DRIVE IT FURTHER

Shot Scope stats illustrate how, as long as we are not hacking out sideways, a longer tee shot leads to lower scores. However, many club golfers never give themselves a chance to reach their distance potential. Here, we will look at how to adjust your set-up and swing to unlock those extra yards. 1 SET-UP

Adjusting your address to allow fuller, freer movement and to promote a strong, high-launch/ low-spin ball flight is perhaps the best way to pile on the yards.

LEAN MACHINE

Your body sets a framework for the swing. The driver is the only club in the bag where we want to hit up on the ball, so our framework needs to promote that. Start by taking a comfortable, wide stance – insteps under shoulders – and dropping your trailing shoulder until your upper body angles upwards, as shown.

SET TO LAUNCH

Now build your address around these body angles. Check, in particular: ●Your ball position is opposite your lead instep and ahead of your shirt buttons. It promotes a sweeping impact with the clubhead at the base of its arc. ●At least half of the ball is above the crown of your driver. A relatively high tee encourages that swept, upward delivery. ●Your weight is around 50-50, or perhaps just favouring your back foot. The important thing is you do not lock muscles and joints up by loading either side. ●The clubshaft is horizontal, hands level with the clubface. The more the shaft angles back, the more downward you’ll hit. ●Your grip pressure is relatively light. Soft hands encourage the bigger, more powerful muscles of the core to drive the swing, as opposed to a weaker, arms-dominated action.

2 SWING

When it comes to distance, enemy no.1 for the club player is the out-to-in, slicing swing path. For starters, the glancing blow it gives the ball makes for poor energy transfer. But it also tends to promote a downward strike angle and heel contact, both of which sap yardage. So here is a drill that will help you feel a more powerful, in-to-out swing shape.

HEADS UP

Take your normal driver address, but hold the club out in front of you, shaft pointing at your belt buckle. Picture the area either side of the club. Swing the club in this position and you will appreciate how an out-to-in swing correlates to a high-to-low move through this horizontal impact position.

FROM LOW…

So work on reversing that. Swing the club, focusing on your throughswing only. Practise attacking the “ball” with the club working from low to high. Feel that, as the club approaches “impact”, it’s below that horizontal position.

…TO HIGH

Post-“impact”, allow your throughswing to continue its upward path, taking the clubhead above its address height. Train this low-tohigh pattern for several swings, then take your regular address position and make a swing. You will feel the beginnings of a more in-to-out delivery path – the key to a more solid, powerful strike.

‘THE DRIVER IS THE ONLY CLUB IN THE BAG WHERE WE WANT TO HIT UP ON THE BALL’