A Collection Of Sophisticated Golf Tips On Driving For Experienced Players
Where the game starts
While the old advice about "drive for show putt for dough" has been around for a long time, the truth is that you can't putt for birdies if you don't hit the green. And you can't hit greens consistently if your ball isn't in the fairway. Your driving is the foundation of your score. Hitting long, straight drives will have you putt for a lot of dough.
Here are a few sophisticated tips on driving for experiences golfers:
- Aim the ball at the target
- Drive like Faldo
- Use the full width of the tee box
- Develop a "must hit the fairway"
Take a maker pen and draw a straight line on the side of a golf ball. Then when you tee the ball up, point that line towards your target. This will ensure that your clubhead is lined up correctly every time (the leading edge of the clubface should be perpendicular to the line on the ball).
In his prime, Sir Nick Faldo was one of the best players at hitting lots of fairways. His secret was curving the ball both ways with the driver. By hitting a variety of draws and fades (depending on the shape of the fairway) you have more chance of keeping the ball on the fairway. If you get really advanced (like Sir Nick) you can use the curve of the ball to avoid trouble. For example, if there is water running along the left side of the fairway, a good driver can aim at the water and work the ball away from the hazard with a slice towards safety.
If you are planning to hit a draw shot (right to left spin) then hit from the left side of the tee. If you are going to hit a fade (left to right spin), play from the right side of the tee. Doing this will widen the fairway for you and make it easier to visualize the shape of shot you want.
Most professional players have a special shot that they use when they absolutely must hit the fairway - driving on the last hole of the British Open with a one shot lead. Maybe you can tee the ball down, make a three-quarter swing and hit a low slice down the middle. Your "guaranteed" straight shot might not be a pretty picture to look at but it will do the job when the pressure is on.