It's always fascinating to listen to Shane Lowry talk about the golf swing. The only reason why he doesn't talk more about the really technical aspects - as we've discovered when sitting down with him in the past - is that so much of what he does comes naturally.
However, if you prod away and ask the right questions, the Irishman can offer some fantastic golf swing tips and advice. When we caught up with the former Open champion recently, he had a few nuggets.
Here, in his own words, Lowry offers his number one driving tip, ball striking tip, and some advice on chipping that you really should take on board, especially given his status as one of the best in the world around the greens.
SHANE LOWRY'S FAVORITE TIPS
1 Think 'Hideki'
I find it difficult to give a blanket driving tip, but I would say a lot of amateur golfers try and hit the ball really hard, especially with the driver - so a lot of the time they come over the top.
I play pro-ams every week and I see it a lot. This is the tip I give most. More of a feeling than anything else would be to get to the top of the driver backswing and rather than thinking about hitting it as hard as you can, just feel like you pause for a second.
Think of Hideki [Matsuyama]. If you pause at the top, it just allows your body to get in the right place and the club to drop on the right path.
2 Set-Up
The only thing I get off with is my set-up. Not enough people work on their set-up and the basics. If you get the basics correct, you have a good chance of hitting a good shot.
All I do with my coach when the swing is off is go to the range. It's always something to do with ball position or alignment, never anything else. Set-up and rhythm are a big thing for me.
3 Strike is key
Chipping comes naturally to me, but I still have to work at it. I do it every day and it needs a lot of time and effort. I have a 58° and a 54° that I chip with most. I can sometimes sway off the ball, so I get on my right side and then go back.
With chipping, you don't have much time to get back and get the club working through the ground correctly. The one thing I really focus on is trying to keep my head still on the way back. I feel like this allows me to get on top of the ball and deliver the club properly.
With Bermuda grass, I try and focus on hitting the ball first, making sure I hit down on the ball. A lot of people are obsessed with using the bounce. I don't agree with that. I think leading edge is better. If you hit down on the ball and make sure you get ball first, there's plenty of loft on your lob wedge that will do all of the work for you.
"Find a friend who is a similar standard to you and just go and play against each other. I've done it for years against Padraig Harrington"
4 Practice partner
I vary rarely work on my chipping technique - I'm more just working on the shots. It's about good quality practice and trying to challenge yourself with your practice.
One thing I would say to amateurs is that if you want to get better at chipping, find a friend who is a similar standard to you and just go and play against each other. I've done it for years against Padraig Harrington. We've been so good for each other.
