earlier in 2025 and finished second in the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow just four weeks ago. Meanwhile, Griffin has won twice in the last six weeks (Zurich Classic and Rocket Mortgage Classic). During that time, he also achieved a top-10 finish at the PGA Championship and a second-place finish at the Memorial Tournament. The surprise in Spiranac's prediction came when she didn't mention Rory McIlroy, who is considered by most forecasters to be one of the top favorites to win the US Open. His most recent results—T47 at the PGA Championship and missing the cut at the RBC Canadian Open—likely influenced her omission. As you may recall, McIlroy's results came after the USGA found his competition driver as non-conforming ahead of the PGA Championship. However, he has been seen at the Oakmont Country Club carrying the TaylorMade Qi10 model again, which he used for his early season successes. More Golf: USGA's cryptic response to Justin Thomas' U.S. Open Oakmont challenge
