PRO
HITTING A POSE WORTHY TEE SHOT
A hammered drive, caught dead center on the club, has a way of staying with you. More than any shot in golf, the
long, straight tee ball is the one we tend to watch with pride, even re-live after the round. Good driving also makes the
rest of the game a lot easier—shorter approach shots, more greens in regulation, birdie putts. But some features of the
driver swing are hard to see from ordinary camera angles, so this month we’re taking things up a notch. In the following
overhead views, I’ll point out the movements and positions you should copy. Practice them, and you’ll hit more tee shots
worth admiring.
MAKE A GOOD TURN BEHIND THE BALL
SET THE CLUB ON LINE AT THE TOP
For a full, fearless backswing, try to rotate your upper
body to the point where your shoulders are just about
lined up with your right instep. Feel like you’re turning
behind the ball, rather than staying on top of it. That’s
how you set up for a slightly upward hit at impact and
unleash every bit of the power you’ve generated.
Point the shaft at the target to complete the backswing.
If you can extend your left arm fully, you’ll maximize the
width of your swing and produce more power. But don’t
lock that left arm—a feeling of softness is important. As
for the right arm, you don’t need to keep it glued against
your side. Let it move away, but keep the elbow pointing
at the ground.
38 YOURCADDY | ISSUE 01