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Brooks Koepka taught me a factor or 10.
Darren Riehl
I used to be barely nervous about Brooks Koepka.
Possibly nervous isn’t fairly proper. Apprehensive might be nearer, as a result of it contains some risk for pleasure. I used to be excited to have Koepka on the vary for a half-hour interview speaking store. I used to be simply unsure whether or not he’d play ball. Your complete conceit of “Warming Up,” our range hangout video series, is to dive deep on golfers’ processes. I wasn’t positive how deep Koepka could be prepared to go. I’m undecided he was, both. I assume that’s an excellent place to start out.
Lesson 1: Don’t take into consideration something.
Koepka hitched a experience to the vary with one in all our producers and talked about that he wasn’t going to be superb at this. As soon as the cameras began rolling he reiterated one thing comparable.
“Actually, you’re not going to love this reply, however I don’t consider something,” he mentioned as he hit his first 56-degree wedge.
I believe he assumed that nothing could be a rally-killer. Dialog over. However the thought of nothing — that was fascinating. That was fascinating. After we consider the very best golfers on the planet we are inclined to assume that they’re working on the next aircraft than we’re, that they know extra concerning the golf swing, that they possess some secret we received’t ever know. However for Koepka the key is the power to boil all of it again down, to simplify issues, to quiet his thoughts. Not interested by something is golf’s holy grail. Say extra, Brooks…
Lesson 2: Don’t sweat a nasty warmup.
If you happen to ever really feel careworn throughout a nasty warmup, simply keep in mind that Koepka had two of the his worst warmups on reminiscence — and went on to win his fifth main championship.
“This 12 months on the PGA, Saturday and Sunday was the worst warmup I’ve had in a very long time,” Koepka mentioned. “You’re like, wow, these pictures are actually, actually poor. The flights on ’em — I’m a fader of the ball, so that they may be drawing. The divots have been steep. It simply wasn’t good. However on the identical time, it actually doesn’t matter. It’s only a warmup session. I really feel good. Shouldn’t have a difficulty with it.”
Lesson 3: It’s okay to be an odd man.
On this case “odd man” has a really literal utility; Koepka hits solely his odd irons when he’s practising. The 9. The 7. The 5.
“Actually, you’re gonna chortle, my caddie will get pushed nuts by this, however all of the odd golf equipment put on out so fast,” he mentioned. “The wear and tear spot on these [even] irons is inferior to the opposite ones. Even after I’m at dwelling practising I don’t observe with any evens. So it’s the identical golf equipment each single time, that approach it’s the identical factor each single time.
I attempted to make clear: he’s principally by no means hitting 6-iron besides when he’s truly enjoying on the course?
“Yeah, actually, that’s principally it,” he mentioned. So there. Reside no matter odd-numbered way of life fits you. Particularly in case you get free golf equipment each few months.
Lesson 4: Once more, don’t take into consideration something.
This was an excellent clarification: “I simply attempt to make it a response sport,” Koepka mentioned. “At all times give it some thought, proper: If you happen to’ve bought on a regular basis on the earth, you ball up a bit of paper and simply chuck it within the trash can, normally goes in. However in case you stand there and give it some thought, increasingly more — you see it, guys do it on a regular basis, the additional waggle. You’re like, oh boy. This isn’t going to be good. You possibly can inform they’re uncomfortable. Make it a reactionary sport.
Koepka mentioned that reacting to the ball generally means he’ll execute a shot another way than he may need envisioned; perhaps it drew as an alternative of pale however ended up in the fitting spot.
Lesson 5: Examine your fundamentals.
If Brooks Koepka isn’t too good for this, you aren’t too good for this.
“The one factor I do, each single time, I’m non secular about it: Ensure I’m lined up the identical. Grip’s the identical. That’s it.”
Koepka strains up left of the goal, setting himself up for a fade. If he seems on the goal he is aware of the place his toes must be and he is aware of his shoulders must be barely left of that. He normally is aware of, at the least.
“If I’m lined up okay, the shoulders are good, the clubface I’m just about going to get in the identical spot each time, proper? My swing, I’ve accomplished the identical swing for 27 years, in all probability, since I [started].”
He emphasizes that this isn’t as simple because it appears. His alignment will get tousled on a regular basis. However that simply makes it that rather more vital to double-check the fundamentals.
“I used to be taught proper after I was developing by this man Warren Bottke, he coached me after I was actually younger: P.G.A. Posture, grip, alignment.”
Koepka’s posture is all the time about the identical. He makes use of an interlocking grip, barely weak, and his wrist is barely bowed on the high of his swing. He’s all the time chasing excellent alignment. From there? “It’s simply flip and burn,” he mentioned.
Lesson 6: Inform your self there’s somebody on the market outworking you.
Y’know the way Koepka used to indicate that he didn’t work notably laborious or observe a lot between tournaments? It seems that’s a narrative he was telling himself, too.
“In my head I don’t work laborious sufficient,” he mentioned. “In my head I’m the laziest man on the earth. However you come observe with me? I’m there fairly a bit. Like, I used to be at Grove [XXIII, in South Florida] earlier than Augusta final 12 months and I believe even everybody was getting bored with seeing me there. It was like, all day, on daily basis.”
So why the misdirection, then?
“If you happen to all the time suppose you’re not the hardest-working man it drives you to work a bit more durable, proper? If I all the time suppose somebody’s outworking me, somebody’s higher than me, somebody’s this, I’m enjoying catchup. It motivates me to be like, okay, I’ve gotta get thus far, I’ve gotta get to that. And even once you win, it’s nonetheless not ok.”
I identified that there may be one thing barely incorrect with him. He agreed.
Lesson 7: One of the best Trackman is your eye.
What a quote: One of the best Trackman is your eye. However that’s what Koepka believes.
“You will get so concerned in [launch monitors] that you simply overlook in case you hit it a bit bit off the toe or a bit bit off the heel it may change these numbers fairly a bit, from a half-degree. You would possibly suppose you probably did one thing and also you would possibly take a look at it and go oh, wow, that is approach completely different than what I truly noticed.”
Koepka says you need to belief your eye.
Lesson 8: Don’t take into consideration the implications.
Koepka acknowledges that golf pictures will be scary. He simply tries to keep away from that course of.
If I mentioned throw a ball in that bunker proper now, you might. But when it was like, life or loss of life, you would possibly begin to actually suppose it and query what you’re doing. However that’s — there’s penalties to it. While you’re enjoying golf, there’s a consequence to the shot. Okay, I’d lose this golf event if I miss the inexperienced or I make bogey right here. So now you begin to get nervous. However in case you actually don’t take into consideration the consequence — hey, I’m simply making an attempt to hit the shot — you’ve accomplished it 1,000,000 instances.”
This, Koepka mentioned, can apply to different high-pressure video games.
“I’ll beat you in luggage all day lengthy,” he mentioned, holding my gaze. “Ask [Dustin Johnson]. He is aware of.”
I felt it when he mentioned it.
Lesson 9: You don’t must curve it like loopy.
Not fairly often, at the least. As our session went on I used to be struck by simply how little Koepka’s ball curved. A yard right here, a yard there. He favors a fade, however even that fade simply doesn’t fade very a lot. Lastly I requested Koepka to hit a large slice, simply to humor me.
“I’ll simply open the hell out of my toes. Simply intention approach left. And simply really feel just like the clubhead by no means passes my fingers,” he mentioned.
He strikes it again a bit in his stance and tries to keep away from the clubface rotating. Thwack. He despatched the shot whirling across the two palms bisecting the vary, similar to he’d mentioned he would.
I nodded in approval. Did that give him pleasure, pulling off a shot like that? He shrugged.
“It’s extra of like a crowd-pleasing factor. I’d hit that shot as soon as each six months as a result of I’m behind a tree or one thing. However it doesn’t occur that always.”
Lesson 10: On the vary, make each ball rely.
There are occasions, Koepka says, that he’ll battle to succeed in peak efficiency.
“I’m terrible,” he mentioned. “If I am going play with my brother and my dad, I’m fortunate to interrupt par. I can’t do it mentally, I can’t get in the identical place, I can’t simply hit a golf shot for no cause.”
That’s what modifications, he says, within the lead-up to main championships. That is, in some methods, the key to Koepka’s profession. The key to his main domination. The caring.
“Once I’m practising for the majors it’s like, each ball I’m hitting on that vary or each putt means one thing to me. It may not imply something to anyone else watching, they may by no means know. However I care a lot about that within the lead-up to it. Each ball means one thing.”
As we stare down one other main championship season, it’s secure to imagine Koepka has been spending loads of time on the driving vary, hitting pictures that matter.
You possibly can (and may!) watch your complete factor under. I hope you prefer it.
Dylan welcomes your feedback at dylan_dethier@golf.com.
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