logo
How to improve swing fundamentals for greater speed and distance

How to improve swing fundamentals for greater speed and distance

USA Today03-03-2025

How to improve swing fundamentals for greater speed and distance
Show Caption
Hide Caption
How to improve swing fundamentals for greater speed and distance
Want to see what it takes to hit bombs? Averee Dovsek shares preparation and functional training at the range with the goal of improving speed.
Want to see what it takes to hit bombs? Join me, Averee Dovsek, for a day of professional-level preparation, incorporating functional training and time at the range with the goal of improving my fundamentals for speed.
Over the past year, I've shifted my focus from heavy lifting to golf-specific, rotational training. Why? I realized I was leaving speed on the table without even knowing it. If you're looking to add power and efficiency to your golf swing, this is your sign to switch up your routine. Ditch the traditional gym routine and train with a golfer's mindset to maximize your game.
The focus of my range session was to work on fundamentals of my swing. I started with an 8-iron warm-up, focusing on short, connected swings. Next, I took my 48-inch long drive shaft and paired it with a Srixon ZXi LS 9-degree head. Typically, I struggle with my lower body racing ahead as I initiate my downswing, consequently leaving my arms behind trying to catch-up. To fix this, I exaggerated my existing staggered stance with the goal of delaying hip rotation. This allows my arms to get back in front of and in sync with my body.
The result? A roasted drive that feels like a personal best in the making. Stay tuned for Part 2 to see how this training pays off.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Golf video instruction: Better putting could be all about tempo
Golf video instruction: Better putting could be all about tempo

Yahoo

time6 days ago

  • Yahoo

Golf video instruction: Better putting could be all about tempo

Putting is often overlooked during practice because it's not the most exciting part of golf. However, sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on the course can be one of the most thrilling moments in the game. Fitness guru and Professional Long Driver Averee Dovsek explains her recent breakthrough with her putting stroke that has completely transformed her game. She's now making putts more consistently. Advertisement Tempo is crucial in putting because it creates consistency and control. A smooth, steady tempo helps ensure the putter head moves at the right speed throughout the stroke, leading to more accurate distance and direction. When your tempo is too quick or too jerky, it's easy to mis-hit the ball or struggle with distance control. To see the video, click here. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Golf video instruction: Better putting could be all about tempo

What could Michael Carroll 'turn into' with Alabama football? 'An absolute savage'
What could Michael Carroll 'turn into' with Alabama football? 'An absolute savage'

Yahoo

time27-05-2025

  • Yahoo

What could Michael Carroll 'turn into' with Alabama football? 'An absolute savage'

Kalen DeBoer didn't want to single out Alabama football freshman offensive lineman Michael Carroll. Yes, DeBoer said, the 6-foot-6, 315-pound guard was 'versatile' in his first spring with the Crimson Tide when Carroll spent many practices outside at tackle to assuage the lack of Kadyn Proctor, who was limited due to injury. But DeBoer said there is a learning curve for any freshman, especially those on the offensive line. Advertisement 'Michael made steps you'd really hope a player would make throughout the spring, much like many of our guys did,' DeBoer said. DeBoer didn't want to heap further expectations on a player like Carroll, who arrived with a five-star title next to his name and has already generated ample buzz in his short time in Tuscaloosa. Mike Moosbrugger is not DeBoer. On April 24, within seconds of Alabama guard Tyler Booker becoming a first-round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys, Moosbrugger, who coached Carroll at Central Bucks East High School in Pennsylvania and played offensive line at Wake Forest, sent the Crimson Tide freshman a text. Advertisement ''Three years from now,'' Moosbrugger said, ''that's going to be you.'' Moosbrugger said it took him all of 30 seconds for him to be sold on Carroll initially, looking at a raw, two-star recruit with a handful of offers looking to transfer to Central Bucks East and 'salivating' about what he could do with a player like that. Carroll was a quick learner, one who would pick up high-level techniques instantly, who Moosbrugger said could have made 'the practice squad on NFL teams' in high school. Carroll was different, something Moosbrugger saw right away. 'I'm going to laugh when people ask, 'Did you ever think?'' Moosbrugger told the Tuscaloosa News. 'Yeah, I knew it from the day I met him.' The 'man on the mission' becomes Michael Carroll Mike Carroll didn't have the college football options his son had. Advertisement Carroll played at Penn State, but admits now he 'probably should have gone somewhere smaller to get more playing time.' But he always knew his son was going to surpass him. Michael Carroll was initially a lacrosse player, a face-off specialist who could keep up with the opponent's fastest and most-skilled players. One year of wrestling turned him into a finisher, one who developed his tenacity and aggression on the mat. 'I think he always approached it as a 'man on a mission,' if you will,' Mike Carroll said. 'He had bought his own weight set with the money he had saved up, just started lifting weights at seventh, eighth grade. (He) just knew he wanted to make something of himself.' Moosbrugger remembers that exact moment when the 'man on a mission' became the man who caught Alabama football's attention. Offensive lineman Michael Carroll (#64) during practice on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024 on IMG Academy Football Media Day in Bradenton, Florida. In a rivalry game against Central Bucks West, Central Bucks East needed momentum. The team had just finished an offensive drive, and Michael Carroll was taking the field to play defensive line. Moosbrugger got in his face. While he doesn't remember the exact words he used, he remembers the message. Advertisement ''Look, you're going to be an All-American,'' Moosbrugger said. ''Act like it.'' On the very next play, Michael Carroll took one hand and threw the Central Bucks West tackle 4 yards into the backfield. He sacked the quarterback and ran halfway to the opposing sideline, pumping his chest. It was the moment Michael Carroll, the hilarious, wonderful kid, Moosbrugger said, found his confidence, found that he belonged. It was the moment he turned into an 'absolute savage.' 'It was just that moment, that was (Michael),' Moosbrugger said. Why Alabama football was always the goal for Michael Carroll It always made sense to Mike Carroll that his son was always fascinated with Alabama. Advertisement 'He was born the same year (Nick) Saban took the job,' Carroll said. 'So every holiday season, at the end of the season, he's watching Alabama play in a national championship or the top tier of the playoffs.' Early in the recruiting process, Moosbrugger talks with each of his offensive linemen to find out their 'dream school,' the offer to aim for. While Moosbrugger admits some players have to recalibrate their picks and become more realistic, he didn't have to do that with Michael Carroll. 'When (Michael) said Alabama, I said, 'OK,'' Moosbrugger said. Michael Carroll's conversations with Alabama started in his junior season at Central Bucks East with then-Crimson Tide offensive line coach Eric Wolford. But before this Alabama staff had a chance to offer, Saban announced his retirement and Wolford moved to Kentucky. Advertisement But Carroll's connection to Alabama was only about to get stronger. More: 2026 5-star WR Cederian Morgan is at top of Alabama football list. Is Crimson Tide at top of his? The Crimson Tide hired Chris Kapilovic, the former Michigan State offensive line coach who extended an early offer to Carroll, maintained a relationship and told him 'wherever he goes, that he would have a spot for him on the roster,' Michael Carroll's father said. 'He's very easy to talk to,' Mike Carroll said of Kapilovic. 'He's relatable. I believe he knows his Xs and Os. I mean, first and foremost, he was a teacher before he was a coach. Being able to teach kids or teach players, … not all of them learn the same way. And I think you can just tell he really had our son's best interest at heart.' Advertisement Michael Carroll committed to Alabama during his June official visit, picking the Crimson Tide over Georgia, Michigan and Penn State and joining a class that would eventually include California four-star tackle Jackson Lloyd, Alabama four-star tackle Micah DeBose and Alabama four-star guard Mal Waldrep. Kapilovic, Moosbrugger said, was the 'tipping point' for Michael Carroll and Alabama, who hired an offensive line coach who 'knows exactly how to get the best out of (him).' 'I knew Kap would take care of my guy,' Moosbrugger said. 'And he has, and has continued to do so.' What could Michael Carroll 'turn into' with Alabama football? Mike Carroll knows what his son can do, and he's not shy about it. Advertisement Ohio State never offered Michael Carroll, even after a game day visit when the Buckeyes faced Michigan State, and even after a two-hour conversation with then-offensive line coach Justin Frye. When then-Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles came to follow up, Mike Carroll didn't hide his feelings toward the Buckeyes. I go, 'Listen: 'Tell Frye he must like short, fat, slow, weak kids, because my kid is better than every one that he's offered,'' Carroll said. It's why Moosbrugger felt Michael Carroll, the Alabama commit, had to go to IMG Academy for his final season: to go somewhere where 'he had to really try,' to compete against the type of athletes he would eventually see in the SEC. Advertisement 'If he had stayed up here, legitimately, we would have had multiple ambulances and traumatic injuries in every game,' Moosbrugger said. From afar at IMG and at Alabama, Moosbrugger sees the Michael Carroll who belongs, the Carroll who believes he is one of the top dogs. That's why Moosbrugger sent him that text after Booker was selected. It's why he says what DeBoer can't. Whenever Moosbrugger watches Michael Carroll reps from Alabama spring practices, Moosbrugger said he beams with pride. 'That's the guy I knew,' Moosbrugger said. 'I knew he was going to turn into that.' Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@ or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What could Michael Carroll 'turn into' with Alabama football?

How Many Millions did Jon Rahm's PGA Championship Meltdown Cost?
How Many Millions did Jon Rahm's PGA Championship Meltdown Cost?

Newsweek

time19-05-2025

  • Newsweek

How Many Millions did Jon Rahm's PGA Championship Meltdown Cost?

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. Jon Rahm had been at the forefront of criticism for his subpar play at the majors ever since he joined LIV Golf, but he was right back in the thick of things on Sunday at the PGA Championship. Rahm even tied the lead with eventual champion Scottie Scheffler after a clutch birdie on the 11th hole, but things only went downhill from there for the two-time major champion. Rahm eventually finished in a tie for eighth after a disastrous finish that left him seven shots behind Scheffler, and his downfall late on Sunday afternoon cost him more than just a chance at the Wanamaker Trophy. Had Rahm won, he would have taken $3.42 million that was eventually awarded to Scheffler. Instead, after finishing in a tie for eighth with nine other golfers at 4-under par, Rahm will only take home $454,781. In total, his late collapse cost him nearly $3 million. CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 18: Jon Rahm of Spain reacts to a missed putt on the 18th green during the final round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 18,... CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 18: Jon Rahm of Spain reacts to a missed putt on the 18th green during the final round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 18, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. More Photo byRahm's putter went cold after sinking that clutch putt on 11 as Scheffler reclaimed the lead. With Rahm playing catch-up, he lipped out a birdie put on No. 13 before failing to gain any ground on the scoreable 14th and 15th holes. Then, Quail Hollow's Green Mile gobbled up any hopes that Rahm had of lifting the Wanamaker. An errant tee shot on 16 led to a sloppy bogey before the Spaniard's shot on the par-3 17th bounced through the green and went into the water. Rahm would make a double bogey there before splashing his tee shot on 18 into the creek, leading to another double to finish the championship. His 5-over finish in the last three holes cost him millions and will leave him even hungrier coming into the U.S. Open. Of course, Rahm isn't hurting for cash over on the LIV Tour, but he still would have liked a better finish at the season's second major. Instead, his early charge on Sunday is merely a footnote in another tale of Scheffler's triumph. More Golf: Scottie Scheffler Immediate 'F-Bomb' Reaction to Winning PGA Championship

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store