Instruction
The Ultimate Fairway-Finding Swing
Jeff Newton
Hitting it far is nice, but hitting your drives straight will make a bigger difference in your scores, especially in the situations where anything but an accurate drive will end in disaster. It could be on the first hole, where you want to get your round off to a solid start, or on a tough dogleg on the back nine that always seems to chew up your drive and spit it into a hazard. If you can sacrifice some distance (a little, not a lot), try the following five moves to turn your everyday driver swing into a real fair-finder.
Hitting it far is nice, but hitting your drives straight will make a bigger difference in your scores, especially in the situations where anything but an accurate drive will end in disaster. It could be on the first hole, where you want to get your round off to a solid start, or on a tough dogleg on the back nine that always seems to chew up your drive and spit it into a hazard. If you can sacrifice some distance (a little, not a lot), try the following five moves to turn your everyday driver swing into a real fair-finder.
Jeff Newton
Jeff Newton
Step 1
Tee the ball slightly lower-set it so that all of the ball is below the crown. This will help you produce a lower trajectory and keep the ball from ballooning into trouble.
Step 1
Tee the ball slightly lower-set it so that all of the ball is below the crown. This will help you produce a lower trajectory and keep the ball from ballooning into trouble.
Jeff Newton
Jeff Newton
Step 2
Choke down an inch or two and increase the grip pressure in your left hand. Then, set your stance slightly open by aligning your body about 10 yards to the left of the middle of the fairway. This positions you to hit an easy fade.
Step 2
Choke down an inch or two and increase the grip pressure in your left hand. Then, set your stance slightly open by aligning your body about 10 yards to the left of the middle of the fairway. This positions you to hit an easy fade.
Jeff Newton
Jeff Newton
Step 3
Gently squeeze your upper arms against your chest at address. This move creates a stronger connection between you're your body and your arms
Step 3
Gently squeeze your upper arms against your chest at address. This move creates a stronger connection between you're your body and your arms
Jeff Newton
Jeff Newton
Step 4
Make a three-quarters backswing. A shorter swing is easier to control. Remember, you're looking for ultimate accuracy here, not ultimate distance.
Step 4
Make a three-quarters backswing. A shorter swing is easier to control. Remember, you're looking for ultimate accuracy here, not ultimate distance.
Jeff Newton
Jeff Newton
Step 5
As you swing through impact, keep the extra grip pressure in your left hand intact, and repeat the feeling of having your arms connected to your chest like you did at address. These moves keep the club from releasing too soon and causing a hook. What you get instead is a low-flying missile that almost never misses.
Step 5
As you swing through impact, keep the extra grip pressure in your left hand intact, and repeat the feeling of having your arms connected to your chest like you did at address. These moves keep the club from releasing too soon and causing a hook. What you get instead is a low-flying missile that almost never misses.
Jeff Newton