Heads Up
How many swings do you make when trying a new driver?_Ê
Driving
Lag For Power
The secret move for more power
Casting the club from the top of the swing (arms straightening prematurely) is one of the most common power leaks for the amateur player. This move results from a downswing that’s initiated by the muscles in the arms and upper body, and makes it almost impossible to store energy during the downswing._Ê
Total Driving
Sean O'Hair's coach helps you hit it long (and down the middle) every time
In early March, one of my students, Sean O’Hair, put on a master class in Total Driving at the PODS Championship. (The Tour computes Total Driving by totaling a player’s rank in both driving distance and driving accuracy.) For the week, Sean finished T15 in driving accuracy and 8th in driving distance, averaging 282.6 yards. Sean won that week–his second Tour victory–and earned a trip to the Masters. I couldn’t have been more proud.
Downswing Differences
How to hit draws and fades by making simple adjustments to the downswing
The hardest shot in golf is the one that flies in a straight line. It’s so difficult that even the best players in the world rarely try to hit it, mainly since this shot requires the utmost in timing and precision. Draws and fades are a lot easier to repeat, however, considering each has varying degrees from which one can produce a good result. Some fades and draws are more pronounced than others, but with the proper mechanics, any type of fade or draw can work to your benefit and can be much more repeatable than a shot that flies straight.
Drive It A Mile
Add distance with long drive secrets, featuring Sean "The Beast" Fister, 5-time winner Jason Zuback and 11 more of the world's longest hitters
One element I found all long hitters have in common is that they swing around a central axis. It’s okay to move a bit off the ball in the backswing, but if you want to transfer the maximum amount of power into the ball, you can’t sway too far back or forward. Also, you must get your right side all the way through the shot. Notice how my right shoulder and hip are shooting toward the target. This is a must!
Impact: Driver Vs. Iron
Learn The Differences For Solid Contact
There’s at least one basic certainty in golf and that is that good, solid contact produces quality shots. Every player, even those who compete on the PGA Tour, knows this and strives to perfect the moment of impact. Unfortunately, many recreational golfers don’t make high-quality contact as often as they should, in part because they simply don’t know the key elements necessary to do so.
Sweet Spot: Fredrik Jacobson
Sweden’s golf program has produced a number of world-class players in recent years, including Annika Sorenstam, Henrik Stenson and Jesper Parnevik. One of the players you might be less familiar with, Fredrik Jacobson, is well on his way to completing his fourth consecutive year on the PGA Tour after spending six successful years on the European PGA Tour.
Drive With Balance
Like all members of the PGA Tour, I play a lot of rounds with recreational golfers in various pro-ams and charity tournaments. If there’s one thing I notice during these rounds, it’s how inconsistent most weekend players are off the tee. Obviously, the driver is the most difficult club in the bag to hit consistently, due to its long length (most off-the-rack drivers measure about 45 inches) and low degree of loft.
Trigger It
You can’t fire a gun unless you pull the trigger, right? A similar concept also applies to the golf swing, which also usually requires a trigger move to get the body moving. Now, not everyone has a trigger, some manage to swing well from a static position to a dynamic position. But for the rest of us who often find confusion when it comes to where to start the golf swing, a trigger move can help you start swinging in a fluid and consistent manner.
Crush It!
Add yards with our long drive secrets
So you think you’re a big hitter? Well, consider this. Today’s top long drivers don’t bunt the ball a measly 250 yards off the tee. Heck, a mediocre wallop drops somewhere around the 320-yard range. Frankly, these guys aren’t satisfied with anything under 400 yards when it comes time to winning a paycheck. Now that’s long!