Make More Birdies

By MICHAEL CORCORAN
Deputy Editor, GOLF MAGAZINE

Despite making the Ryder Cup team, at the end of 2006 I wasn't happy with my game. To make sure 2007 was a better season, I called a meeting at the TPC at Sawgrass with my teacher, Mike Bender, my mental coach, Morris Pickens, and my caddie, Damon Green. We identified three key areas to work on: birdie more par 5s, improve my overall iron play, and return my putting to the way it was when I was the No. 1 putter on the Nationwide Tour in 2003.

My improvement in these vital areas spurred my win at the Masters. The recipe for success was a lot of hard work (with Mike and his colleague Ty Krieger) and repetition of simple drills. Over the next five pages, I'll show you how you can get better just like I did.HOW TO BIRDIE MORE PAR 5s

Over four rounds at Augusta National, I birdied 11 of the 16 par 5s I played, and I laid up every time. I executed that strategy with confidence because I knew I could get the ball close to the hole with one of my two basic lob-wedge shots: (1) a low- to medium-height shot with maximum spin to attack middle and back pins, and (2) a high, soft ball to front hole locations.
SHOT 1: Low to medium-height spinner

Play it when the pin is middle or back
CHECKPOINT: How to find your lay-up distance
Lay up to a distance where you can make a controlled 3/4 swing. For me, that's 50-75 yards. To determine your distance, drop 10 balls at the 100-yard marker on a hole (when the course is empty) and make 3/4 swings with your favorite wedge. Take the average distance of the 10, and that's your lay-up distance.


SHOT 2: High, soft wedge shot
Play it when you can't get spin (that is, from the rough) to front pins and to super-firm greens that won't hold.
CHECKPOINT: How to find your lay-up distance
Lay up to a distance where you can make a controlled 3/4 swing. For me, that's 50-75 yards. To determine your distance, drop 10 balls at the 100-yard marker on a hole (when the course is empty) and make 3/4 swings with your favorite wedge. Take the average distance of the 10, and that's your lay-up distance.