Why Bryson DeChambeau purposely mishits some shots

There’s no denying that Bryson DeChambeau is a mad scientist when it comes to golf experimentation.

Whether it’s using 3D printed golf clubs or soaking his golf balls in Epsom salt to make sure they properly spin (among plenty of other ideas), the recent U.S. Open champ has brought the fun back to a sport that desperately needs it.

What I most admire about DeChambeau is that he’s unapologetic when it comes to improving his game, and he’ll go to great lengths to test something out — no matter how out of the box it may appear to others.

The two-time major champ recently talked to our Dylan Dethier about a number of topics on GOLF’s Warming Up. One of those things was the bizarre (yet practical) reason why he actually mishits shots during practice — and how it makes him a better ball-striker. (Ed. Note: The tip begins at the 14:46 mark in the video below, or on YouTube here).

Bryson DeChambeau explains the reason he purposely mishits shots

While amateur golfers like you and I accidentally mishit shots off the heel or the toe, DeChambeau says he’s prone to do it on purpose during his practice sessions — all with the intent of helping understand the parameters of the miss.

When asked by Dethier how often he’ll screw around in practice with different types of shots or mishits, DeChambeau was quite candid.

“I’ll do it every single day. It’s a couple shots, and then I go back to what I’m doing good,” he says. “I want to know the parameters. If I know what the toe is, a little bit of heel, [and the] center, then my brain gets calibrated to what it needs to do.”

DeChambeau then goes onto demonstrate a purposeful mishit — with the image below showing how far on the toe he sets up to the ball.

“For example, if I super-toe this, I know that, even if I miss the golf ball, that ball’s still going straight,” he adds. “All I care about is where that ball’s going, I don’t necessarily care about the strike.”

DeChambeau then shows how a heel ball looks before hitting a normal, center-face shot — which helps him understand his dispersion depending on what type of ball contact he makes with the club. Put simply: he’s calibrating the center of the clubface by testing the parts around it.

“It just helps me know [for me],” he says. “But everybody’s got to experience it on their own.”

You can watch the full Warming Up episode with Bryson DeChambeau below, and get other great golf tips by following GOLF’s YouTube channel.

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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor