Lesson Tee: Jeff Coston

Some tips on how to get solid contact and and good feeling shots

I had an interesting opportunity last month. The Intuit company called and asked me to do a nationwide commercial for them featuring the Jeff Coston Golf Academy. About a dozen folks came up to film at Semiahmoo. Then the next day they shut down a street in downtown Seattle and built a driving range. I taught passers by most of the day on the range they built on 2nd and University. (Photo 1) Check out the commercial online in May.

A solid struck golf shot sounds good, feels good and even smells good. People come to me and they want to “be more consistent.” I will show them the proper path, plane and sequence of all involved.

Through the years I found an effective way to improve solid contact and even impact. You can call it a compression board if you will. (photo 2, hands ahead) This is a sample piece of cut out plywood. The “compression board” gives golfers feedback to where their club enters the turf. I usually paint a line, then put a ball on a tee and ask my students to strike in front of, not behind, the line missing the board. (photo 3).

One must LEAD with the grip/hands and right elbow to and beyond the ball to create this compressed strike.

If the player strikes the board first and/or hits the ball fat; the club is releasing early and the hands and grip are slowing down toward the ball. This exercise is very effective in solid striking.

Note: The hands should be well ahead of the clubhead and ball at impact.

Jeff Coston is a former PGA Tour Player and 18-time Pacific Northwest PGA Player of the Year. He can be reached at Semiahmoo Resort by calling 360.201.4590.