Collin Morikawa's 5 tips on golf to hit the ball better

There's a lot that golfers can learn from Collin Morikawa. At the age of 27, he succeeded at all levels - including outstanding amateurism, won a PGA Tour card after only two months of professional competition, and started his career on the PGA Tour with 22 consecutive qualifying rounds. This record is only 25 times behind the legendary Tiger Woods' record in a row.  

Since then, he has proved his career is heading for rare peaks after the 66-under final at the Open Championship, his second major title.  

Morikawa's improvement in Short Game was an important factor in his winning at Harding Park and Royal St. George's. But for Morikawa, his accurate batting skills were the most impressive.  

Here are Morikawa's shares to improve his batting skills.

1. Find your rhythm and master it

Everyone has different batting rhythms, but it is important to have a good hit to keep that rhythm.   

Morikawa took the bat quite carefully – the bat moved low and slow from the ball and did not increase much speed until it dropped.  

But at this slow rate, when you're under pressure, you tend to be faster and out of rhythm. To prevent that, focus on the beginning and end of the shot. Start with a smooth stroke and end in a balanced posture. If you can do both well, the middle part of the shot will fall into perfect order.   

This worked for Morikawa at the PGA Championship, when he batted par-4 hole 16 and scored an eagle to win his first major championship.

2. Improving Morikawa's batting skills and exercises

Morikawa has two common exercises:

• Exercise 1: Morikawa will hit small punches with iron sticks and keep both legs fixed during the stroke. This is a great way to feel what's happening through the contact area and identify any problems.
• Exercise 2: Morikawa put a glove under his left armpit and made a hit without letting it fall off. Morikawa tends to lift the bat only when bagging instead of turning. This caused Morikawa to leave his body and lead to more tug-of-war than he expected. If you turn your body properly and keep everything connected, the stability of the shot will be much better.

3. Learn from a playmate

Morikawa has a lot to improve on in his game, especially with wedge and putter hits. He was lucky to have early successes on the tour, so he had the opportunity to pair up with top players in tournaments.  

• Playing with Tiger, Morikawa learned how to improve his iron rod hits, better, gentler ¾ shots with wedge sticks.
• Playing with Adam Scott, Morikawa learned how to manage himself and how to control around the field.

  The lesson here is: If you notice a playmate doing something good, take a close look at what they're doing and see if you can apply that to your game.

4. It's not the end. It's not the end.

Thinking about finishing position is a great way to develop flexibility and take the ball further, continuing after impact. Morikawa hits a 95% cut in time, but he can also hit a draw when needed.  

There are many ways to shape the blow, but for Morikawa, the simplest way is to do the opposite: he focuses on the finishing position.  

• For a regular cut, Morikawa ends with a horizontal bar on the back of his head.
• For a high fade, Morikawa ends with his hands high above his head.
• For the draw, Morikawa felt like he was wrapping a stick around his shoulder and neck.

This method helped Morikawa's body react in a natural way.

5. Is the mistake on the field due to poor performance or bad decision?

From an early age, Morikawa talked to his coach Rick Sessinghaus about most rounds. They reviewed all the hits to assess whether Morikawa made the right decisions, to position himself successfully. You'd be surprised how many bogeys come out of the wrong thinking.  

At the U.S. Last year's Open, Morikawa did not play badly, but 3 wrong decisions in the opening round caused Morikawa to be eliminated by just one point.  

Try to look honestly back at your rounds and ask yourself "Is my mistake due to poor performance or wrong decision?". You can accept bad hits, because that's part of golf. But you have complete control over decision-making, and that's an easy thing to improve. Shine on the golf course with our stylish men's golf shirts! Our premium golf shirts offer unparalleled comfort and boost your confidence on the green. Designed with breathable, stretchy, and moisture-wicking fabrics, they're perfect for any swing. Shop now and experience the difference!