Crush Your Drives and Keep it in Play
By Jack Moorehouse
So you want to drive like Tiger and putt like Ben Crenshaw,
huh? Don’t we all?
Long drives and accuracy are a bit like oil and water in terms
of a combination but they don’t have to be. Just imagine if
you could hit your drives consistently in the fairway 250
yards + nearly every time…wouldn’t that make the game a
lot easier…and fun?
Having a good tee ball is critical to your confidence and
placing the ball where you can score. We all can get easily
frustrated when things go sideways with the driver, so I’m
going to share you with you some secrets on how to get the
most distance from your tee ball while keeping it accurate.
There are basically three elements to being able to get the
distance and accuracy you desire with the driver.
1. You must have a good handle on the clubhead and have
complete control of it. There are two things to check when
dealing with club face control. First, you need to check your
grip. Second, you need to see if you have the ability to hit a
ball to the left and to the right. If you can do both of those,
you should be able to split the difference and hit the ball
straight. Now, I’m not talking about being able to work the
ball like a trick shot artist…just know how to bend it a little
right or left when needed. (Hint: Open the clubface to hit a
fade, close it slightly for a draw)
2. Make sure you have good rotation in the shoulders and
hips. Power is created from “coiling” or turning away from
and then back through the ball. If you don’t “coil” or turn
properly, you will never realize maximum distance. Pretend
you are trying to turn your belt buckle as far away from the
target while turning during your backswing. Also, make sure
that when you come through the ball at impact, you are
completing your turn to a nice high and solid finish.
3. You will need really good rhythm in order to achieve your
best distance and accuracy. Don’t be tempted to make a
quick move from the top of your swing, which can ruin your
entire tempo and sequence of events. (Most high
handicappers make this mistake). You can counteract this
movement by developing internal counting during your
swing. Counting "one one thousand" on your backswing and
"two one thousand” on the downswing will help to create a
smooth rhythm.
Now, most people will have trouble with these elements with
the driver because it is the longest and most difficult club to
hit. It will be easier with the shorter clubs because there is
less of a premium on distance and more on accuracy.
One drill I have seen work wonders is to try to alternate
hitting your driver and 9 iron when practicing. Start with the
9 iron and make a few good swings using the 3 elements
above. Don’t overswing, just make nice easy swings. Then,
pick up the driver and create the same motion and tempo.
Don’t swing any harder, just focus on the elements. If you
can’t hit the driver with the same results as your 9 iron, go
back to the 9 iron and see the difference. Keep alternating
9 iron and driver until you get a consistent rhythm and
tempo. A great case in point is to watch PGA pro Kenny
Perry. He hits the ball a long way with a very compact and
easy swing. Why? Because he has great control over his
clubhead, makes a wonderful turn away from and through
the ball and lastly, has exceptional rhythm.
So, pay attention to these 3 elements and don’t be
surprised if you start hitting them long…AND straight.
| Jack Moorehouse |
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