GolfPlus Sept 18 Digital Edition (Sept 2018)

LEE WESTWOOD My four keys for hitting longer, straighter drives Goo d driv Good d driving riving ing ha h has s b been ee th een the e foun f foundation oundat oun d ion dat io of my m game gam e f for o as long or lon g as a s I can ca n remember. r eme m mbe mber. r . A lot l ot of o people peo ople ta talk lk abo about ut the quality quali qu ality ali ty y of my iron iro n play p lay and d ho how w m many any gr green greens eens I hi h hit t in i n regu r regulation, egulat egu lat ation ion, but io b ut t hit you ca can n o only nly hi i t i it t close c los s e if i f you’re y ou’re you’ re going goi ng in n to gre greens re ens fr from om goo go d lies l ies in th the e fairway. f airway fair way. . You’re Y ou’re You’ re good probab pro a ly y thi h nki hi nking ng that tha I have ha ve some som e magical m agiical magi probably thinking sec ecret ret to hi h tting ng it lon long g and a nd str s straight ai ht but it aig it’s ’s secret hitting really nothing no othi thing ng more mo e complicated mor c omp comp mplic lic cate a d than t han ad adh e ng to good eri d basics b asics basi c s and d ke keepi ping ng thi things ngs adhering keeping as sim simple le as possible du durin ring g t the he swing. swi ng. Having Havin Ha ving g during said sai d t that, hat, , I have hat ha v a handful of swing sw ing keys ke ys that tha t I consta con stantl ntly y use u se to keep kee p my m y driving ng on track. track tr ack. constantly I’ve I’v e outlined o utline outl ined d them t hem here. h re. he F a connection Feel with the ground w Start your swing with the clubhead A l lot of people drive the ball badly because they don’t b hav have a solid base and a good connection with the ground. con You u should feel like your legs are engaged and athletic, and your body should be free of all tension. The ball just inside my left heel and is ju my spine is tilted slightly away from the target. The clubhead travels the furthest distance during the swing so it needs a bit of a head start. In fact, the clubhead should be the only thing that moves until it reaches your right foot. Keep the face looking at the ball while doing so. Correct sequencing makes it easier to keep your swing under control. Al Allow your arms to drop dr from the top Keep your lower body One of the biggest causes of a sli ce is not allowing the arms to slice d drop at the start of the dow downswing. It’s easy for the legs s a leg and body to go ´ rst, but if they the y do, the arms never catch up. When W I’m driving well, I wait with wit h m my body at the top of and One of the secrets to accurate hitting with any club is to keep the cluface square for as long as possible – coming into impact, through the hitting area and beyond. That’s the key for powerful contact, too. If your clubhead approaches the ball too far from the inside or outside, you’ll only deliver a glancing blow on the ball. You want maximum pressure on the back of the ball. l my arms drop into le let pos posi i position. It requires practice but a all the best players hit ‘the slott so they can attack the slo slot’ ball from the inside. G olfPlus SEPTEMBER 2018 43

GolfPlus Sept 18 Digital Edition (Sept 2018) | Page 33