Want to shave strokes off your game? Look no further than the masters of the craft! Golf’s greatest champions have perfected their techniques through countless hours of practice and competitive pressure. While we might not have their natural talent, we can certainly learn from their hard-earned wisdom. From sand traps to perfect putting, these five champions share their most valuable lessons that could transform your game. Let’s dive into the secrets that helped these legends secure multiple major championships!
1. Master the sand with Ben Hogan’s technique
Ben Hogan, one of golf’s greatest ball-strikers, emphasized in his classic book “Power Golf” that the sand wedge is the most neglected club for novices. “Even when a duffer does buy one, he usually gets the wrong kind,” Hogan noted. Following his advice, always choose a sand wedge with a wide flange on the sole. This seemingly small equipment detail makes escaping bunkers dramatically easier by preventing the club from digging too deeply into the sand.
Before hitting your bunker shot, incorporate a small waggle or forward movement, then let your backswing flow as a natural recoil from that motion. Hogan believed this creates the smooth rhythm needed for successful sand shots. The waggle eliminates tension and prevents the jerky motion that sends most amateur bunker shots either buried deeper or sailing over the green. Practice this waggle-to-backswing transition without hitting balls first, then incorporate it into your bunker play for instantly improved results.
2. Develop a methodical putting routine like Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods‘s systematic approach to putting has made him one of the greatest pressure putters. Watch Woods on the green, and you’ll see him methodically work through a consistent routine for each putt. Create your routine that examines every aspect of your putt before stroking the ball. Start by walking to a midpoint between your ball and the hole to assess the second half of the break. Check if the putt runs uphill or downhill and identify the grain direction—look for a shine on the green which indicates you’re putting down-grain, meaning the ball will roll faster.
Take two deliberate practice strokes like Woods does, and on the second one, look toward the hole to connect your body to the target. Place your putter behind the ball precisely where you want it, take one final confirming look, then execute with total commitment. Woods’s methodical approach builds remarkable consistency. The key to this routine isn’t just going through the motions—it’s being fully present for each step, absorbing all the information your eyes and feet provide about the upcoming putt.
3. Read greens like a pro with Rory McIlroy’s visualization
Rory McIlroy, the 2025 Masters champion, has shared that his green reading relies heavily on visualization. “If I know that it looks like more of a constant slope, I sort of like to visualize if I started this ball straight at the middle of the hole, how far left of the hole would it miss,” McIlroy explains. Adopt this technique: For putts on a constant slope, imagine starting your ball straight at the middle of the hole and visualize how far left or right it would miss. Then aim in the opposite direction at an equivalent distance.
Golf – The 150th Open Championship – Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland, Britain – July 13, 2022 Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy during a practice round REUTERS/Paul Childs
McIlroy doesn’t stare at the distant hole when putting, either. “What I’ll try to do is pick an intermediate target so I can aim at that,” he says. Select an intermediate target just inches in front of your ball to improve alignment accuracy. This technique simplifies the complex task of aiming and helps ensure your putt starts on your intended line. When assessing a break, walk around the hole to feel slope changes with your feet—the physical sensation often reveals subtle breaks your eyes might miss.
4. Perfect your iron play with Nancy Lopez’s hand position techniques
Nancy Lopez, who won nine tournaments in her rookie season, credits much of her iron-play success to proper hand position. After working with pro Buddy Phillips, Lopez discovered that placing the club more in the fingers of her right hand rather than the palm transformed her ball-striking. Make this slight adjustment in your grip to help the clubface return to square at impact, eliminating slices and promoting a slight draw ball flight.
For crisp iron shots, Lopez recommends keeping your hands ahead of the ball and your left wrist firm. “From this position, you’re able to push the club back with your left hand instead of pulling back with the right when you start the takeaway,” she explains. This position promotes a downward strike, creating ball-first contact and those satisfying divots after the ball. During the swing, resist the urge to scoop with your right hand. Instead, let your left wrist lead the club toward the target after impact before releasing.
5. Improve your putting with Inbee Park’s tension-free stroke
Inbee Park has consistently dominated LPGA putting statistics for years, leading in putts per round and putts per green in regulation on multiple occasions. According to teaching pro Suzy Whaley, “The key to Inbee’s stroke is the total lack of tension in her arms and shoulders. If you were to walk up and grab her putter at address, you could pull it out of her hands.” Emulate this approach by eliminating tension from your arms and shoulders. Hold the putter with such light pressure that someone could easily pull it from your hands at address.
Park has used her Odyssey White Ice Sabertooth mallet-head putter with a cross-handed grip for years. Consider trying this combination—the cross-handed grip naturally squares the putter face and prevents excess wrist action, while mallet putters provide forgiveness on off-center strikes. Anne Cain, a master instructor at the PGA Tour Academy, notes that an underrated part of Park’s putting is her green-reading ability: “She also has the same routine every time, and when she puts, there’s a wonderful rhythm and pace there.” Develop a consistent pre-putt routine and stick with it religiously to create the rhythm and confidence needed to hole pressure putts.
Which of these techniques are you most excited to try during your next round? Are bunkers your nemesis, or do you struggle more with those tricky breaking putts? Let us know in the comments section below, and share any results after you’ve put these champion-level tips into practice!
The post Putting It to Perfection: Timeless Lessons from Five Major Golf Champions appeared first on EssentiallySports.
