THREE MAJORS and a Ryder Cup captain – Padraig Harrington knows a thing or two about what makes a top golfer.

But whatever level you’re at, whether it’s fresh to the game or looking for that edge after years hacking around, there are certain changes that can improve everyone.

Speaking exclusively to In The Bunker in Ras Al Khaimah, Harrington outlined a few areas that can make the difference in turning bogies into birdies.

Hold your finish

Harrington says: “It’s slightly different for everyone at every level but if I was going to say something blindly to every person who I’ve never seen play golf I’d say hold your finish. If you’re balanced when you finish hitting the golf ball you’re going to have a balanced golf swing. I could say that to everyone without it doing any harm.

“If you could finish like Tommy Fleetwood on your irons and maybe a little longer on your driver. Without me ever seeing you play that’s going to help you.”

Waggle

The Irishman, who lifted back-to-back Opens in 2007 and 2008, has a tip that can make everyone at the very least look the part.

He says: “If you give somebody a good grip and give them a bit of a waggle as they stand over the ball, they’ll look like a player for their whole life.

“If you waggle, if you move the club around… if you watch anybody old school, in the 90s, they all do this. You look like you’re a golfer.”

Don’t be stiff

Harrington, who was part of six Ryder Cup teams from 1999 to 2010 and captained them in 2021, says: “You don’t want to keep your head down and you don’t want to stand still.

“I think most people when they come to golf think you’ve got to plant your feet but that’s complete rubbish. You’ve got to move, let your head be free.”

Lash it

Harrington, who was speaking at DP World Tour event the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, explained what those new to the game should do: “If you’re a beginner and you’re coming into the game of golf you’ve got to sacrifice the first couple of months.

“I think people when they come to play, they want to hit the ball straight and the first shot good and they actually put a lot of compensation stuff in that they’re never getting rid of just to hit the ball straight. Whereas what they should start off doing is hitting it as hard as they can and as fast as they can. Really lashing that stick as much as they can. The accuracy is three months down the road.”

Mentality

Harrington, 52, believes the pros who reach the very top of the game are not able to only master the physical and athletic demands of the game – but also the mental side.

He says: “It’s a combination, you could be completely physically gifted and talented and the other side you could just be brilliantly strong mentally.

“Everyone’s got a mixture, maybe Tiger Woods was the only one who seemed to have everything.

“If you’re a weak ball striker you’re going to have a great short game and be great mentally. If you’re a phenomenal ball striker and you’re not the absolute star, that must mean you’re weak somewhere else.

“I think the interesting thing is there’s a quest in golf for perfection. You go out there and you look at the video and you try and swing the club great and hit the ball well and yet the majority of us are here because we’re strong mentally and that’s where we get the benefit.”

Love it

Harrington adds that there is also one very simple element to golf- loving it.

Having turned pro back in 1996, his passion for the game continues to ooze out of him.

He says: “You really want to love the game because you’re going to have some hard times, you’re going to have plateaus, you’re going get beat by guys who are inferior to you. You’ll have bad runs. And if you don’t absolutely love the game it’s going to burn you up.”

Padraig Harrington was speaking to In The Bunker at Al Hamra Golf Club held in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. Having joined the DP World Tour schedule in 2022, the event has quickly established itself as a highlight of tour.