We all know that hitting longer drives does virtually no good unless we are also putting the ball in play as well. Even if we are a few steps off the fairway, as long as we can make a normal swing at the ball without fear of trees or other obstacles, added distance will lower our scores.
More distance will have a ripple effect throughout the play of a hole. After a longer drive, you will have a shorter iron into the green, which will lead to a closer average proximity to the hole. This makes chipping and putting much easier.
So yes, being a longer and straighter driver actually benefits your short game!
In the video above, I discuss five different ideas that are of great benefit to both your distance and your accuracy.
- Grip. Make sure your left hand grip is strong enough, i.e turned to the right or clockwise far enough. Very few long hitters have a weak left hand grip. Most players with a weak grip will either slice, or hit the ball too high with too much backspin.
- Inside Approach. The clubhead should approach the ball on an arc from the inside. As if coming around a clock, the head will strike the ball at 12, which will put it online with the target. Since this often results in a more upwards angle of attack, it will increase distance as it helps you hit the ball straight.
- Left Exit. In an effort to hit inside to out, many better golfers get stuck on a plateau because their follow through is too much out to the right. After impact, the clubhead and handle should continue on their arc, around to the left and disappearing behind the body from a DTL angle.
- Butt back. Another common error that better golfers make is by pushing their hips out to the right, or slightly towards the ball. Known as early extension, this pattern fosters either a high block to the right, or a quick hook, as the golfer must flip the face to square it up. Instead, if you can keep the hips back on their original line, you will create more stability and rotation during your pivot – speeding up the hands and clubhead while increasing the torque that squares the clubface. Getting the face angle straight will take less effort.
- Keep Supple! Moving with a sense of relaxation and freedom makes it not only easier to swing for higher clubhead speed, but also makes it easier to control the clubface. Many average golfers are tense with too much grip pressure right from setup. Others will tense up, or squeeze, approaching impact in an effort to steer. Whipping the club freely without tension gives us more speed and control.
These five ideas are fantastic for gaining both distance and hitting more fairways.
3 Comments. Leave new
Do you use a forward pelvic tilt in the swing?
Hi Steve,
Enjoy your videos about the Mike Austin swing and have been practicing it every day. I even purchased the orange whip and started the speed drills. I also looked at the old films of Mike Austin teaching the swing to Mike Dunaway and picked up a few moves that I started to incorporate in my swing. This swing is so much easier to make and it took no time for me to feel comfortable in using it in play. I always have been a long ball hitter even with my 5’4″ frame and it seems that it is much easier to hit the ball as long or longer. Thank you for the videos and I am using your technique to teach the kids that I help in golf at the school that my Grandson goes to. When I go and hit golf balls at a driving range, I can hear the instructor tell the student to delay the cocking of the club as much as possible. I want to go and tell the student to find another instructor because he is going in the wrong direction. I tell everybody to watch your videos and see if they help their swing. One day I will call and setup a personal swing lesson with you.
Keep up the good work.
Ed
Thanks Ed!