Lessons THINK / PLAY / LIVE
108 GOLF.COM / S e p t ember 2019
ropractor Dr. Craig Davies, osteopath Dr.
Atay Varlii, and trainer Brandon Harris
of Scottsdale-based Premier Fitness Sys-
tems. Chez may be short ( 5’ 9”) but he’s
incredibly flexible, which means that the
most effective way for him to hit the ball
far enough to survive on Tour is to trace
a long swing arc and fully leverage the
ground beneath his feet. Then there’s the
issue of his left wrist. To reduce stress in
that area, we’ve worked on establishing a
better face-to-path relationship through
impact, starting with a squarer, more sta-
ble clubface in the early transition and
throughout the downswing. It’s also been
the key to developing Chez’s “never-fail”
push-draw shot shape.
The Cheat: When looking for an instruc-
tor, find one with the experience to build
an improvement map for you based on
your body type and movement patterns,
not a predescribed recipe of positions
and aesthetics. You’ll be better off for it.Chez Cheat No. 2
Optimize Your Numbers
Chez is a straight hitter; in fact, he’s num-
ber one on Tour with a 75.4 fairways-hit per-
centage (through the John Deere Classic)while averaging 287 yards off the tee. Credit
the latter to the efficiencies created by Cheat
No. 1: Chez’s Smash Factor consistently hov-
ers around 1.51/1.52. To achieve this, Chez
prioritizes impact location and club deliv-
ery dynamics over swing speed, resulting
in a high launch angle (14 degrees), low spin
(2,100 rpm) and a sub-40 percent descent
angle. These values combine to help Chez
optimize carry and roll for max distance
gains. He squeezes every possible yard out
of his swing, which, when combined with
his world-class accuracy, makes his driver
a serious weapon.The Cheat: On tighter holes where the rest
of the field might defer to a 3-wood or hybrid
to ensure they hit the fairway, Chez can con-
fidently pull driver, thanks to his precision.
His accuracy is a weapon that not only gives
him cleaner shots into the green, but levels
the distance playing field. The lesson: Build
accuracy first, then speed.Chez Cheat No. 3
Play Smart, Stay Patient
Chez hits 68 percent of his greens
(44th). He also ranks fifth in proximity to
the pin from the fairway at 33’ 11” inches.
So not only is he giving himself a lot of
chances for birdie, he’s doing it from
makeable range probably half the time—
an ideal environment for low scores.
He does it with the help of two things:
patience and discipline. Chez is accurate
enough to fire at every pin, but he’s very
selective about which pins he attacks. This
strategy has been an all-around effort since
mental coach Bryan Hepler and statistician
Mark Hortz joined Team Reavie. We develop
a game plan for each course to maximize
Chez’s skill set so he can shoot the lowest
score possible. Each week, caddie Justin
York works the plan, guiding Chez around“On tighter holes
where the the field
might defer to a
hybrid to ensure
they hit the fairway,
Chez can confi-
dently pull driver.”