On the Mark Golf Podcast

What if you could make just 50 golf balls at the range more productive than an entire bucket of mindless practice?

In this episode of The Mark Tribe, Mark sits down with Shy Desai, creator of Cure My Swing, to talk about how golfers can practice with more purpose, transfer their work from the range to the golf course, and ultimately shoot lower scores.

Cure My Swing has grown into a community of roughly 400,000 followers across its platforms, curating golf tips, drills, and ideas designed to make improvement easier to understand and apply.

At the center of the conversation is Shy’s 50-Ball Practice Plan — a structured range session designed to replace random ball-beating with intentional practice. Rather than grabbing a bucket and hitting the same club over and over, Shy breaks practice into specific stages that address warming up, technical development, course simulation, and the mental side of the game.

The 50-Ball Practice Plan:

 Shy walks Mark through a practice session built around:

• Properly warming up before hitting balls.
• 5 wedge shots to loosen up and establish solid contact.
• 5 short-iron shots while progressively changing clubs.
• 20 balls of technical work and drills.
• 10 fairway-finder shots using a driver, fairway wood, or hybrid.
• 9 balls simulating three par-5 holes.
• 1 final shot with your favorite club.

The goal isn’t simply to hit better-looking range shots. It’s to make practice resemble the decisions, routines, and pressure golfers experience on the course.

Shy explains why golfers should combine block practice — working intentionally on a particular skill — with random practice that requires changing targets, clubs, and situations. That transition becomes especially important in his 10-ball fairway challenge and simulated par-5 exercise, where golfers are asked to visualize an actual hole, choose targets, go through their full pre-shot routine, and react to the outcome of each shot.

The conversation also explores why golfers should keep notes after practice sessions. Tracking what worked, what didn’t, and where your common misses appeared can reveal patterns that help both future practice and on-course strategy.

Mark and Shy then move into five areas golfers can focus on to lower their scores.

5 Ways to Lower Your Golf Scores:

5. Course Management. Know your tendencies instead of constantly fighting them. Shy discusses learning to “own” his natural fade and using that knowledge to make better decisions around the golf course. Good course management means knowing your strengths, weaknesses, distances, and common misses — and sometimes taking your medicine instead of attempting the heroic shot.

4. Driving Driving isn’t just about speed. The tee shot should set up the next shot. Shy encourages golfers to develop a reliable fairway finder and think about where they want to play their approach from before deciding what club or target to choose from the tee. As Shy explains, golfers may play the game from tee to green, but they should learn to think about the hole from green to tee.

3. Approach Play Know your actual distances. Shy explains why golfers need to understand both carry distance and total distance while also paying attention to dispersion. The objective isn’t necessarily firing at every flag. Sometimes simply finding the middle of the green — or leaving yourself in a manageable position for the next shot — produces much better scores.

2. Short Game Simplify your options. Golfers can become overwhelmed by the number of wedges and different short-game shots available. Shy recommends becoming extremely comfortable with one reliable club — for him, the pitching wedge — before adding more specialized options. Develop confidence from 100 yards and in, and your ability to recover when you miss a green improves dramatically.

1. Putting. Shy’s number-one priority is simple: Eliminate three-putts. Distance and speed control are critical, especially on long putts that many amateurs rarely practice. Instead of spending an entire putting session rolling 10- or 15-footers, golfers should practice long lag putts and learn how to leave the ball within a manageable distance of the hole. If a golfer can improve lag putting and become more confident from short range, three-putts begin disappearing — and scores can fall quickly.

In This Episode:

• Why most golfers waste practice balls,
• The complete 50-ball practice routine,
• Why you shouldn’t start every range session with driver,
• How to warm up more effectively,
• Why changing clubs during practice matters,
• Turning technical work into actual golf skills Block practice vs. random practice,
• The 10-ball fairway challenge,
• Why every golfer needs a fairway-finder club,
• How to mentally play golf holes on the driving range,
• Why there are no mulligans in purposeful practice,
• Ending every practice session on a positive note,
• Shy’s five keys to lowering your scores,
• Owning your natural shot shape,
• Playing a golf hole backwards,
• Why knowing your real yardages matters,
• Improving your dispersion instead of chasing perfection,
• Simplifying the short game,
• Why golfers should become great from 100 yards and in,
• The importance of lag putting,
• Why eliminating three-putts can transform your score, and
• How routines build confidence under pressure.

This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.

What if one of the most criticized ideas in modern golf instruction—being “handsy”—is actually one of the keys to playing better golf?

Mark Immelman sits down with Ethan Bramble, founder of Handsy Golf, for a deep dive into a hands-first approach to the golf swing. Ethan challenges the body-first thinking that dominates much of modern golf instruction and argues that golfers should focus first on the one part of the body actually connected to the golf club: the hands. “The golf swing is decided in the hands, not the hips, not the shoulders, not the ground.”

Throughout the conversation, Mark and Ethan explore grip, intent, pressure, clubface control, ground reaction forces, feel and the relationship between the golfer and the golf club. Ethan explains why he believes better communication between the hands and the club can help golfers self-correct, simplify their thinking and reduce the dreaded “paralysis by analysis.”

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why Ethan believes the golf swing should be approached hands first.
• How intent travels from the mind to the golf club.
• Why “handsy” does not necessarily mean flipping or scooping.
• How grip and hand pressure influence clubface control.
• Why golfers should think about communicating with the golf club.
• The difference between body-first and hands-first instruction.
• Why Ethan views the body as supporting the hands rather than driving them.
• How overthinking rotation, ground forces and body positions can create paralysis by analysis.
• Why golf should feel more like other bat-and-ball sports.
• What Scottie Scheffler can teach golfers about grip and hand awareness.
• Why molded grips are gaining attention among elite players.
• How Tiger Woods used his hands to control and shape the golf club.
• Why feel and tactile awareness matter under pressure.
• What golfers misunderstand about “flipping” the club.
• How the ForceBall and Compact Club help golfers develop a better connection with the club.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Golf Swing Begins With Intent - Every golfer has an intention for the shot—whether that means hitting a draw, controlling trajectory or simply getting the ball into the fairway. Ethan believes the golfer’s job is to send that intention to the club as clearly as possible. The more complicated the message becomes through excessive thoughts about the hips, shoulders, spine and ground forces, the more that signal can become “muddied.” Golf, in his view, is ultimately a game of communication.
2. “Handsy” Doesn’t Have to Be a Bad Word - Golf instruction has often treated excessive hand action as something golfers should eliminate. Ethan wants to reframe that idea. Rather than thinking about “handsy” as an uncontrolled flip or scoop, he describes it as an intentional awareness of how the hands influence and communicate with the club throughout the swing.
3. Hands First Doesn't Mean Hands Only - Ethan isn't suggesting that the body has no role in the golf swing. Instead, he sees the body in a supporting role. When golfers correctly organize their hands, grip and the forces they apply to the club, he believes many desirable body movements—rotation, ground usage and sequencing—can occur naturally rather than being consciously manufactured.
4. Stop Creating Paralysis by Analysis - Golf gives players more time to think than almost any other sport. That can be a problem. Tennis, baseball and other striking sports tend to be reaction-based. Golfers, however, can stand over a stationary ball thinking about dozens of positions and movements. Ethan believes bringing the focus back to the hands, the implement and the intended shot can make the swing feel more athletic and intuitive.
5. Your Relationship With the Club Matters - The golf club is the golfer's instrument. Your hands are the only physical connection between your body and that instrument. Ethan describes this relationship almost like any other relationship: better communication creates a better connection. His goal is to help golfers feel how the club moves, pivots and responds rather than simply trying to place their body in predetermined positions.
6. Scottie Scheffler Offers a Powerful Example - Much of the conversation centers on World #1 Scottie Scheffler. While golfers frequently analyze Scheffler's footwork and ground forces, Ethan believes one of the most remarkable aspects of his swing is how consistently his hands remain connected to the club. Scheffler regularly practices with a molded grip, carefully organizes his hands before the swing and maintains that relationship with the club despite all of the movement happening elsewhere in his body.
7. Grip Is More Than “Set It and Forget It” - Ethan argues that golfers shouldn't simply place their hands on the club and forget about them. Instead, the hands should actively apply pressure, push, pull and influence how the club moves throughout the swing. Understanding those forces can help golfers control the clubface, the swing arc and ultimately the golf ball.
8. Don't Take the Art Out of the Golf Swing - Golfers including Harry Vardon and Henry Cotton emphasized the role of the hands and arms generations ago. Ethan believes modern instruction may have moved too far away from that feel-based approach. The golf swing is not just a collection of biomechanical positions—it is an athletic, tactile and artistic motion.
9. What About “Flipping”? - A flip is often treated as one of golf's cardinal sins. Ethan draws an important distinction between an intentional release of the clubhead and a reactionary flip caused by the club being out of position. At some point through impact, the handle must decelerate while the clubhead accelerates. The goal isn't to eliminate that athletic release, but to properly organize the hands, arms and club beforehand so it can happen effectively.

Memorable Quotes:

“The golf swing is decided in the hands, not the hips, not the shoulders, not the ground.”

“This is just a game. It’s a game of communication.”

“I’m not saying it’s hands only. I’m saying it’s hands first.”

“The relationship with your golf club is the most important thing in golf, bar none.”

“I don’t think golf needs to be any different.”

“We’ve almost taken away the art of the golf swing.”

“Let the body support that pivoting action.”

This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube - search and subscribe to Mark Immelman to watch.

In this episode of On The Mark, Mark Immelman is joined by PGA TOUR winner Jake Knapp for a candid and insightful conversation about golf swing development, tempo, power, trust, training, resilience, and learning how to compete at the highest level.

Jake is known for one of the most admired golf swings in the game, but he shares that he has not always seen it that way. He talks openly about being too critical of his own motion, learning to give himself more credit, and understanding how small changes can make a major difference in performance over time.

Mark and Jake discuss what it really takes to make a swing change that holds up under pressure. Jake explains how his work has been driven by statistics, consistency, repeatability, and finding feels that transfer from the range to the golf course.

He also shares why golfers need to trust the work, get uncomfortable in practice, and recognize that improvement often comes through small, incremental gains rather than instant transformation. The conversation also covers Jake’s use of training aids, his left thumb injury and surgery, his approach to fitness, how he creates power without looking rushed, why his tempo appears so smooth, how he uses a mini driver as a fairway finder, and why golfers should embrace their own natural patterns instead of chasing every swing trend.

This episode is packed with practical lessons for golfers who want to strike the ball better, swing with more freedom, train smarter, build trust under pressure, and understand how a PGA TOUR winner thinks through improvement.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

🎙️ Why Jake Knapp has one of the most talked-about swings in golf.

🎙️ How Jake views his own swing and why he can be overly critical.

🎙️ Why golf improvement takes time, patience, and trust.

🎙️ How small swing changes can create major performance gains.

🎙️ Why tour-level changes should be statistics-driven, not just cosmetic.

🎙️ How Jake works through feels with his coach before taking them to the course.

🎙️ Why golfers must learn to trust swing changes under pressure.

🎙️ How discomfort in practice can help build belief on the course.

🎙️ Why incremental improvements are often more valuable than quick fixes.

🎙️ How Jake has used training aids and why he now keeps them simpler .

🎙️ What training aids can and cannot do for elite players \.

🎙️ How Jake turns technical thoughts into feels he can use on the golf course.

🎙️ What happened with Jake’s left thumb injury and surgery.

🎙️ Why Jake values general athletic training and physical presence.

🎙️ How fitness helps with speed, power, mobility, and difficult lies \.

🎙️ Why Jake’s tempo looks smooth even though he creates tremendous speed.

🎙️ How he uses big muscles instead of small muscles to create power.

🎙️ Why softness in the arms can help create speed and flow.

🎙️ How Jake thinks about heavy clubs and feeling the clubhead.

🎙️ Why golfers should be careful trying to copy another player’s swing.

🎙️ How Jake uses his mini driver as a fairway finder.

🎙️ Why distance should remain an advantage, not become a disadvantage.

🎙️ How Jake embraces his natural steep pattern instead of fighting it.

🎙️ Why resilience helped him through hard seasons, injury, and pressure.

🎙️ What Jake learned from winning on the PGA TOUR in Mexico.

🎙️ How his “W.I.N.” reminder — What’s Important Now — helps him compete.

Key Takeaways:

1. A good-looking golf swing still has to perform under pressure.
2. Swing changes should be connected to better statistics, better patterns, and better scoring.
3. Improvement is rarely instant. It can take months for an exaggerated feel to become a neutral pattern.
4. The range and the golf course are different environments, so players must learn how to transfer feels into real shots.
5. Trust is built by putting yourself in uncomfortable situations and learning from the result.
6. Training aids can be helpful, but the goal is to eventually perform without them.
7. Elite players often use simple cues, feels, and checkpoints instead of overly complicated swing thoughts.
8. Fitness can help golfers create speed, protect their bodies, handle difficult lies, and feel more confident.
9. Effortless power comes from sequence, athleticism, big muscles, and freedom in the arms.
10. Golfers should avoid chasing trends that do not match their natural pattern.
11. A fairway finder can reduce stress and help long hitters keep distance as an advantage.
12. Resilience matters when the swing, body, or pressure of competition does not cooperate.
13. Great players prepare for what might go wrong, not just what they hope will go right.
14. “What’s Important Now” is a powerful reminder to stay present and handle the next shot.

This podcast is also available on YouTube. Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman to watch and learn.

Putting improvement does not have to require hours of technical practice.

In this episode of On the Mark, Mark Immelman is joined by Matt Davis, the creator of Putter Cup, to discuss how golfers can develop better speed control, stronger commitment and greater confidence under pressure. 

Matt explains why putting deserves more attention from recreational golfers and challenges the belief that becoming a good putter requires a major investment of time. With focused, intentional practice—even for just a few minutes each day—golfers can begin closing the performance gap much faster than they might expect.

The conversation also explores an often-overlooked part of putting: The human response to pressure. Reading the green, choosing a line and controlling speed all matter, but golfers must still execute when the putt counts. Matt designed the three-part Putter Cup system to simulate that pressure and make practice slightly more demanding than the real thing.

Mark and Matt examine why not every five-foot putt should be played the same way, the relationship between speed and line, and how golfers can stop getting trapped by mechanical thoughts over short putts. They also discuss the importance of identifying “shot number three,” letting the putter become the hero and practicing in a way that makes the golf course feel easier.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why everyday golfers can putt at an elite level

• How better putting can quickly lower your scores

• Why pressure should be treated as a fourth element of putting

• The relationship between read, speed, line and commitment

• Why not every five-foot putt requires the same pace

• How challenging practice can make real holes appear more forgiving

• The difference between practicing a stroke and preparing to play

• How the Speed Bump trains pace and commitment

• How the Center Cup sharpens start line and entry point

• How the portable To-Go Cup creates a target almost anywhere

• Why thinking about mechanics can undermine short-putt performance

• How better putting reduces pressure on lag putts and chip shots

• What “firm in the back of the cup” should really mean

• When “never up, never in” is—and is not—good advice

• Why a few minutes of deliberate practice can produce meaningful results

You can also watch this podcast and see the PutterCups if search and subcribe to Mark Immelman on YouTube.  Do so and make more putts.

In this episode of On The Mark, Mark Immelman is joined by golf instructor, Justin Kraft, for a detailed and practical conversation about one of the most important and often misunderstood parts of the golf swing: The Backswing.

While impact is often called the “Moment of Truth,” Justin explains why the backswing plays a major role in helping golfers control the clubface, swing path, and quality of strike.  A better backswing can make impact easier to repeat, reduce the need for compensations, and help golfers create a more functional delivery into the ball.

Mark and Justin begin at address, discussing posture, spine tilt, shoulder tilt, hip bend, distance from the golf ball, and how setup can either support or sabotage the swing before the club ever moves. 

They then move through the key checkpoints of the backswing, including the takeaway, shaft-parallel position, lead-arm-parallel position, recentering, wrist structure, trail-arm motion, pressure shift, and the top of the backswing.

The message of this episode is clear: If you want to strike the ball more consistently, stop treating the backswing like an afterthought. Build a better setup, understand the checkpoints, avoid the danger zones, and create a backswing that matches your body and supports your delivery. 

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

1. Why the backswing matters even though impact determines ball flight.
2. How a better backswing can improve face control, path, and strike.
3. Why many golf shots are affected before the club ever moves.
4. How posture influences rotation, low point, and delivery.
5. What shirt buttons, belt buckle position, and spine tilt can tell you at address.
6. Why shoulder tilt matters in a proper setup.
7.  How to check your distance from the golf ball.
8. Why an over-arched lower back can restrict rotation and create problems.
9. How hip bend helps create athletic readiness.
10. How to begin the takeaway without snatching the hands.
11. Why the hands and clubhead should not be confused in the takeaway.
12. What golfers should look for when the shaft is parallel to the ground.
13. Why positions are checkpoints, not places to freeze the swing.
14. How to create better depth and wrist structure by lead-arm parallel.
15. Why recentering starts before the backswing is finished.
16. How the trail foot helps stop sway and begin moving pressure back toward the target.
17. What danger zones to avoid at P2, P3, and the top of the backswing.
18. Why the trail arm should fold naturally without getting too narrow or too wide.
19. How a better top-of-backswing position can make transition easier.
20. Why many slicers should avoid trying to “turn open” too soon, and
21. A simple drill to help golfers feel a more functional top-of-backswing position.

Key Takeaways:

• Impact is the moment of truth, but the backswing can make that moment easier or harder to manage.
• A good setup gives golfers a better chance to rotate, shift pressure, and return the club consistently.
• Posture matters because it influences rotation, pressure shift, angle of attack, low point, and delivery.
• The backswing is a motion, not a series of forced positions.
• Golfers should swing through checkpoints rather than try to place the club in perfect spots.
• There are acceptable corridors in the backswing, not just one perfect model.
• Hand path and clubhead path are different, and confusing them can create major takeaway issues.
• Recentered pressure should happen through ground force and athletic motion, not a forced slide.
• The trail arm should fold naturally while still maintaining usable width and structure.
• The top of the backswing should match the player’s mobility, body type, and delivery tendencies.
• Many slicers make things worse by trying to turn open too soon.
• A functional backswing can help reduce steepness, improve contact, and make the swing more repeatable.
• Better ball-striking often begins before the downswing ever starts.

Be sure to watch this episode on YouTube as Justin demonstrates the backswing and how to correctly swing through correct positions en route to a loaded, complete backswing.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman on YouTube.

A better golf swing starts from the ground up.

In this episode, Mark welcomes Terry Hashimoto—the “Godfather of Force Mapping” for an accessible conversation about Ground Reaction Forces, Pressure Movement and the technology making Tour-level swing feedback available to everyday golfers.

Mark also announces his new role as an ambassador for AISensor, a portable 3D ground reaction force mat designed to help golfers understand how they interact with the ground throughout the swing.

Terry introduces the “Golf Number,” a simplified score based on 14 pressure characteristics consistently demonstrated by elite golfers. Instead of presenting golfers with complicated graphs and technical jargon, AISensor provides immediate feedback, a scorecard and practical recommendations for improving how pressure moves through the feet.

Mark and Terry explain the difference between "Center of Pressure" and "Center of Mass," why moving into the toes too early can contribute to an over-the-top swing, and how elite golfers move pressure from the trail heel to the lead side.

They also discuss Terry’s “Trap and Clear” concept and why apparent jumping through impact is typically the result of properly applied force—not a movement golfers should intentionally manufacture.

You’ll also learn how better use of the ground can create more space for the arms, improve clubface control, support a more compact swing and potentially reduce stress on the knees, hips and lower back.

In this episode:

• What ground reaction forces reveal about the golf swing 
• How the AI Sensor force mat measures pressure and movement 
• The “Golf Number” and how it compares your movement with elite golfers 
• Why golf swings should work from the ground up 
• How unlocking your feet can reduce tension 
• The difference between center of pressure and center of mass 
• Why premature toe pressure can lead to an over-the-top swing 
• How the trail heel helps create counterbalance 
• Terry’s “trap and clear” concept through impact 
• Why long hitters need a strong, stable lead side 
• The truth about jumping and vertical force in the golf swing 
• How pressure movement affects clubface control and ball-striking 
• Why modern golfers can generate speed with shorter swings 
• Using biofeedback to improve pitching and chipping 
• How non-contact training can help golfers develop better movement, and
• Why incremental improvement matters more than chasing perfection.

This podcast is also available as a Vodcast on YouTube - search and subscribe to Mark Immelman to watch.

Golf instruction has become increasingly technical. Ground forces. Hip rotation. Spine angles. Wrist positions. Speed training. But are golfers paying attention to the wrong thing?

In this episode, Mark sits down with Ed LeBeau, founder of Heartland Golf Schools, for a fascinating conversation about simplifying the golf swing and returning the golfer's attention to the one thing that ultimately determines what happens to the ball: The golf club.

Drawing heavily from the teachings of legendary instructor Manuel de la Torre, Ed explains why he favors a club-focused approach rather than trying to consciously control individual movements of the body.

According to Ed, a successful golf shot ultimately requires three essentials: 

1. Center contact
2. The club moving toward the intended target, and 
3. Enough speed to produce the required distance.

 From there, the conversation explores: Balance, Visualization, Grip, Ball Position, Swing Speed, Tempo, Shot Dispersion and why trying harder doesn't always produce better golf.

Ed and Mark also discuss Scottie Scheffler, Jack Nicklaus, Hal Sutton, Louis Oosthuizen, Ernie Els, Luke Donald, Henrik Stenson, Manuel de la Torre and Ernest Jones while examining what great players and teachers can teach recreational golfers about simplicity.

Among the topics discussed:

• Why Ed believes modern golf instruction has become too body-focused.
• Why the golf club — not the body — ultimately controls ball flight.
• Starting with the desired shot rather than individual swing positions.
• The powerful role visualization plays before and during a golf shot.
• Why center contact should be one of every golfer's priorities.
• How balance helps establish consistent contact.
• Why target awareness matters during the swing.
• The advantages of a neutral grip.
• Scottie Scheffler's remarkably quiet hands and clubface control.
• Why a golf swing should feel body-friendly and relatively effortless.
• The difference between maximum speed and maximum effective speed .
• Why chasing distance can sometimes make golfers worse.
• Why Ed advises golfers to find the fairway first.
• Ball position and its influence on clubface orientation.
• How Manuel de la Torre simplified golf instruction
• Why there shouldn't be 14 completely different swings for 14 clubs.
• Using the same basic swing concept from putting through the Driver.
• How tempo can organize a golf swing.
• Mark's experience practicing with a Metronome.
• Why shot dispersion may matter more than obsessing over perfect contact.
• How golfers can practice without hitting a ball.
• Why you should write down what works after a lesson, and
• The golf paradox of looking at the ball without making the ball your primary focus.

This podcast is also available as a Vodcast on YouTube - search and subscribe to Mark Immelman to view it.

Impact is golf’s moment of truth—but improving it does not require a perfect-looking swing. Mark Immelman is joined by longtime PGA professional Todd Brenkman for a practical conversation about solid contact, realistic expectations and learning to control where the golf club meets the ground.

Drawing on lessons from Johnny Miller and Bobby Clampett, Todd explains why golfers should learn to brush the grass on the forward side of the ball, how the presence of the ball can change the bottom of the swing and why many players would improve faster by practicing without a ball.

Mark and Todd also discuss ball position, uneven lies, wrist action, clubface control, functional misses and the dangers of immediately changing your swing after every poor shot. The episode includes simple drills that can help golfers of any ability develop better impact without becoming overwhelmed by technical swing thoughts.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Johnny Miller’s simple key to solid iron contact - Why the club should brush the ground on the forward side of the ball How to practice impact without hitting golf balls.
• What it means to become “ball bound” - Why the presence of a golf ball can move your swing bottom backward.
• How solid-contact expectations should change based on your handicap - Why functional misses matter more than perfect shots.
• How to swing freely without steering the golf ball - Why grip and setup remain essential fundamentals.
• How chipping and punch shots can improve the full swing.
• Todd’s tic-tac-toe bunker drill for controlling the bottom of the swing.
• How ball position should change with the club and the lie.
• Why practicing on uneven lies helps transfer your range game to the course.
• How one productive practice swing can improve contact and pace of play.
• Why wrist and forearm awareness can help square the clubface.
• The danger of blaming every poor strike on your swing.
• Why the clubhead should arrive at the right time—not necessarily be delayed.
• How to release the club without becoming afraid of “flipping,” and
• What to focus on when facing a pressure iron shot.

Key Takeaways:

1. Brush the Grass Forward of the Ball - Todd shares the foundational lesson he learned from Johnny Miller: draw a line representing the center of the golf ball and learn to brush the grass on the target side of that line. The goal is not to dig a massive divot. It is to develop awareness of where the club first contacts the ground and where the bottom of the swing occurs.
2. Practice Without a Golf Ball - Golfers often become so focused on striking the ball that their natural movement and coordination disappear. Todd will sometimes conduct an entire first lesson without hitting a golf ball. Removing the ball reduces the urge to “hit” and allows the golfer to focus on landing the club correctly.
3. Understand the Ball-Bound Effect - Bobby Clampett taught Todd that the presence of the golf ball can cause the bottom of a player’s swing to move backward. A golfer may brush the ground several inches forward of a practice line without a ball, but move much closer to—or behind—the line when a ball is introduced. Learning to maintain the forward swing bottom with the ball present is a major component of consistent iron play.
4. Set Realistic Expectations - Even great players do not strike every golf shot perfectly. Todd offers the following general expectations for solid strikes out of 10 shots: Bogey golfer: approximately one or two Mid-handicap golfer: approximately three or four Single-digit golfer: approximately five or six Elite amateur: approximately six or seven The remaining shots should become functional misses that stay in play and allow the golfer to continue scoring.
5. Do Not Steer the Golf Ball - Trying too hard to manufacture perfect contact can cause the golfer to slow down, guide the club and lose athletic movement. Prepare carefully, then release the club as though you have no worries. A freely swinging club often produces better contact than a motion controlled by fear.
6. Begin With Smaller Swings - Todd does not immediately move golfers into full swings. He begins with chips, punch shots and half swings so the golfer can learn how the club, wrists and arms should behave through impact. If a golfer cannot control impact at a slower speed with a short club, adding length and speed usually makes the problem worse.
7. Use the Tic-Tac-Toe Bunker Drill Draw a tic-tac-toe grid in firm bunker sand and set the club over one of the intersections. Make swings without a golf ball and examine: Where the club entered the sand. Which direction the divot traveled. Whether the center of the club struck the intended intersection. Whether contact would have occurred on the toe or heel. The sand provides immediate feedback that is often more visible than turf.
8. Calibrate Yourself to the Ground - Before playing a shot, make one small brush swing to determine where the ground is. This becomes particularly important on slopes and uneven lies, where a stock ball position may no longer match the bottom of the swing. One meaningful rehearsal is more useful—and faster—than several full-speed practice swings.
9. Check the Simple Fix First - A poor shot does not always require a swing change. The golfer may simply have struck the toe or heel. Todd recalls moving one student only half an inch farther from the ball, immediately improving the player’s strike and direction. Before rebuilding the swing, check setup, ball position and strike location.
10. Focus Past the Golf Ball - When facing a pressure shot, Todd gathers the necessary information, uses a brush swing to calibrate the club to the ground and then focuses on sticking the finish. That finish-oriented intention encourages the golfer to send energy through and beyond the ball rather than stopping or steering at impact.

Memorable Quotes:

 “Learning how to brush the grass, to me, is fundamental number one in golf.”

“More shots in the air than not. That’s the goal.”

“He or she who misses it the best wins.”

“Release it like you’ve got no worries. At least you have no regret.”

“Sometimes people are too quick to change what they’re working on in search of something else.”

“You’ve got to figure out where the ground is.”

This podcasts is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.  Search for and subscribe to Mark Immelman.

What if the secret to better golf is not another swing theory, launch-monitor number or technical rabbit hole—but learning how to truly play the game?

Mark Immelman sits down with 3x PGA TOUR winner, NCAA National Champion, Texas State Golf Hall of Famer and respected golf broadcaster Billy Ray Brown for an honest conversation about the lessons Billy Ray wishes he had understood earlier in his career. His biggest realization? You do not have to be perfect to play great golf.

Billy Ray explains why golf is a game of recovery, how an uncomfortable Christmas Day practice session transformed his short game and why players must learn to solve problems without immediately turning to a coach or a collection of data. Mark and Billy Ray also explore the importance of grip, setup, ball position, clubface awareness and active hands.

They discuss Scottie Scheffler, Adam Scott, Dustin Johnson, Jackson Suber, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer and the Harmon family while examining how great players build swings that perform under pressure.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

1. Why chasing perfection can keep golfers from playing their best.
2. How Billy Ray transformed his short game in only a few months.
3. Why golf should be viewed as a game of recovery.
4. The difference between productive practice and simply filling time.
5. Why golfers should practice the shots that make them uncomfortable How feel and technique work together.
6. Why self-discovery builds adaptable, resilient players How technology and data can help—and when they become distractions.
7. Why grip, stance, alignment and ball position still matter.
8. How clubface awareness allows great golfers to save imperfect swings.
9. Why different grips require different body motions and matchups.
10. How course conditions should influence the swing and shot, and
11. Why the ultimate goal is to play golf rather than chase a perfect-looking motion.

Key Takeaways:

• You Do Not Have to Be Perfect - Great golf is not produced by hitting every shot perfectly. Every player will miss greens, struggle with portions of the game and face situations that require creativity. The best players accept that reality and become skilled at recovering.
• Build a Short Game That Travels - Billy Ray recalls entering college as an excellent tee-to-green player who was not good enough around the greens. After his coach contacted his father, Billy Ray spent a cold Christmas Day working alone on his chipping. That experience began a transformation that helped him earn a place in the University of Houston lineup and win an NCAA championship later that spring.
• Practice What Makes You Uncomfortable - Golfers naturally gravitate toward clubs and shots they already hit well. Productive practice requires the opposite approach. Work on the awkward lies, partial wedges, flighted irons, recovery shots and uncomfortable situations that will eventually appear on the course.
• Learn to Figure It Out - Players who always turn to someone else after a poor shot can become dependent on external feedback. Billy Ray believes golfers must spend time experimenting, observing the ball and learning what their own motions feel like. That self-awareness gives players the ability to make adjustments during competition.  Fundamentals Provide the Foundation Modern technology offers valuable information, but Billy Ray continually returns to the same fundamentals: Grip Stance Alignment Ball position, Distance from the ball, Clubface control, A consistent setup gives the swing a better opportunity to organize itself naturally.
• The Ball Does Not Lie - Launch monitors can provide useful measurements, but the flight of the golf ball remains the clearest form of feedback. Golfers should learn to recognize why the ball curved, launched too high, spun too much or started offline.
• Play the Shot the Course Requires - Firm ground, wind, changing green speeds and difficult lies require adaptation. A golfer’s motion should respond to the shot and environment—not remain locked into one predetermined swing model.
• Play Golf, Not Golf Swing - The objective is simple: get the ball into the hole in the fewest possible strokes. Technique matters, but only when it helps the golfer accomplish that goal.

Memorable Quotes:

“You do not have to be perfect in this game.”

“The most complex thing about learning to play the game is keeping it simple.”

“The ball doesn’t lie.”

“You have to go to the most uncomfortable situations and put yourself in there.”

“Play the game, not swing the golf club.”

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In this episode of On The Mark, Mark Immelman is joined by newly professional golfer Dax Isbell for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about competitive golf, pressure, faith, failure, process, and what it really takes to access your skills when the stakes are high.

Dax recently earned his first professional victory on the GPro Tour in just his fourth start. He shares what he has already learned from making cuts, missing cuts, playing for money, handling pressure, and trying to stay aggressive when the natural temptation is to protect.

Mark and Dax discuss why the pressure of making a cut can sometimes feel heavier than the pressure of trying to win, and Dax explains how golfers can get trapped in “prevent defense” instead of continuing to play with freedom and intent. The conversation also goes deeper than swing mechanics. Dax shares how his faith shapes his approach to golf, why he believes identity cannot be tied to scores or results, and how his daily system of belief, consistency, preparation, and execution is helping him grow as both a player and a person.

This episode is packed with wisdom for competitive golfers, junior golfers, parents, coaches, and any player who wants to better understand how to practice, compete, fail, reset, and keep pursuing the game with purpose.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

🎙️ What Dax learned from making his first professional cut.

🎙️ Why missed cuts can become distracting if golfers attach too much identity to them.

🎙️ How playing for money changes the pressure of professional golf.

🎙️ Why the Friday cut line can create more tension than Sunday contention.

🎙️ The danger of playing “prevent defense” on the golf course.

🎙️ Why aggressive intent matters under pressure.

🎙️ How to play in alignment with the way you are designed as a golfer.

🎙️ Why golf is what you do, not who you are.

🎙️ How faith helps Dax process success, failure, frustration, and expectation.

🎙️ Why skill development and skill access are two different things.

🎙️ What Dax believes are the key skills in golf: driving, wedges, approach play, chipping, and putting.

🎙️ Why wedges are one of the most important money-making skills.

🎙️ Why players should practice in ways that force them to compete.

🎙️ The four layers of Dax’s system: belief, consistency, preparation, and execution.

🎙️ How language and belief shape competitive performance.

🎙️ Why “sucky practice” is not necessarily bad practice.

🎙️ Why every shot needs to matter, but not destroy you if it goes wrong.

🎙️ How nutrition and hydration can save shots during a round.

🎙️ Why junior golfers should understand how their behavior affects opportunity, and

🎙️ What Dax would tell his future self if his golf career ended tomorrow.

Key Takeaways:

• Golfers lose more than they win, so identity cannot be tied to scores, cuts, or trophies.
• The pressure to make a cut can cause players to steer the ball instead of swinging with commitment. Playing smart does not mean playing scared.
• Golfers must learn how they personally perform best under pressure.
• Developing skill is only part of the equation; accessing skill when the lights come on is another skill entirely.
• Wedges, putting, chipping, driving, and approach play all require specific attention.
• Competitive practice should include winning and losing, not just hitting pretty shots.
• Belief is built through the stories you tell yourself about who God is, what He has done, and how He made you.
• Every shot should matter enough to earn your full attention, but not so much that it wrecks you emotionally.
• Fuel matters. Eating and drinking consistently during a round can help players think clearly and compete better.
• Golf exposes character, which is why it can be such a powerful teacher.
• The goal is not just to play better golf, but to pursue the game faithfully and authentically.