Cleveland Golf ambassador Jake Hutt shares two simple issues each participant can do with the intention to hit driver farther with extra accuracy.
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Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a GOLF.com collection by which we’re sharing enhancements, learnings and takeaways from newbie golfers identical to you — together with among the velocity bumps and challenges they confronted alongside the best way. Editor’s Observe: This text was printed in partnership with Cleveland Golf.
Till just lately, hitting my driver has been an actual problem this golf season. Quite than undergo my course of and really feel assured holding it in my palms, I revert again to some unhealthy habits, get lazy with my sequencing, open the clubface, and find yourself slicing the hell out of it.
When this occurs, I not solely lose distance, however I spend far more time than I’d like trying to find my ball on the cusp of the tree-line — which is embarrassing and irritating.
However fairly than work out among the kinks, I’ve finished what any mid-handicapper would do: Fully ditch the motive force to attempt to “play protected” off the tee as a substitute, utilizing one thing like a 3-iron to simply poke it on the market and hope I hit the golf green.
Naturally, this prices me numerous distance and it’s doing no good on these longer par-4s or beastly par-5s.
I wanted assist, so I tapped golf teacher and Cleveland Golf ambassador Jake Hutt for some recommendation on the right way to be extra according to my driver, whereas guaranteeing I maximize my distance.
Do that to hit your driver farther
For starters, and to assist instill some confidence, Hutt palms me a brand new driver to check out — the Cleveland Golf Launcher XL 2 Draw Driver, which is constructed for one factor: sending bombs down the center of the golf green.
For the reason that Launcher XL 2 Driver is designed for max distance and forgiveness, Hutt has me swing it to see the way it positively impacts my tee pictures.
After hitting one, he analyzes my shot, offering me with some tricks to hit extra of a pure draw.
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It’s large and constructed for one factor: sending bombs down the center. The all-new Launcher XL 2 Driver delivers extra distance, forgiveness, and consistency than ever due to new MainFrame expertise, an improved XL design, and extra.
“So that you had the draw form there, with the ball beginning proper and curving left,” Hutt says. “That tells me you probably did a great job together with your path and coming from the within with the face closed.”
Whereas I had the fitting shot form, because of some typical swing flaws, my weight was somewhat off-balance, which precipitated me to hit the bottom earlier than impacting the ball. Not good.
Hutt offers me some quick-fix tricks to appropriate the issue.
Tee it larger
“You hit somewhat little bit of the bottom there, so what I’d have you ever do first is solely tee it up somewhat bit,” Hutt says. “That’ll enable you to nonetheless hit up on the ball with out the membership bottoming out too far into the bottom.”
Subsequent, Hutt tells me precisely the place the peak of the tee ought to be, offering a simple visible cue.
“Take into consideration half of the ball above the highest a part of the motive force,” he explains. The picture beneath highlights the way it ought to look.
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After hitting my second shot, I expertise extra of the kind of draw I’m in search of, regardless of feeling like I mishit it off the toe.
That’s enchancment, however I’m nonetheless holding again. So Hutt has me rethink about my swing velocity subsequent.
Develop your swing velocity
“There are a pair various things you are able to do should you’re simply going for velocity,” he says. “You’ll most likely sacrifice some accuracy right here, however [try using] a quicker backswing.
“Take that membership again and really feel such as you’re throwing it again, then reacting to it. Put power into the grip as quick as you possibly can, and suppose quicker and longer within the backswing.”
I observe this new sensation a bit, ensuring I nonetheless attempt to preserve correct sequencing since swinging quicker and tougher may cause all kinds of issues for a participant of my mid-handicap standing.
However Hutt tells me that once you’re seeking to maximize your driver distance, the only factor to do is enhance the swing velocity.
“If we’re attempting to get an extended shot right now, let’s simply see that velocity quantity go up,” Hutt says. “After hitting some pictures and seeing an additional 5-10 miles per hour of velocity, you get snug with that. It’s good to get the physique heat first, then we are able to begin to fear in regards to the face.”
So should you’re questioning the right way to hit driver farther, Hutt suggests engaged on swing velocity first, then focus in your clubface management.
“Begin with one factor first, which is velocity, then let’s shut the face and [tee it up] larger,” he says. “That’s when you possibly can throw in these refined little cues to seek out the fitting face and influence location.”
