Cobra Smarter Ways To Lower Scores: 17-handicap Lawrence Stocker’s Lesson

Golf Monthly reader Lawrence Stocker enjoys a one-on-one swing lesson as part of our ‘2017 Smarter Ways to Lower Scores’ project with Cobra Golf…

Cobra Golf Smarter Ways to Lower Scores 2017

Name: Lawrence Stocker Handicap: 17.4 Home Club: The Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire

Monday 13th March 2017 Key points from one-on-one lesson with PGA Professional, Tom Wild...

Technique Lawrence was standing very shut to target, with his lower half in particular pointing right. That was causing him to get the club behind him and he was then having to work it back over the top. So he was getting very trapped on the way down. There was not a lot of room at impact, and he was getting in his own way at impact causing a big pull and occasionally a bit of a push.

I squared him up and got him a bit more comfortable at address with a little more knee flex and that allowed him to work the club using his upper body a bit more rather than having to work the club with his hands. We tried to neutralise his swing - get it much more up and down - and get his body working a bit more for more power and freedom.

He may find a little bit more distance, because as he becomes more consistent, he’ll hit the ball better and deliver the club on a better angle of attack – he won’t be as steep.

Strategy One thing Lawrence was unsure about was what club to use off the tee on shorter par 4s. It wasn’t so much strategy as fear of getting too close because he doesn’t like his wedge game too much – using his hands a lot with a steep angle of attack he was getting some very inconsistent strikes and ball flights.

We discussed laying up more to a favoured yardage – he like 130 yards, so picking a club that will get him there. But from what we’ve worked on he felt like he was hitting his wedges a bit better, which takes that pressure off so he’ll maybe be able to attack the course a bit more on shorter par 4s now by hitting driver to get himself down in that scoring zone.

I think initially he could get down to the low teens as he hits the ball a long way. He plays at a tough golf course, but if he can keep the ball in play he’s got a serious chance of single figures really, especially if he can tighten up that short game.

Monday 24th July 2017: progress report Video story: Check out Lawrence's most recent progress from our catch-up at a Europro Tour Pro-Am in late July at Luton Hoo...

Watch Lawrence's full Cobra Golf custom-fitting video here

In the driver-to-wedge fitting preceding this lesson, Lawrence was fitted for...

Driver - Cobra King Ltd MO 10.5˚, Aldila Rogue 60g stiff shaft

3/4-wood – Cobra King F7 15.5˚, HZRDUS Yellow stiff shaft, back weight, black

3/4-hybrid - Cobra King F7 19˚, HZRDUS Black 85 6.0 stiff shaft

Irons 5-GW - Cobra King F7 One True Temper King F7 stiff shaft, standard length, standard lie

Wedges – Cobra King Versatile 54-10, 58-08