3 Swing Thoughts for Better Drives!

3 Swing Thoughts for Better Drives!

 

Hi, I’m Mel Sole, Director of Instruction at the Mel Sole Golf School, headquartered at Pawleys Plantation Golf and Country Club in Pawleys Island, SC.  We conduct 1, 2, and 3-day golf schools, hourly golf lessons, and senior golf schools—any golf instruction program your heart desires. Give us a call at 800-624-4653 or 843-237-4993.  We will be happy to book a commuter school or a package that contains accommodations, golf, and golf school.

Golf Blog by the Mel Sole Golf School.

I have come to realize that hitting the ball from the fairway still allows me to keep my scores at a reasonable level.  As I have grown older, like many golfers, I have lost some distance, but I have accepted that fact and now strive to make sure I hit more fairways to lower my scores.  Hitting from the rough with low clubhead speed is no fun, so check out these great tips from Michelle Wie, assisted by GOLF Magazine instruction editor David Denunzio on how to keep your drives in the short grass!

 

https://youtu.be/1cM-Y9h1ngQ

 

Michelle Wie: 3 Swing Thoughts for Better Drives

2014 U.S. Women's Open champ Michelle Wie shares three things she focuses on to improve her drives.

 

Golf is a lot more fun when you're splitting fairways.

 

These four driving secrets helped me win last year's U.S. Women's Open. Use my moves to blast it farther and straighter than ever.

I’ve been driving it past most of the girls I've played against (and some of the boys) since I was 13. At age 25 my tee game has gotten better as I've grown older. I'm six feet tall with long arms and legs—my body was built to create swing speed. But you have to be long and straight to make it as a pro.

I've worked hard on improving my accuracy without sacrificing much distance. A 26 percent increase in fairways hit since 2012—and a U.S. Women's Open trophy—prove that I'm where I need to be.

My big secret to straight drives that soar over 250 yards on average? Leg power.

I'm in the gym six days a week doing lower-body exercises. Strong legs help me minimize my hip turn in my backswing, creating more coil at the top. That coil is key. Hitting solid, accurate drives is like shooting an arrow: Pull the bowstring back taut and let 'er rip. It's as simple as that—and easier than you think.

You don't need a lean, lanky frame to be a good driver. You just need to achieve four fundamental swing positions that, with a little practice, automatically increase your speed and improve your accuracy. So follow my step-by-step checklist and you'll see that when you're driving it far and straight, golf isn't just more fun—it's downright Wiesy.

1. Address: Don't just set up to the ball – build a "power plant."

When weekend players stand at the address, they usually think about the target, or more likely, the pond lurking on the right. Me? I think about my legs. I want them as sturdy and steady as possible, from my glutes to my calves. This lets me limit my hip turn when I start rotating my shoulders, maxing out my coil.

To start, do what I do: Take an extra-wide stance and plant each foot well outside your shoulders (video above). This broader base further restricts your hip turn. Then push out your knees so you look a bit bowlegged, like I do, and squat down a bit, pressing your spikes into the ground. Your legs are now engaged—the tightness signals that you're ready to start your back swing.

"Activating" your legs this way helps you swing like an athlete. If your legs are as limp as noodles, they'll collapse under the force of your motion. Even for non-power hitters, loose legs sink swings!

2. Backswing: Move everything except your lower body for a power-packed turn

Last season I hit nearly 67 percent of my fairways. That's huge for me. And I found the short grass 70 percent of the time on my way to winning the U.S. Women's Open at Pinehurst last June. The big difference has been simplifying my backswing. I used to try to turn everything going back. Please take my advice: Turn your upper body and let your arms and hands come along for the ride. This makes it almost impossible to get off plane. That's why activating your legs at address is so important; without a solid base, your lower body turns in sync with your upper, no matter how hard you try to stop it.

In my backswing, notice how my lower body (above) looks compared with its position at address (in Tip 1.). It's a carbon copy! The Nike logo on my left quad hasn't moved. And look at the coil (the difference in hip turn and shoulder turn) I've built up just halfway into my backswing. That's power I'll put to good use at impact.

Read on to see the next two Moves for longer and straighter drives!

Source: Michelle Wie, with David Denunzio  GOLF.com   Mel Sole Golf School

Pictures: GOLF.com

Thanks for watching - 3 Swing Thoughts for Better Drives!

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