Max Homa has already established himself as one of the most likable characters in professional golf, but on Sunday he cemented himself as one of the game’s elite and a potential President’s Cup team member. It seems like it was just last year that Twitter’s funny guy narrowly avoided Q school with a flurry of four bridies in his final four holes in KFT Finals or that he was being celebrated by ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt for his attitude amid a tumultuous start to his career. In 2019, Max won the Wells Fargo Championship to capture his first career win and secure a two-year exception on the PGA TOUR.  On Sunday, he won the Wells Fargo Championship to become one of the winningest golfers in the world over the last 18 months.

Max Homa as a pro on the PGA Tour.

First 110 start: 1 win
Last 30 starts: 3 wins

— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) May 8, 2022

It’s a truly awe-inspiring career turnaround and one of the key players in his ascendance has been his swing coach and our advisor, Mark Blackburn. Since Mark and Max started working together in 2020, Max has emerged as one of the PGA TOUR’s elite ball-strikers.  In 2019, Max ranked 107th in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green. In 2022, he ranks 27th. One area in particular that Max excels is his wedge play.  Here’s Mark breaking down his action in our Rapsodo Rapid Review. Described by Mark as a wedge-wizard, Max ranks 25th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in proximity to the hole from 50 - 125 yards on the PGA TOUR this season.  One key characteristic in Max’s wedge game that Mark noted was his ability to control trajectory and shot shape. A common misconception about wedge play among higher handicappers is that maximizing trajectory is key to stopping the ball on the green.  The higher the better, right?  Wrong.  The best wedge players in the world control distance, in part, by controlling trajectory.  As Mark notes in the video above, Max delivers the club from the inside out so that he’s able to maintain a lower loft while maximizing spin.  This produces a more consistent flight and helps prevent the ball from ballooning in the wind. “Most amateur golfers are surprised at how low the ball comes out with a great wedge player,” Mark Blackburn.  “You need to be able to control your trajectory.  Low launching wedges create a really nice environment for spin and predictable ball flight.” Next time you’re on the range with your MLM pay attention to your launch angle and shot apex with your wedges. There’s a good chance you’ll be surprised at how much lower Max’s trajectory and apex are than yours.