Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you become a smarter, better golfer. Xander Schauffele had a year for the ages in 2024 as he became the first golfer ...

Hitting a solid golf shot requires the arms to extend through impact, much like the feeling of extension when swinging a baseball bat. Trying to scoop or lift the ball will result in topped, thin ...

Three main factors determine the quality of the strike: ball position at address, location of the weight on the downswing, and flatness of the lead wrist at impact. The common contact faults—fat and ...