Driving: How to hit it straight
Get Tilted: Before you take your full address, make sure your upper body is behind the ball. I do this by stepping into the ball with my right foot, which lowers my right shoulder and tilts my spine away from the target (photo 1). This move shifts my weight to my right side--predominantly on the right heel--creating a solid base to turn around for a more powerful backswing coil.
"Stand behind the ball and pick out a very small target." Fred Vuich
Think Small: Standing behind the ball, pick out a very small target. For this shot, I'm eyeing the corner of the bowl in the mountain where the light and shade meet (right). That's where I want the ball to finish. Since the fairway slopes from right to left and favors a draw, I'll aim my body slightly right of this target and draw it back. That's an important step: In addition to picking a very specific target, you should visualize the shape of the shot you want to play.
By way of a compliment, my swing coach Pat Goss likes to say my game is "consistently boring." Call it boring if you like, but from the short grass, I hit the green about 75 percent of the time. When I miss the fairway, my greens-in-regulation percentage is less than 60 percent, so you can see why being accurate pays off. The more greens you hit, the more scoring opportunities you'll have.
Borrow These Driving Keys
Fred Vuich
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Fred Vuich
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Aim the Face: As you are establishing your tilt, aim the clubface at the target. Once it is aimed, set your feet and body parallel to the target line. The ball should be directly opposite your left armpit (photo 2). Don't set your feet before you aim the face. If you do, you'll likely be off with your aim.
