The secrets and techniques behind Scottie Scheffler's dominance? He is glad to share

Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a GOLF.com collection during which we’re sharing enhancements, learnings and takeaways from beginner golfers similar to you — together with a few of the pace bumps and challenges they confronted alongside the way in which.

What Scottie Scheffler has been in a position to accomplish to date this 12 months is nothing short of spectacular.

Overlook the 5 wins and 12(!) T10 finishes in his 13 occasions, or the Masters victory, or the nutty strokes gained stats versus the sector — all of which are impressive — and give attention to all of the distractions which have joined his unimaginable run of golf.

He grew to become a brand new dad final month, welcoming son Bennett along with his spouse Meredith. He additionally had that absurd run-in with the Louisville Police Department previous to Spherical 2 of the PGA Championship — after which went out to fireside a five-under 66 on the day, finally ending T8 for the tourney.

These two wild life moments can be sufficient to throw most males off of their recreation — however not Scheffler.

Whereas there hasn’t been only one ingredient that has been the first purpose for Scheffler placing collectively one of the dominant seasons in latest reminiscence, there have been a handful of items which have helped him attain this stage.

So as a substitute of specializing in a game-improvement tip or an instruction drill like I sometimes do for a Shaving Strokes lesson, it could be greatest to take a seat again and take in information from the world’s greatest golfer as a substitute.

4 keys which have helped form Scottie Scheffler’s unimaginable run

Throughout a latest press convention main as much as this week’s U.S. Open from Pinehurst No. 2, Scheffler was requested all kinds of questions concerning the state of his recreation. From his first impressions on the format to how he’ll deal with a few of the difficult photographs close to the inexperienced, all the way in which to the key to his improved placing stroke, the top-ranked participant on this planet was refreshingly candid in his replies.

Slightly than give some vanilla solutions to the questions, Scheffler revealed some secrets and techniques which have contributed to his dominance.

Certain, neither you nor I’ve the power that Scheffler has on the golf course, however that doesn’t imply we are able to’t be taught some nuggets from him to enhance our personal video games.

How Scheffler’s improved his placing this 12 months

Many gamers typically expertise ups and downs in placing, which is why it’s the good equalizer within the sport. For those who can discover essentially the most consistency, they’ll at all times shoot the bottom scores — even when different components of their recreation are barely off.

Humorous factor about Scheffler’s run up to now is that this: He’s nonetheless exterior of the top-70 in strokes gained: putting on Tour this season. It’s nonetheless an enchancment over final 12 months — when he ranked 162nd — so he detailed a few of the adjustments in his method.

“I imply, going now, I’m attempting to get as visible as I can with what I’m attempting to do,” he instructed reporters. “Earlier than, I used a line on my ball, so generally I’d be attempting to match up the road on the again of the putter with the road on the ball. At occasions I’d nearly get a bit confused.

“These days, I really feel like I’m getting rather more visible with what I’m attempting to do, seeing type of what I need the putt to do versus possibly taking part in slightly little bit of a guessing recreation earlier than. I’m placing the ball down and lining it the place I really feel prefer it ought to be lined up after which hitting the putt.”

Why Scheffler appears so calm on the golf course (even after a uncommon unhealthy shot)

Golf is a recreation filled with uncontrollables, so studying the way to settle for and channel that could be a key in going from good to nice. Clearly, Scheffler is a grasp at this particular ability.

Watch how his demeanor stays the identical all through the spherical, and spot how he navigates every shot the identical whatever the stage of problem.

Slightly than get upset over a mishit (nonetheless uncommon it’s), he takes his thoughts to a constructive place and focuses on what he can management: From his pre-shot routine to his persistence — which is one thing he talked about in terms of his skill to remain calm.

“I’ve discovered over the course of my profession to remain as affected person as doable,” he stated. “After I made a triple-bogey [last week at The Memorial] , I actually didn’t hit that unhealthy of a shot, it simply hit a tree and went out of bounds. I type of reminded myself I used to be taking part in good golf, and so long as I stored a great head on my shoulders, I might proceed to go about my day and was in a position to bounce again properly.”

So how can an beginner observe go well with? In line with Scheffler, all of it comes with expertise within the second on the golf course.

“I believe that’s one thing you be taught taking part in increasingly more golf, is that unhealthy breaks are going to come back, nevertheless it’s extra about your response to these issues than actually receiving the unhealthy break. Over the course of a 72-hole match [or whatever it might be], you’re going to get loads of unhealthy breaks and hit loads of unhealthy photographs. It’s extra about how am I going to recuperate from these photographs.”

Easy methods to form photographs

As a mid-handicapper, shaping photographs for me continues to be… difficult, to say the least. However for a participant of Scheffler’s skill, he’s in a position to do it irrespective of how tough the shot could be.

So what’s it take to achieve the arrogance to begin experimenting with shot-shaping — and truly see success? Scheffler says all of it comes all the way down to preparation, and reminds beginner golfers that he by no means hits a shot throughout a match that he’s by no means practiced.

“A variety of it’s simply trial and error, studying what photographs work, studying what photographs don’t, so quite a lot of it goes again to my apply and preparation,” he says. “After I hit a shot in a match, it’s not a shot that I haven’t hit earlier than. I’m by no means attempting one thing that I haven’t finished. On the subject of placing time and apply, I put effort and time into my kind, after which I normally go proper into hitting and creating photographs. That’s at all times an enormous a part of how I apply and put together.

“After I’m on the market on the golf course, I’m by no means attempting to do one thing I haven’t finished earlier than. I can at all times look again and keep in mind practising that shot and hitting it on the vary and hitting it below the gun as a result of it’s one thing that I’ve finished earlier than.”

Easy methods to management your psychological recreation like Scheffler

As talked about earlier, Scheffler’s skill to regulate his feelings and settle for the end result of every shot is a part of what separates him from his friends. However for the common golfer such as you or me, we are likely to overthink and get annoyed on the golf course — even after we repeatedly inform ourselves to remain affected person.

So when Scheffler was requested about how he controls his psychological recreation, he stated it’s about two particular issues: Committing to what he can management and never worrying concerning the outcomes.

“A variety of the stuff that all of us discuss is way simpler stated than finished. It’s a lot simpler to step up there and say, ‘hey, simply be dedicated to your shot,’ nevertheless it’s much more tough while you simply bogeyed the primary two holes,” he stated. “I at all times remind myself to remain dedicated to what I can management, and I’m not nervous concerning the outcomes on the market, I simply attempt to do my greatest to execute the shot…It’s all about responding to the unhealthy and type of rolling with the nice.”

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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor