You may recall me mentioning the X-Factor concept on occasion. McLean first described it in 1992. Basically, the theory is that power is generated in the golf swing, not based on the amount of shoulder and hip turn, but by the difference between the two. In the January 2008 issue of Golf Digest (p. 66-73), McLean updates the concept again, with more research resulting from analysis of 15,000 students from his golf schools as well as analysis of a number of Tour pro swings. What he’s come up with is not a single X-Factor, but three of them. He now believes there are three critical down swing moves that are the secret to power in the golf swing. Let’s take a look at the three X-factors. The X-Factor Stretch The original X-Factor was concerned with difference between hip and shoulder turn. The X-Factor Stretch is the idea that the ratio should actually increase as the down swing starts. This is because the down swing starts with the lower body, therefore increasing the amount of X

This time of year, it seems like every time I play, it’s more windy than summer time. Maybe I just notice it more because it’s a cold Canadian wind, instead of a hot breeze coming up from the south. The bottom line is, if you have wind in your face on the tee, you need to make some small adjustments. Ball spin comes into play so much in golf, but it becomes a huge factor when hitting into the wind. The wind will cause the ball to rise higher than it normally would have, causing a serious loss in distance. And that’s if you’re lucky and the wind is only coming straight at you, and not from an angle. To counter this effect, the best plan is to keep the ball on a lower trajectory with less spin. This will give a more penetrating ball flight that not only increases distance, but also helps with consistency. On the tee, make the following adjustments for better shots into the wind: Tee the ball a bit lower.