Longing for More Distance? Check out These Tips to Become the Driving Force in Your Foursome

power play Longing for more distance? Check out these tips to become the driving force in your foursome

here’s nothing more fun (that’s fit for in the middle of the clubface or putting less print) on a golf course than watching backspin on the ball. Ta tee shot soar majestically through Whew! That’s a lot to digest, so we’ve the air and land in the fairway. When broken it down into more manageable everything syncs up it’s a beautiful thing. nuggets of advice from some area teaching But if your drives haven’t been a pretty professionals. Pick one or two that will work picture lately, fear not, help is near. It could for you and start launching the ball past come in the form of drills, new equipment, your playing partners. And wouldn’t that be altering your swing speed, hitting the ball a sight to see?

FIND YOUR GROOVE GET FIT MAKE SOME NOISE The key to more distance The best way to hit it farther The key to increasing is a well-sequenced swing, is to maximize your equip- distance off the tee is faster clubhead speed and ment by getting fitted. The to have your clubhead a solid hit in the middle design of the clubhead in travel faster. A drill to of the clubface. Instead of combination with the shaft help with this is to take accelerating the club too can change your distance by your grip at the other fast from the top of the backswing, feel up to 15 percent, and the center gravity end of the club and begin swinging like you pause at the top and gradual- combined with the loft will alter your ball back and forth to create a whoosh at ly accelerate the forward swing through flight. There’s no club and shaft combina- what would be the impact position. to the finish position. Try to feel like the tion for everyone because all drivers are The louder you make the whoosh, fastest point of the swing is past the different. Once you get your custom-fit the more you’ll increase clubhead ball; this will ensure that you sequence driver take it back to the fitter and get speed. By practicing this drill your the downswing with the lower body tested again because you want to make clubhead will accelerate faster first, then the thorax, lead arm and sure what you tested and received are through impact and your golf ball club. That’s the same sequencing used the same. Do your research and test as will fly farther. by the longest hitters on tour. many products as you can before making Tony Schumacher, PGA Chris Mayson your final decision, because it’s a big one. GolfTEC Center Manager Director of Instruction Scott Heyn Maderas Golf Academy PGA General Manager Black Gold Golf Club

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CENTER CUT GET IT TOGETHER The only way to guarantee more distance is There are three factors to consider when look- by consistently hitting drives in the center of ing for more distance off the tee. The first and the clubface, but it’s an often overlooked key easiest is to get fitted on a launch monitor to improving your driving statistics. With the that tests drivers and shaft combinations for advances in driver technology, having a driver optimum launch angle and spin rate. Next, use custom fit by your local PGA golf professional impact tape to see where the ball is hitting the or certified specialist is essential in attaining the desired clubface. Typically 10 percent of distance is lost on off- ball flight to maximize distance. The next time you’re at center hits. The final thing to check is your clubhead speed. the practice tee focus on feeling the ball compress against To increase it, work on the core muscles that produce the the sweet spot and exploding off the face. In the end, the power that leads to more speed. more drives you hit square, the more distance you’ll gain Michelle Dubé off the tee. LPGA Master Teaching Professional Greg Wagner Tijeras Creek Golf Club Apprentice Golf Professional Sandpiper Golf Club

STAY IN SEQUENCE A DIFFERENT SPIN To hit longer drives you must maximize your There are a lot of tips for getting more distance launch angle and minimize your back and side off the tee but you’re leaving yardage on the spin. Follow these steps: table if you’re not playing the right equipment • Set up with the ball off the instep of your combination. Getting your launch conditions forward foot and tee it up a little higher than dialed in properly is imperative for maximizing normal. Then create a spine tilt away from the distance and improving accuracy. As a general ball, with your back hip and shoulder lower than your for- rule, the harder you hit the ball the more important it ward hip and shoulder. is to get your spin rate optimized. If you swing slower, • Keep your pressure light to maximize club head speed. optimizing your initial launch angle becomes more • Take the clubhead back slowly on your backswing and important. Many golfers generate too much backspin swing aggressively through impact. because of poor equipment or lack of fitting. Take • Keep your arms in front of you on the downswing. Stay advantage of physics by finding a good fitter with a launch in sequence. monitor and start smashing it without having to make any • Release the club and let your forearms roll over as you swing changes. turn your shoulders through impact. Marty Jertson Eric Lohman, PGA General Manager 2011 Southwest PGA Player of the Year Monarch Beach Golf Links Senior Design Engineer II, PING Golf

KEEP YOUR BALANCE STAY RELAXED There are two requirements for more distance The key ingredient to hitting the ball farther off off the tee: solid contact and fast swing speed. the tee is speed, but most players try to over- It doesn’t do much good, however, to swing fast power the game of golf and aren’t sure what if you mishit the ball, so your first priority is to parts of the body to use to create more speed. have good posture at setup and maintain your What you need to focus on is upper body speed, balance throughout the swing. A good drill is which is rotational and includes your core, chest to take your driver and flip it so you’re gripping it near the and shoulders. Players who try to swing hard create tension clubhead and swinging the grip end. Make a big turn back, in the trunk, which is why it moves incredibly slow and kills swing and try to make a swoosh sound with the grip. If you overall body speed. If the upper body stays relaxed it can make the sound louder with each swing it will teach you to reach the speed it needs for the arms not to take over the swing the club faster, but don’t forget to maintain your bal- motion. This ensures less or no breakdowns from the lead ance throughout the motion. wrist. Mitch Lowe Kris Brown 2011 Northern California PGA Player of the Year Director of Instruction Stanford Golf Course Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles

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