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Tom Ching's Golf Tips:
The Latest and Greatest Golf Tips |
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Drive Avg 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230
Strokes
Lost to Par 15 12 9 7 5 3 1 0
If you can increase your average drive from 180 to 210 yards you could decrease your score by 6 strokes if the rest of your game remains the same. However, by being closer to the hole you should be able to hit your irons closer to the hole and by being closer to the hole your putting should improve. The decrease should then be better than 6 strokes.
HOW DO I DO THAT?
Driving the ball longer can be done by improving technique or by getting equipment that will help you drive the ball further down the fairway. Most of us can stand to improve our technique but we must first make sure our equipment is not holding us back. Most senior or women golfers use drivers with too stiff shaft flex for their swing speed . They also use drivers with the wrong face angle and which are too heavy. Getting a higher face angle (11-13 degrees) for their driver can improve your distance. Have you ever hit your 3 wood farther than your driver? If you have, you may be a candidate for a higher face angle. Have you been real tired during the later holes that you haven't been able to swing your driver? If so, you should look into a lighter driver.
You can tell if your driver shaft is too stiff by noticing if you can feel your club "kick in" at impact. If your flex is just right you should feel your club flex when you start your down swing and flex forward just prior to impact. If your driver feels like a telephone pole and keep hitting worm burners, your driver may be too stiff for you. Most clubs are marked with L-Ladies, A-Senior, R-Regular, S-Stiff or X-Extra Stiff. It should be on the band just below the grip or part of the markings on the shaft for graphite shafts. Not all manufacturers adhere to the same standards, so the only way to tell that a driver is right for you is to hit it on the driving range.
Last year I was able to increase my drives 30 yards and lower my handicap by 7 strokes just by getting a more flexible shaft for my driver. I went from a stiff to a regular shaft. I tried the senior flex but found it too soft for my swing.
BUILDING A BIG ARC
Another way of improving your technique is to increase the arc of your swing. With its longer shaft and relatively flat clubface, the driver requires a flatter, more level swing to sweep the ball off the tee. It's much easier to achieve this if you take the clubhead away from the ball on a level path. . Instead of starting the swing by picking the club up with your hands, drag the club straight back along the target line with your arms and shoulders. If you have a hard time doing this, drag the club along the ground for at least 18 inches or to the back foot before lifting the club.
Extend the club as far back as possible without breaking your wrists or moving your center of gravity from over the ball. Your shoulders will turn naturally and bring the club around your body when it can no longer go straight back. This will create a full shoulder turn and a wide arc, placing your hands high above your right shoulder at the top of the swing. Start the downswing by shifting your weight back to the left side and letting the arms drop down into the "slot" without manipulating the hands. The "slot" is the area between the top of your swing and your right hip. Bringing your right elbow close to your hip will give you the inside out path which will allow you to strike the ball more powerfully. Most of the power is lost when you hit the ball at an angle. As your legs drive toward the target, sweep the ball off the tee on the same level path you achieved on the takeaway. One of the indicators that you are doing it right, is that you leave the tee in the ground after hitting the ball on a low driving trajectory. Ben Hogan says trajectory is the key.
Try this out and see your ball striking improve and the distance increase.
| If you Like, e-mail me in Beautiful Hawaii Kai, Hawaii |
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