Instruction blog: How to be a bomber without guns

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Angel Cabrera's length off the tee might surprise you -- he is seventh in driving on TOUR this year.

What Happened
Wow. What a Sunday at Augusta. The most anticipated tournament of the year certainly didn't disappoint. I am still trying to wrap my mind around what in the world just happened. Allow me to take a deep breath and try to sort this all out.

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First, how much fun was it to watch the top two players in the world -- Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson -- go head to head? With incredible crowds squeezing into every available sight line, these legends in their primes put on a show that won't be forgotten. With three holes to play, the 7-shot miracle comeback seemed in reach for both players, but yet they just couldn't close the deal.

After Tiger and Phil walked to the scoring table, I found myself forgetting there was still a tournament yet to be won. Like so many other fans, I had to regroup and dive back into the tournament and what was happening. Act II saw Chad Campbell playing well and hanging around the lead, Kenny Perry continuing to hit fairways and greens and Angel Cabrera grinding hole after hole.

Didn't it seem like every time we saw Cabrera he was making a bogey, smacking a tree or hitting a shank? For most of the day, Angel wasn't even in the picture, yet in the end, the 39-year-old Argentine native was slipping on the green jacket. It almost seemed like a dream where you had this perfect Hollywood scenario playing out with all of the big stars on the biggest stage under the brightest lights. So many feel-good stories with families waiting to celebrate, but in the end -- it all felt a little deflated.

Now don't get me wrong, I am very happy for Angel Cabrera -- who now has two major championships showing what solid play with patience and guts will do over an entire body of work. However, deep down there is a big a part of me that wishes this dream would have ended with just two more fairways and greens for Perry.

What Can You Learn
On Sunday, Cabrera gutted out an impressive 18 holes of golf that, in the end, put him in a three-way playoff. What seemed unimaginable after the front nine became the final storyline as the patient Cabrera continued to plod along, putting together his best stretch over the last six holes, where he was 3 under.

Cabrera, who has a workman-like game, hit some big shots at the right time when Perry opened the door during the last two holes. Cabrera is not a flashy player but certainly has a very solid game, which is apparently well suited for major championships. Perhaps the best part of Cabrera's game is his ability to create a lot of speed with his driver.

Currently, Cabrera is ranked seventh in Driving Distance on the PGA TOUR, averaging 303 yards. You may have noticed Angel doesn't often hold back when hitting the big stick; he really winds up and lets it go. After winning the Masters, Cabrera is just another example that in order to compete and win on the PGA TOUR -- you must get it out there.

In 14 tournaments on the PGA TOUR this year, we have had 12 different winners, of which eight are currently in the top 70 in Driving Distance and four are in the top 25. Of these same 12 winners, only Zach Johnson cracks the top 70 for Driving Accuracy.

Last week at the Masters, of the top 11 players, eight are currently ranked in the top 70 in Driving Distance on the PGA TOUR with three in the top 25. Of these 11 players, only two are in the top 70 in Driving Accuracy.

So this week I will give you the choice -- tips on more distance off the tee or more accuracy?

I thought you might choose more distance. So where is all that clubhead speed coming from in the body of Cabrera? Neither Cabrera nor Perry are fully participating in the fitness movement on the PGA TOUR, however these guys are still bombing it out there. Here are three keys pertaining to more distance off the tee that we can learn from the 2009 Masters Champion.

1. Tilt -- A very powerful angle at address is to take your entire spine and tilt it slightly away from the target. This will allow your head to start behind the ball and promotes keeping it behind until after impact. In addition, a good tilt will make it easier to load into the backswing, creating additional power.

2. Load -- Cabrera does a great job of turning his shoulders and loading his weight into his trail foot. A good backswing will see the upper body turn over a stable trail leg as the club moves to the top of the backswing. This motion is initiated by turning the shoulders around the spine so that the lead shoulder moves behind the ball. This action needs to be supported by the lower body, where the trail knee stays bent, and the weight moves to the inside portion of the trailing heel. This will separate the hip turn from the shoulder turn, with the shoulders rotating approximately 90 degrees and the hips 45 degrees.

3. Lag -- One of the biggest power sources in the swing comes from maintaining lag on the downswing. Cabrera is a great example of someone who has sufficient lag on the downswing so that he can create a lot of snap through impact. In order to achieve lag, a player must keep the trail wrist bent during the downswing until impact. In doing this, the clubhead will trail behind the hands and arms, improving the clubhead path and assuring acceleration at the right time. When combining clubhead lag with the proper body action, where the lower body shifts first and then rotates, clubhead speed can really be maximized.

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Kenny Perry also lost a chance to win a major at the 1996 PGA Championship.

Just Because
The 2009 Masters was another example of just how difficult golf can be. With a perfectly struck iron shot that almost went in the hole on the 16th, all seemed to be lining up for Kenny Perry to be the oldest major champion in the history of the game. However, as we all have felt at one time or another, circumstances can quickly change. With his only two bogeys of the final round coming on the 17th and 18th, and a third coming at the second playoff hole, his Masters hopes faded away.

He just couldn't get it done, and my heart is still aching for him. Golf can be so rewarding at times, then so painful minutes later. It's hard to believe the microscopic difference between being a "good" player and a "great" player.

Through this pain and frustration -- which every golfer has felt -- it's the other side of the game that rewards us with getting to know people like Kenny Perry. With four wins over a year's time and solid play at the Ryder Cup, Perry has become a household name. Although Perry may not go down as a great player who won major championships, he will certainly always be one of the great people to play this game. Kenny Perry's legacy will not only be defined by his accomplishments on the golf course, but more importantly the "great" man he is off the course.

For ways Travis can help your game, click here.