The driver is fast becoming one of the most important clubs in the bag with courses getting longer and longer. The myth of drive for show and putt for dough has been banded around for years, but, would it surprise anyone to know that the worlds best ball strikers rank higher and earn more money than the worlds best putters! Golf is fast turning into a power sport with the longest and most consistent ball strikers coming out on top. So really it’s drive for dough, right?
So here are my top tips for driving, use all of these pieces to Set your Driver on Fire!
Shift your weight with your hips onto the leading foot – press your hips laterally forwards until they’re positioned more over the leading foot than in the center. Leave your upper body back in the center of your stance this should create a subtle bend in the torso leaning away from the target with the leading shoulder highest. The body needs to create a bend away from the target at impact and ALL poor ball strikers don’t, so create one in the set up and reap the rewards.
Move your hands in on the way back – the golf swing its self is a circular action that is on an angle in and around your body (because its bent over). The myth of the ‘straight take away’ has played golfers driving for years as which part of a circle is straight?!?! So to drive your best ensure you move your hands and arms more in and around your body, I often tell clients to feel like their hands move into their pocket for the initial stage of the back swing.
Make a big stretch – The golf swing is more than just a twist it’s a stretch too, so to drive your best stretch your torso’s twist as much as you can. This will include stretching and twisting your hips and even allow your rear leg to straighten and your front leg to bend forwards to facilitate the biggest twist you can. The center of the chest should be pointing up to the sky at the top of the swing, this will confirm an ample stretch.
Raise your belt for the through swing – During the down swing and follow through the best players thrust and extend their hips forwards to create a huge amount of club head speed. This means that in basic terms the hips finish in a higher and more forward position than when they originally started. I instruct most of my clients to feel as through their hips finish more tucked underneath their body with their belt buckle finishing feeling high, raised and as forward as possible compared with it’s starting position.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or even drop in to see me to improve your golf
