With my students, at the beginning of each season, I always stress the importance of working on the short game and finding good rhythm, tempo and balance in their golf swing. Without question, your focus to start the season should be on a good grip, correct posture, the right stance with good alignment, making solid contact with the centre of your clubface and to find a smooth, well balanced swing with your irons and wedges. However, having said that, this tip is for all you stubborn ones out there who may have just gotten a brand new Driver and want to hit it straighter and farther than ever before…
If you want to maximize distance off the tee, you must HIT UP on your drives. A very simple, yet great drill to achieve this upward strike with your driver is to place an empty sleeve of balls one grip length in front of your golf ball (see image on hawk talk newsletter). If you are hitting up on the golf ball properly, you will not hit the empty sleeve of golf balls and if you are hitting down on the golf ball and losing distance, you will hit the sleeve. In addition to swinging up, try to make sure you are coming from the inside (swinging to the right for RH golfers and to the left for LH golfers). Try this out if you want to maximize your club head speed and see your drives go straighter and farther! Have fun!
See you on the Range, Matt Truong