Benjamin Poke
The 28-year-old Dane catches the eye on the range with his colourful footwear and creative drills. Here are some of his favourite tips…
1Chipping I have a different chipping style to a lot of people. Rather than a body motion, I use my wrists more. I like to keep myself feeling free and flowing. If my wrists are too stiff, I find there’s too much tension and I get a bit mechanical – and then I lose my feel.
2Increasing power It’s important to make a big wind-up to the right side, then a good body coil on the way through to unleash all your power going forward. The Superspeed Golf training aids are great. The more weight you have in the bottom, the more you get used to swinging faster.
3Reading greens I use Aimpoint. I use my feet to find the slope and my fingers to work out where I’m aiming. It’s about starting your putt at that point. Simple works best for me. I used to get fooled and confused too much by what I saw.
4Better ball-striking Losing your rhythm tends to lead to mistakes. When the transition from backswing to downswing isn’t smooth, it’s difficult to rely on consistently good strikes. Try counting ‘one and two’ – ‘one’ for the backswing, ‘two’ for the downswing. Focus on a good body coil and turning round the body on the way through. This should help the clubface stay more stable through impact.
5Beating a slice Most slicers don’t use their body properly. A slicer will come over the top with a relatively passive body. Try swinging with just your right hand. It’s the most natural movement, like tossing a ball.
6Course management Know your limits and play to your strengths. I do a lot of work on Trackman, so my caddie and I know our distances – whether I can carry a hazard or not, for example. Before a tournament, we work out the best place to be according to the next shot.
7Bunker play Not getting enough bounce in your wedges is a common mistake. I’d recommend amateurs have at least 10 or 12 degrees – so go and see your pro. The bounce is going to make the club skip in the sand. You don’t want to be digging at the ball. Then, it’s about focusing on speed, while staying relaxed.
8Holing out Put two tee pegs down a metre from the hole, with just enough room for the clubhead to sit between, and hit some putts. The tendency among amateurs is that they look up for the ball. By striking the ball between the gate and avoiding any contact, you’re working on keeping your body still.
9More wedge spin From tight lies you can generate spin, but it’s really tricky if the grass is a bit longer. If the situation is right, I’ll focus on being aggressive – that way I keep my speed up through impact. You’ll need good equipment and sharp grooves. A premium golf ball helps, too.
10Practice The aim should be to practise with purpose. Say you have an hour. Split this into halves, starting with half an hour on technique, then 30 minutes on hitting at targets and simulating oncourse play. Spend the second half focusing on good rhythm.