Gary Player Golf Clinic Reveals Ben Hogan and Tiger Woods Tips

Watch a lively Gary Player golf clinic on the Royal Birkdale practice range

Gary Player golf clinic
Gary Player holding court with his audience on the Royal Birkdale practice ground

Watch a lively Gary Player golf clinic as the three-time Open winner entertains Mercedes-Benz guests on the Royal Birkdale range ahead of the 2017 Open Championship

When Golf Monthly was invited to attend the Mercedes-Benz Patron’s Day at Royal Birkdale just six weeks ahead of this year’s Open Championship, we were given time to not only speak with Gary Player about all things golf, but also to witness an extremely entertaining and informative Gary Player golf clinic, which you can watch above.

Speaking to a group of Mercedes-Benz guests, the opinionated 81-year-old was at his best, showing off his physique and sharing his pearls of wisdom, from Ben Hogan's takeaway advice to Tiger Woods' putting secret.

Gary Player Golf Clinic

Gary Player warms up for his golf clinic on the range at Royal Birkdale

Of course, Player has been into his fitness and health for many years, long before it became part and parcel of the professional game, and for the first part of his clinic he emphasised just how important the core is for a good rotation and creating power in the golf swing. If the core is strong, then the hands and arms have no option but to follow it, as he demonstrated with a range of sound effects for added value!

The nine-time major champion then went on to one of Hogan's great swing tips, demonstrating the importance of a compact takeaway in performing under pressure. Using some of Great Britain's best amateurs who were in attendance to make his point, Player displayed the difference a good takeaway can make.

He continued to work through a clinic packed full of anecdotes, opinion and sound swing instruction that the gathered guests just lapped up. At the end, the South African happily signed an Open Championship flag for us that you can win via our Instagram competition here.

Gary Player golf clinic flag

Gary Player signing a Royal Birkdale Open flag that you can win on Instagram

Gary Player was hosting a clinic at the Mercedes-Benz Patron’s Day at Royal Birkdale. Mercedes-Benz is an Official Patron and the Official Car of The Open.

Jake O'Reilly specilaises in equipment coverage, and joined the Golf Monthly team in 2013. Before this he graduated from the University of Huddersfield with a Sports Journalism and Media degree, and worked at a number of British golf magazines. Follow Jake on Twitter @jake0reilly