After a recent survey of his PGA Tour-playing peers labelled him one of the most ‘overrated’ players in golf, Rickie Fowler answered his critics in the most emphatic way possible: he won. Starting the final round 3 shots back, Fowler, 26, shot the final six holes in six under par to force his way in to a play-off with Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner.

On the fourth play-off hole, the infamous 17^th at Sawgrass, the Californian eventually overcame the challenge of Kisner by playing the most beautiful of iron shots to within four feet. He would subsequently tap in for birdie to win his first Players Championship.

Overrated? Apparently not.

What was in Fowler’s bag for The Players Championship:

Driver: Cobra Fly Z+ (10.5 degrees, Orange)
Shaft: Matrix Prototype 70X
Weight Setting: Forward

3 Wood: Cobra Fly Z+ (14 Degrees, Orange)
Shaft: Aldila Tour Blue 70X

5 Wood: Cobra Bio Cell+ (18.5, Orange)
Shaft: Aldila Tour Blue 70X

Irons: Cobra Fly-Z Pro MB (4-9)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper 125 S+

Wedges: Cobra Tour Trusty (47-08, 51-08, 57-08, 62-08)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper 125 S+ (47, 51), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (57, 62)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Prototype

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1X 

George Coetzee earned his second European Tour victory of the season at the Mauritius Open. The South African, 28, edged Thorbjorn Olesen in a play-off after they both finished thirteen under at the culmination of the fourth round.

It wasn’t easy for Coetzee: he needed a birdie on the final hole to force the play-off before sealing the win with a birdie on the second extra hole. The win moves him up to tenth in The Race To Dubai.

What was in Coetzee’s bag?

Driver: Titleist 915D3 (10.5 degrees)

3-Wood: Titleist 915F (15 degrees)

2-Iron: Titleist 712U

3-9 Irons: Titleist CB 714

48-Degree Wedge: Titleist CB 714

50-Degree Wedge: Titleist Vokey Design SM5

56-Degree Wedge: Titleist Vokey Design SM5

60-Degree Wedge: Titleist Vokey Design SM5

Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron Select Newport 1.5

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Why do some golfers make smooth, effortless swings that deliver impressive power while other players attack the ball with aggression and speed and yet, however hard they try, always seem to come up short? The simple answer here revolves around certain key mechanics in the golf swing that will help you find genuine speed just as you need it most - through impact. 

Faults

One common fault I often see that costs power is casting. This is when a player starts his downswing and instead of keeping the angle in his wrists that was set at the start of the backswing, his wrists uncock. This causes the club to be thrown away from the body.

Remember, the injection of all-important clubhead speed that delivers genuine power comes as you release the angle in your wrists through impact. If you release this angle too early, you'll be releasing the stored up power created by a good wrist action.

The way in which your hands work through the swing is a basic fundamental that will not only help you hit the ball longer but straighter as well. As the club professional I am always here to help you reach a higher level of performance in your own game. Please visit your local Foremost Golf professional for any assistance with your game. 

You will often hear golf professionals talk about the body as the engine of the swing but what exactly do we mean? To create effortless power, your upper body needs to turn against your lower body. This means that at the top of the backswing your back should be facing the target while your hips will have only rotated about 45 degrees.

Of course, this is just a guide, as the amount you are able to turn will depend on your flexibility but this should still give you an idea of the basic principle we are talking about here. The difference between the amount of turn in your upper body versus a stable lower body creates torque. This is stored energy that will add speed to your downswing.

I see a lot of players who, on the face of it complete their backswings but on closer inspection are only swinging their arms - the upper body is not turning against the lower body. This is a weak position that is doing nothing to help you hit your power potential.

Try placing the shaft of your driver across your shoulders and make your normal backswing. Depending on your level of flexibility the butt of the grip should point to the right of the ball (as you look) and not to the left. A good test to see if you are creating resistance is to hold this position for a few seconds. If it's hard to hold, you are producing and storing power for later in the swing. If you feel no tension, a lack of resistance is costing you power.

If you are worried that you aren't hitting your power potential visit your local Foremost Golf professional for advice. Good, solid mechanics will help you hit the ball both longer and straighter and I am always here to help you improve.

A great drill that is designed to help you check exactly when your power is being released is to make some swings holding the wrong end of the club. Listen out for the swoosh - it should come through the impact area. If it is coming before that, please visit your local Foremost Golf professional who will find you a more powerful swing.

The grip is one of those key fundamentals that every golfer should work hard to get right. The way your hands sit on the club will have a huge affect not only on the direction of the clubface at impact but also on your swing path and power potential. Quite simply, if it's not right, it's very hard to play consistent golf. Here's a quick guide to setting your hands on the club but for more advice, don't hesitate to visit your local Foremost Golf professional.

Left Hand Grip (See Picture 1)

Start by placing your left hand on the club. Let your left hand hang naturally by your side, then bring it into the club. The grip should run from the base of your forefinger up to the fleshy part of your hand, just below your wrist. Now wrap your fingers around the club. At address you should be able to see between two and three knuckles on your left hand.

Right Hand Grip (See Picture 2) 

Now place your right hand on the club so that at address, the 'v' between your right forefinger and thumb is pointing at your right shoulder.

Joining Forces (Pictures 3 and 4) 

There are three options for joining your hands to ensure they work together to help you hit consistent shots. Firstly, ideal if you have longer fingers, there is the overlapping grip (where both little fingers overlap). Secondly, the option that Tiger woods and Jack Nicklaus have chosen is the interlocking grip (pictured here). And finally, there is the baseball grip - suitable for those with smaller hands or alternatively a good option for those who struggle with arthritis. 

Strong Grip (pictures 1 and 2)

If you think your grip might be costing you crucial clubhead control, please don't hesitate to ask for some simple advice on how to groove a better method. A poor grip can cause a host of issues in the swing so avoid the temptation to turn a blind eye and play on regardless. Here are a couple of common errors to look out for.

One of the most common grip-related faults is to set your hands on the club in a way that causes it to close through impact. This is called a 'strong' grip and you will see three to four knuckles on your left hand at address and the 'v' between thumb and forefinger of your right hand will point to the right of your right shoulder. This will cause you to take the club away on the inside which in turn makes delivering the club back to the ball on a neutral path hard to find.

Weak Grip (pictures 3 and 4)

The weak grip arises when the left hand starts too far underneath the club. As the right hand wraps over, the 'v' between the thumb and forefinger of your right hand points at your chin or even towards your left shoulder. This will cause you to pick the club up too much in the takeaway, sending the clubhead off the ideal swing path. In this situation, you'll usually suffer from a slice as the face will want to open at impact.

As you can see from these images, a faulty grip makes a neutral swing path almost impossible to find. If you try to play on without fixing the issue, you'll do harm to your game in the long run. With a few simple tips and exercises you should be able to address the problem so please don't hesitate to visit your local Foremost Golf professional.