What we'll cover this week

• Five Bad Habits - You’ve never thought about #5

• Water Shot - Don’t pretend you’re playing on the tour

• Turn Your Hip - Turn eyes with your smooth swing

Estimated read time: 6 minutes

This Week I Learned

Vacation edition unlocked.

I’m currently on the road with my daughter, so this week's edition runs lean but still packs a punch. Quality over quantity - that's my vacation motto.

Managed to snag some absolute gems from Rick Shiels and the master Danny Maude himself. Sometimes the best content comes when you're not actively hunting for it.

Consider this your concentrated dose of golf wisdom - no filler, just the stuff that actually moves the needle.

Useless golf videos we’ve watched this week, so you don’t have to:

14 = 164 minutes saved

Five Bad Habits

Rick Shiels has former pro James Robinson with him and they break down five habits that separate us weekend pro-slicers from actually great golfers. These aren't swing tips or equipment upgrades - they're simple practices that any golfer can implement immediately. Worth watching because most of us focus on technique while ignoring the fundamentals that actually move the needle.

Video length: 12:27

TL:DW

• Know Your Carry Distances - Stop talking total yardage - it changes with every course condition. Rick thought he hit 7-iron 178 yards but his actual average carry was 170.5 over 10 shots. Get on Trackman, use Toptracer on calm days, or pace it out old school. Carry numbers are what matter for course management.

• Master Green Speed Before Playing - Pace is 80% of putting success. James' drill: three balls, pin 2.5 feet behind the hole, putt from different spots trying to get all three between hole and pin. Don't care if they miss - you're building speed control. Most three-putts come from bad pace, not bad reads. Guilty as charged.

• Create a Wedge Chart - Know your full, 3/4, and half-swing distances with every wedge. Use Trackman or GC Quad with decent balls to get carry numbers, then write them down. Having exact yardages eliminates guesswork and builds massive confidence in the scoring zone.

• Develop an Unbreakable Routine - James does the exact same thing before every shot, timed to the second. Feel the swing you want in practice swing, pick a short marker (easier than aiming 200 yards away), visualize the good shot, then trust it completely. See what you want to achieve, not what you want to avoid.

• Ditch the Junk Food - I’m always amazed by the snack selection of golf clubs. Mars bars, sausage rolls, and full-fat Coke spike your energy then crash it, but they are still the default options at most clubs. Great golfers sip water and sports drinks, nibble nuts and bananas throughout the round. Tiger takes one bite of banana every 10 minutes - smooth energy, not peaks and valleys. Save the junk for post-round or skip it all together.

Swing, Miss, Splash, Shame.

This is what happens when you think you’re playing like the pros. Just take a freaking relief…

Turning Hips

Danny Maude worked with a student who had a massive slice and inconsistent ball striking. One fundamental fix solved both problems instantly - when his student nailed his irons, he immediately striped his driver straight down the middle. Worth watching because this addresses the root cause instead of band-aid solutions that most golfers try.

Video length: 12:27

TL:DW

• The Arc Problem - Great players move their hands, arms, and club on a consistent arc around their body. Most amateurs have blockages that force compensations, making the club work in wrong directions. When your body doesn't support the swing, your arms take over and everything goes offline.

• Unblock Your Trail Side - Two setup fixes: soften your trail arm (stop tensing it like a statue) and flare your trail foot outward. This unblocks your pelvis, which is massive. Most golfers keep their pelvis locked in place, forcing awkward arm compensations that destroy the swing.

• Belt Buckle to Trail Foot - Move your belt buckle toward your trail foot or get your trail pocket pointing at the target. This simple move gets your hands working on the proper arc inward instead of lifting up and around. Lead shoulder goes down, trail shoulder goes up.

• Head Tilt is Crucial - Imagine pouring water out of your lead ear during the backswing. This head position allows you to continue the arc around your body. If your head stays centered, your arms can't go much further and you'll make compensations to complete the swing.

• Heel Drill for Downswing - Put a basket of balls by your trail heel at setup. Make swings trying to avoid smashing the basket. This naturally creates a down-the-line pattern instead of spinning out. Your heel should move ahead of your toes, not stay planted and spin.

Quick Bites for the Road

Quiz

If you liked this newsletter, refer it to a friend. If you hated it, send it to the ONE person you desperately want to beat (on the course).

Quiz answer

Spalding released a limited-edition “Airline Iron” for airline travellers to take swings during layovers. What?! Why?

Sincerely, your Magic Rabbit.

Leader through the rabbit hole. Needs more time to play golf.