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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.”
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