Tom's Golf Tips
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5 Easy Steps to Hit Longer and Straighter Drives
By Tony and Paul Liberatore
If you want to hit longer and straighter drives, you may think you
need to swing as fast as a PGA professional. While swing speed
is essential to hit drives over 300 yards, you can get the most out
of your driver by making the right swing and getting a club that
produces optimal results. The following 5 steps will help you hit
longer drives that stay in the fairway without spending a single
hour in the gym.
Step 1 - Perfect Your Setup
Setting up to hit your driver correctly can lead to instant distance
gains. Teeing up the golf ball demands that you stand in a way
that gets the club face to the golf ball in the proper orientation.
You should play the golf ball just inside your front foot. As you
stand to the golf ball, allow your trail shoulder to work beneath
your forward shoulder. This will create a track for an optimal ball
strike.
Step 2 - Improve Your Angle of Attack
Moving the golf ball forward in your stance and increasing your
spinal tilt has already set the groundwork for you to hit up on the
golf ball. Hitting up creates a golf shot that launches higher,
spins less, and goes farther. Making only the change from
hitting down with the driver to hitting up can lead to over 15 yards
of distance improvement.
Step 3 - Eliminate a Slice
Golf shots that slice or curve significantly away from their
intended paths fall well short of their maximum distance. You can
increase your driving distance by hitting stronger draws instead
of high spinning fades. A draw will not always go farther than a
fade, but the conditions that create the draw spin usually
produce longer, more penetrating golf shots. Right-handed
players will need a swing path that aims to the right of the target,
while the club face remains perpendicular to the target. This will
cause your golf ball to draw back toward the target. Swing paths
aiming left of the target will result in fades or slices that are
detrimental to driving distance. Left-handed players should strive
for the opposite, a swing path that aims left of the target while the
club face remains perpendicular to the target.
Step 4 - Strike the Ball in the Right Place on the Club Face
Exactly where the club face impacts the ball determines how the
golf ball flies. Shots that are struck lower on the club face launch
lower and have more spin. Shots struck slightly above the center
will launch higher, spin less and give you the longest drives.
While some may think that hitting the ball in the center of the club
face is ideal, striking the ball slightly higher on the club face will
produce longer carries and more roll.
Step 5 - Get Custom- Fitted Clubs
Custom-fit golf clubs, including club head configurations, face
angles and loft adjustments, will help you get the most out of
your swing. Insufficient loft can lead to lost distance. Distance
can be increased by moving the center of gravity nearer the club
face or closing the face angle to eliminate a slice. Testing
different club head models, shafts, and club settings is the best
way to help you hit your best drives. A club that you feel
confident and comfortable with will help you strike the ball more
consistently and produce better results.
Conclusion
If you would rather play golf than work out in the gym, practicing
the above tips can give you more distance and straighter shots.
No matter what your club head speed, if you are not getting
about 2.7 yards for each mph of swing speed, there is room for
improvement. Getting a custom-built driver, mastering a high
launch, adopting a low- spin set up, and eliminating a slice can
lead to your longest shots and lowest scores ever. Be sure to
check out our reviews and buying guides to see which golf clubs
can help your game the quickest.
About the Authors
Tony and Paul Liberatore are a father and son team who are not
only best friends but love the game of golf. They created the
Golfers Authority to provide unbiased reviews, guides, tips and
advice to help golfers improve their games. Tony is also the
founder and inventor of the Accuhit, a highly effective golf
training aid recognized by many publications, including Golfweek,
Golf Tips Magazine and Asian Golf Monthly.
By Tony and Paul Liberatore
If you want to hit longer and straighter drives, you may think you
need to swing as fast as a PGA professional. While swing speed
is essential to hit drives over 300 yards, you can get the most out
of your driver by making the right swing and getting a club that
produces optimal results. The following 5 steps will help you hit
longer drives that stay in the fairway without spending a single
hour in the gym.
Step 1 - Perfect Your Setup
Setting up to hit your driver correctly can lead to instant distance
gains. Teeing up the golf ball demands that you stand in a way
that gets the club face to the golf ball in the proper orientation.
You should play the golf ball just inside your front foot. As you
stand to the golf ball, allow your trail shoulder to work beneath
your forward shoulder. This will create a track for an optimal ball
strike.
Step 2 - Improve Your Angle of Attack
Moving the golf ball forward in your stance and increasing your
spinal tilt has already set the groundwork for you to hit up on the
golf ball. Hitting up creates a golf shot that launches higher,
spins less, and goes farther. Making only the change from
hitting down with the driver to hitting up can lead to over 15 yards
of distance improvement.
Step 3 - Eliminate a Slice
Golf shots that slice or curve significantly away from their
intended paths fall well short of their maximum distance. You can
increase your driving distance by hitting stronger draws instead
of high spinning fades. A draw will not always go farther than a
fade, but the conditions that create the draw spin usually
produce longer, more penetrating golf shots. Right-handed
players will need a swing path that aims to the right of the target,
while the club face remains perpendicular to the target. This will
cause your golf ball to draw back toward the target. Swing paths
aiming left of the target will result in fades or slices that are
detrimental to driving distance. Left-handed players should strive
for the opposite, a swing path that aims left of the target while the
club face remains perpendicular to the target.
Step 4 - Strike the Ball in the Right Place on the Club Face
Exactly where the club face impacts the ball determines how the
golf ball flies. Shots that are struck lower on the club face launch
lower and have more spin. Shots struck slightly above the center
will launch higher, spin less and give you the longest drives.
While some may think that hitting the ball in the center of the club
face is ideal, striking the ball slightly higher on the club face will
produce longer carries and more roll.
Step 5 - Get Custom- Fitted Clubs
Custom-fit golf clubs, including club head configurations, face
angles and loft adjustments, will help you get the most out of
your swing. Insufficient loft can lead to lost distance. Distance
can be increased by moving the center of gravity nearer the club
face or closing the face angle to eliminate a slice. Testing
different club head models, shafts, and club settings is the best
way to help you hit your best drives. A club that you feel
confident and comfortable with will help you strike the ball more
consistently and produce better results.
Conclusion
If you would rather play golf than work out in the gym, practicing
the above tips can give you more distance and straighter shots.
No matter what your club head speed, if you are not getting
about 2.7 yards for each mph of swing speed, there is room for
improvement. Getting a custom-built driver, mastering a high
launch, adopting a low- spin set up, and eliminating a slice can
lead to your longest shots and lowest scores ever. Be sure to
check out our reviews and buying guides to see which golf clubs
can help your game the quickest.
About the Authors
Tony and Paul Liberatore are a father and son team who are not
only best friends but love the game of golf. They created the
Golfers Authority to provide unbiased reviews, guides, tips and
advice to help golfers improve their games. Tony is also the
founder and inventor of the Accuhit, a highly effective golf
training aid recognized by many publications, including Golfweek,
Golf Tips Magazine and Asian Golf Monthly.