Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you play smarter, better golf.
Drive for show and putt for dough? One thing that driving distance stats have proven over the last several years is that it might be time to rethink that phrase.
Just look at some of the best players on the PGA Tour and it’s obvious they know how to drive for show and dough.
There’s no question that, for all levels of golfers, the driver is the most important club in the bag. If you want to lower your scores, you’ve got to drive it longer and straighter — so learning how to make this club your biggest weapon is essential.
For those looking to smash their driver and start impressing their playing partners, follow these three simple tips.
3 ways to hammer your driver every time
Ask golfers what they wish they had more of, and you’ll hear a common refrain: “more distance.”
But it takes more than just swinging out of your spikes to unleash the full potential of your driver. The tips below will help provide the foundation you need to maximize both speed and power, ultimately leading to increased yardages from the tee box.
1. Master the setup
There are three keys to having a good driver setup:
- Wide stance for a stable base
- Forward ball position to promote an upward sweep at impact
- Tilting your shoulders away from the target and slightly closed, which helps to promote an in-to-out swing path
By doing these three keys in your driver setup, you’ll be able to hit a more natural draw spin, which will maximize distance.
2. Get the right equipment for YOU
There’s no need to break the bank and buy exotic heads and shafts, but having the correct loft (more is always better) and shaft flex customized to your swing speed can make a huge difference.
Swing speeds under 100 mph are more suited for regular flexed shafts, while speeds over 100 mph are better for stiff and sometimes extra stiff shafts.
True Spec Golf is a great option when getting fit for (and building) custom clubs.
3. Hit the ball as hard as you can
This might sound obvious, but most golfers are still tentative on the course when it comes to actually swinging the driver hard, which leads to a major loss in power.
Hit the ball hard with abandon, even if that means giving up some accuracy.
