It’s the biggest club in the bag, it’s the one we all like to swing the most and it’s the club that we all use when it’s time to make something happen.
Of course, we’re talking about the driver.
There’s nothing like the look, sound and feel of that perfect drive, one that takes off dead straight, soars high, hangs there forever, hits the target and then runs out another 10 or 20 yards before finally coming to a stop.
As we all know, those perfect shots aren’t easy. The driver can – and does – get us all into trouble.
But when you want to really squeeze out some distance from the driver, here are a few tips, starting with alignment.
-- The ball should be positioned on the inside of your lead heel (that’s the left foot for right-handed players).
-- Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
-- Your hands, grip, shaft and club head should all be aligned. This is crucial.
-- Tilt your spine slightly away from the ball so your lead shoulder is slightly higher than your trail shoulder. What we’re doing here is creating the right angle for launch.
-- Try to have a smooth takeaway and smooth transition into the downswing. You want to hit the gas on your swing speed halfway down during downswing and through impact. If you do this properly, you’ll feel the difference and you can stick a balance follow-through at the end.
-- Finally, you want to sweep the ball off the tee. This is the only club – outside of the putter – that you don’t want to hit the ground or make a divot when you swing. Drives shouldn’t be the only thing that you practice. But the drive is a big part of the game, and there’s nothing that gets a round going better than a well-struck bomb off the tee.
Good luck!
If you would like to train with me, please send an email to MikeS@MiamiLakesGolf.Com.