You've Gotta See this Jaw-Dropping "Putting Island" + Use this Test to Find Your Power Source

TIPS & DRILLS
Use this Test to Find Your Power Source, Then Max Out Your Distance
From Golf Digest Top Instructor, Jake Hutt

jakehuttgolf

400K followers

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To Recap…

PGA instructor Jake Hutt is one of the best coaches in California and is renowned for his social videos (complete with his own original music). If you’ve ever gone searching for your source of power, Jake has you covered:

-STEP 1: First, hit a ball with your feet together, then one with your trail foot back, and finally, hit a ball with your lead foot back.
-STEP 2: If you feel more comfortable with your feet together, think of the downswing as a twist. If you feel more comfortable with your trail foot back, think of the downswing as a jump. And if you feel more comfortable with your lead foot back, think of the downswing as a push.
-STEP 3: Don’t try to fight what your body naturally likes to do. Play to your tendency! One of the worst things we all do in golf is compare ourselves to others and alter our swing to match our heroes. Embrace your strengths instead, and you’ll experience far more predictable shot patterns. And predictability leads to lower scores!

COURSES
A Jaw-Dropping Warm-Up Green Built on a Small Michigan Lake Island
You might even bring your kids along for this one

Buck’s Run Golf Club - Putting Island
Mount Pleasant, MI

Buck’s Run Golf Club is a hidden gem in Central Michigan (about an hour north of Lansing). Built around natural wetlands, dense forests and a small river, the course takes advantage of the natural terrain to create a scenic track with plenty of challenge, especially on the undulating, often tiered greens. The course was designed by legendary architect Jerry Matthews, known as the “Johnny Appleseed of Michigan golf,” having designed or renovated nearly 200 courses in the state. Reviewers frequently mention the top-notch conditions, and pretty much anyone who has had a chance to play it just raves about the course (it has a 100% recommendation rate on GolfPass). One player recently wrote, “Golf heaven has a few locations and this is one of them.” With rates as low as $80 on GolfNow, it’s hard to beat.

But we’re not here to talk about the traditional course. We need to talk about the practice green. Ok technically, it’s not a practice green - it’s an 18 hole natural grass putt-putt course built into it’s own self-contained island. Just look at that thing- it’s a work of art. It feels like an AI-generated image. There’s even a small pond in the middle of the island itself! Corporate outings go out of their way to play Buck’s Run simply so they can play “Putting Island” with a beverage in hand after their round.

One of only 3 natural grass putt-putt courses in the state, this is certainly the most unique. And putting course conditions match the traditional course, so you’re not getting a discount in terms of the challenge. The next time you’re in Central Michigan, you need to make a stop at Buck’s Run. And if you still have any money left in your wallet after your round, you can swing by Soaring Eagle Casino a few miles down the road.

(For those wondering, there are conventional practice greens you can use if playing the traditional course).

Rates: Putting Island: Adults $12, Junior $7

Check out this aerial shot from @bucksrungc

STATISTICS
Stat of the Day: Driving Distance vs 2022 PGA Earnings

The Stat: There’s clearly a secret sauce for the highest earners on Tour. And that sauce comes in the form of driving distance. According to data from the 2022 season, the longer you can hit the ball, the more money you can win. Plain and simple.

The Takeaway: No wonder fitness and flexibility became a clear focus for Pros over the last few decades. Of course, Tour players are generally better in all facets of the game, but if you can really smash it off the tee, you’ll undoubtedly have more close looks at birdie or eagle. The interesting thing is that Cameron Champ and Scottie Scheffler are both anomalies. Champ is perhaps the longest on Tour, but he has one of the worst short games (ranking 150th+ in putting, strokes gained on approach shots and strokes gained around the green). And though Scheffler is no slouch off the tee, his earnings certainly outpaced his average driving distance. But Scottie was 1st in strokes gained on approach shots and 8th in strokes gained around the green. In other words, he had pretty much everything working for him in 2022 (and this trend has continued ever since).

TODAY’S TRIVIA
Answer to Win a Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor
(1 winner chosen on 8/31/24 across all August trivia entries, 1,000 respondents minimum)

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