Squat For Power

Squat For Power To begin the downswing, I squat to create leverage. The squat disappears as my left leg straightens, however. This move creates tremendous power and speed.  My extra-long swing length results from bending my left arm and cupping the left wrist. It's all okay if I return to a squared potition at impact.  To start my downswing, I employ a classic power lifter's squat position. To some, it appears I'm having a tug-of-war with the weight of the clubhead. this is very similar to pictures of the legendary Sam Snead at the same point in the swing. It's important to note that my body drops slightly due to the increase in knee flex as I yank on the handle of the club with my legs, stomach and trunk, not my hands.  By primarily using my body, I can explode into the golf ball with everything I've got without any undue hand action.

Brian Pavlet catured the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship in 1993.           

Power Tools: Brian Pavlet competes with the Cobra 454 Comp driver, a top choice for pro long drivers and recreational big hitters who need accurate distance. The Comp design incorporates both titanium and graphite components.        

Resource: golftipsmag

Focus On The Finish

Many amateurs are so consumed with anxiety about the incremental parts of the golf swing (grip, alignment, posture, setup, etc.) that they lose sight of the overall objective, which is to strike the ball squarely and forcefully. Let me suggest a method to alleviate this anxiety: Focus on the finish.

If you take the time to study, analyze and critique your finish position, you’ll develop an idea of where your swing needs to go—not to mention increase the likelihood of actually making it happen.

Here’s a drill that ingrains the feeling of a good finish position. Start with the club at address and swing it forward to the finish. Hold that pose for several seconds and then repeat the address-to-finish move. Let your natural tempo dictate how slowly or quickly you swing the club. As you pose, check that the finish elements at right are in place.

A golf swing without a finish position in mind is like a car trip without a destination. You’ll wind up going around in circles.

Some of the benchmarks of the proper finish are: • Being in good balance • Weight forward on your left side • Knees touching • Belt buckle facing the target • Club to the left of the left shoulder • Right arm extended and right wrist flat

Art Sellinger is a two-time National Long Drive champion and creator of the popular “Power Guarantee” training program, available at www.artoflongdriving.com.

Resource: golftipsmag

Coil And Load

There are many keys to a powerful swing, and my number-one focus is to establish a powerful backswing coil. Notice how my left arm is parallel to the ground while the shaft is perpendicular to it. This position indicates a massive turn away from the ball and not a simple lifting of the club to the top (you can see my entire body stretching and straining to get turned). The coil is further enhanced by my left foot, which is firmly on the ground. This limits the amount I can turn my hips while still allowing me to rotate my shoulders as much as possible. Some other keys:

1. I move the club with the body, not the hands.

2. The legs solidly support the upper body.

3. I combine a huge body turn with a short arm swing.

4. A great combo: wide on the back, narrow on the way down.

Professional long driver Trez Simmons is an active member of the LDA Tour.

Power Tools The new SMT O2 is a scaled-down version of the company’s 455 Deep Bore driver, a legend on the long drive circuits.

Resource: golftipsmag

Alter Your Focus

One of the first lessons most golfers learn is to “keep your eye on the ball.” I’m here to offer a better suggestion: Move your eyes behind the ball.

Heresy, you say? I don’t think so. That’s because when a golfer makes his or her backswing with a full turn of the shoulders and a proper shift of weight, the center of his or her chest, or sternum, will be well behind the ball. (Exactly how far behind the ball depends on an individual’s suppleness and flexibility.)

If a golfer moves to his or her right side during the backswing, yet keeps the eyes locked on the golf ball, there’s a good chance he or she will change his or her spine angle or fall into a reverse pivot, either of which is a huge power leak. That’s because the eyes automatically tell the golfer whether he or she has formed a bad relationship with the ball and he or she will have to “reach” or “stretch” to get back to it.

Trust me—the ball will be there on the downswing. It’s not going anywhere. Get used to relying on your peripheral vision to see the ball. By moving your focus behind the ball, you’ll increase the likelihood of making a proper athletic move during the swing and staying down through the shot. These two factors will promote better contact and more distance. So alter your focus and guarantee a stronger turn and more distance.

Art Sellinger is president of the Long Drivers of America and a former two-time winner of the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship.

Resource: golftipsmag

Clear The Way

You can’t hit big drives if your body gets stuck. That’s why I make a point of rotating my hips completely open on the downswing. This allows my arms to fully extend through the hitting area. Not only do my hips clear, but they remain level, which is key. By rotating through on a level plane, my right shoulder, arm and hip are able to continue adding power through impact. This prevents my body from getting stuck, which would limit the potential for clubhead speed by forcing me to hit only with my hands.

Carl Wolter captured the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship in 2002 and the LDA Tour Championship in 2003.

 Power Tools One of the most used driver heads at all long drive events is the 100 percent forged titanium Alpha Golf V.2.

Resource: golftipsmag

Preload The Power

I’m frequently approached at my power clinics and exhibitions by senior golfers who claim they’ve lost strength and suppleness, which translates into shorter tee shots. My advice to them for regaining lost distance is simple and direct: preload your power. By that I mean seniors should make a few swing adjustments to compensate for advancing age and a diminished ability to turn their shoulders and torque their torso.

First, set up with more than half your weight on your right side (for right-handed golfers). This negates a loss of flexibility, which can prohibit a full turn. And, as we all know, a good, strong upper-body rotation is key for long distance. Second, tee the ball forward in your stance, preferably off the left toe. This position facilitates catching the ball on the upswing and makes it easier to stay behind the ball at impact.

I also recommend that seniors adopt a stronger grip, with both hands rotated clockwise on the shaft. A stronger grip allows the golfer to whip the clubhead through impact. Finally, if you possess a smooth swing and good control of the clubhead, experiment with longer shafts. Try to incorporate this advice into your game. I’m sure you’ll find the extra yards you’ve been missing.

Power driving expert Art Sellinger represents the Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas in Irving, Tex. For more information on Sellinger and his power training programs, visit www.artoflongdriving.com.

Resource: golftipsmag

Keep It Level

One of the keys to a solid golf swing is a level turn of the shoulders and hips during the backswing. A solid rotation not only promotes consistent ballstriking, but lays the foundation for achieving maximum distance as well.

Unfortunately, instead of utilizing a level turn to increase the quality of their shots, many amateurs execute a poor turn either by lifting, tilting or swaying during the backswing. Any one of these motions will not only move the club off the proper plane, but destroy three key angles established on the right side at address. These angles, formed at the right shoulder, hip and knee, must be maintained in order to deliver the club powerfully into the back of the golf ball. Watch any power hitter and you’ll see that, at the top, the shoulders are turned, but level.

The easiest way to keep your right-side angles in order is to keep your right side as quiet as possible during the takeaway. You can ill afford to get too active in the takeaway. In other words, you must teach yourself to become left-side dominant during the backswing.

A good drill is to take practice swings at half speed with the left arm only, focusing on making a level turn with the shoulders and hips. Stop at the top of the backswing to see that your right-side angles have been maintained. If so, you’re primed for power.

Former two-time long drive champ Art Sellinger represents the Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas.

Resource: golftipsmag

Alternate Driving

The well-worn cliché “drive for show, putt for dough” is familiar to most golfers, but heeded by few. Hitting big drives is, in fact, often the most desirable accomplishment in the game for many recreational players, most of whom are less concerned with score than the bragging rights that accompany a long drive. Players who are interested in shooting good scores, however, know that accurate driving, or strategically positioning the ball off the tee, is a critical part of playing solid golf, and sometimes mandates the use of different clubs.

3-Wood Use the greater loft of a 3-wood to lessen damaging sidespin without losing significant distance.

The 3-wood is not only more forgiving than the driver, but it’s also much easier to intentionally curve, which can come in handy on doglegs and is genuinely useful when you absolutely need to hit the fairway. To learn to curve the ball on command with your 3-wood, you have to understand the key elements of both draw-inducing and fade-inducing swings. From there, it’s only a matter of visualization and practice to establish confidence.

3-Wood Draw. The key to producing a draw with a 3-wood is learning to approach the ball from inside the target line. If you look at the photos at left, you should see how the club moves away from the ball to the inside of the target line on an arching motion. Furthermore, notice how it points slightly to the right at the top. These two moves help ingrain the “round” feeling needed to produce a draw and also to position the club so it can approach the ball from the inside (see the last two photos at left). Notice how round this swing looks—this is what you need to visualize while practicing the shot. A 3-wood draw moves to the inside on the takeaway and comes from the inside on the downswing. In the finish, the club should point to the left, and have a more “around” look.

3-Wood Fade. A fade is produced when the club approaches the ball from outside the target line. Notice in the sequence at right how the club moves away from the ball on a more outside path, then points to the left in a laid-off position at the top. This is the opposite of what’s needed for a draw, yet necessary if you want to get the club into position to approach the ball from outside the target line. On the way down, the club again moves to the outside and comes slightly across the ball, finishing in a more vertical position. For both fade and draw, allow swing path to produce the curve without undue manipulations.

Fairway Finders On top of the fairway wood heap is the Cleveland Launcher Comp, featuring an ultra-lightweight, tri-ply carbon-fiber crown and a lower and deeper CG placement for enhanced forgiveness and accuracy. TaylorMade’s r5 dual sports two pretuned TLC tungsten weight cartridges in the heel area of the clubhead for increased playability and a resistance to slicing. Izzo’s Zwood has a 275cc clubhead and tungsten sole weighting for the ultimate in user friendliness. Callaway’s Big Bertha is a classic design with stainless-steel construction and an updated version of the WarBird sole.

Hybrid They’re shorter and, therefore, easier to control. When the fairways run tight, your hybrid wood can be your best friend.

On holes that provide a lot of run and on shots hit into the wind, opt for a hybrid club and a low, hard draw. To execute a hybrid running hook, begin by setting up with the ball slightly back in your stance, which should be slightly closed.

To ensure a low, right-to-left ballflight, hood the clubface just a bit by turning the toe of the club toward the target. Once you have the setup, concentrate on taking the club away on a slightly inside path, just as you did with the 3-wood draw. Stop well short of parallel, and be sure to hit down more than you would on a typical, sweeping fairway shot. On the way through the ball, the hands need to turn over, with the right hand resting above the left, and the right wrist staying bent. These last two items are the most important because they’re what contribute most to the execution of the shot. When you practice this, be absolutely certain to focus on maintaining the bend in your right wrist all the way through impact, and try to turn your right palm toward the ground.

Hot Hybrids The pool of top hybrids includes the Rescue MID from TaylorMade, with a double-crown design and a low CG for a combination of distance and forgiveness. The JMAX Tour Iron-Wood from Tour Edge is constructed from hyper steel and features a hollow body, a tungsten sole and minimal offset. Mizuno’s FLI-HI CLK is built with a carbon crown and three variable face thicknesses, making it the most high-tech hybrid and an excellent choice for players of all handicaps. Cleveland Golf’s HALO utility club is available in a wide range of lofts that make it an ideal long-iron replacement.

Driver’s Ed The first step to getting the ball in the fairway on a more consistent basis is accepting the fact that the driver isn’t always the best option. Drivers are the longest and lowest-lofted clubs in the bag, making them tough to hit accurately, even for the best players in the world. In addition, the distance provided by a well-struck drive simply isn’t needed on many golf holes, making it difficult to substantiate the risk associated with hitting the big stick. Instead, the best way to immediately improve your driving results is to learn to use clubs other than the driver, (i.e., the 3-wood, hybrid club and long iron) more effectively. But knowing how to hit these clubs isn’t all there is to it—you also need to know when to hit them. Follow some of my suggestions, and you’re sure to hit more fairways and shoot better scores.

Now, don’t get me wrong; the driver isn’t a club that needs to be stuck in the closet for good. But being prudent about when and where not to pull it out can have a significant effect on your overall game. Although there are no hard and set rules concerning the use of the driver, there are some guidelines that, when followed, can save you more than a few strokes over the course of a round. First, avoid hitting driver on holes that are excessively tight, particularly those that spell trouble on the side to which you generally miss (if your tendency is to hook, avoid hitting driver on a hole with water on the immediate left of the fairway). Even if you end up facing a longer approach shot, it’s much smarter to hit less club off the tee than risk an OB tee shot, which is something any golfer who plays for a score has to avoid at all costs.

You can feel free to leave the driver in the bag when facing either a short par-4 (anything less than 380 yards) or a long par-5 that you can’t reach in two with even your best drive. Both these situations are ones in which amateurs almost always reach for the driver, but shouldn’t. On any shorter par-4 hole, you should always think of position first and distance second. Get the ball in the fairway and believe that your iron swing and short game will get the job done. When it comes to long par-5 holes, which you know you can’t reach in two, hitting the driver serves no purpose, except to increase the risk without the probability of a worthwhile reward.

Long Iron The ultimate shotmaking weapon is a valid choice on windy days and if your preferred ballflight is a fade.

Punch It! Although the popularity of long irons has waned in recent years due to the popularization of hybrid clubs, a lot of people still carry them. If you have long irons in your bag, one of the most useful tee shots you can learn is the punch fade. The thing to remember about this shot is it won’t run nearly as much as a shot that’s turned over, so you have to aim accordingly.

This can be a very useful shot on short par-4 holes and at times when you’re hitting into a crosswind or a strong headwind. To execute the punch fade long iron, begin with a slightly open stance, with the ball more toward the middle of your stance. The backswing should be more upright to encourage a steeper angle of attack while the right arm extends against a bent right wrist. Through impact, it’s critical that you don’t allow the right hand to release over the left. Instead, keep the left hand and arm above the right, with the right wrist bent throughout the shot. This will effectively hold off impact and create the desired low, left-to-right ballflight. Also, you need to be aggressive with your body movement, making sure it leads the club and never allows it to pass, even beyond impact. When it comes to the finish, be sure to abbreviate the movement of the club and clubface—otherwise you’re likely to get some ballooning shots.

Hybrid Irons The MacGregor V-FOIL Go Long features an iron-style design with concentrated mass and perimeter weighting that’s said to deliver control and accuracy. Bridgestone’s J33 AirMuscle has a hollow body designed to create greater trampoline effect for greater distance, while the sole provides versatility. The Nike Golf Pro Combo is a true iron-style hybrid with a 70g insert for a low CG. PING’s G2 HL is designed with an extremely wide sole and undercut cavity for extra forgiveness.

Hold On! To many, this finish position probably looks a little unorthodox, or just plain ugly. The fact of the matter is just about any good player will utilize this type of position when executing a low-trajectory fade. Notice how the right arm is almost completely straight while the right wrist is still bent back—this combination is critical for solid, compressed contact. The left elbow is also slightly bent, or “chicken-winged,” which helps create the desired left-to-right shape. 

PGA professional Brady Riggs instructs at Woodley Lakes GC in Van Nuys, Calif. Photos shot at Tierra Rejada GC in Moorpark, Calif.

Resource: golftipsmag

Get A Wedge Edge

There's more than one way to hit the ball long. Just look at the swings of long hitters like Tiger Woods, John Daly and Fred Couples. Each is different and each serves its purpose well. However, to hit your longest, most powerful drives, three elements must be present: You must fully release the club, swing with an even tempo and remain in balance.

A great way to practice all three and to hit longer drives is to practice with a wedge. That's right, a wedge. Assume your normal grip and address position but, before taking the club back, lift your right thumb (for right-handers) off of the grip. Hit balls, focusing on making smooth, rhythmic swings. With your thumb off of the grip, your wrists will release naturally and fully through the ball. Hold your finish position for a three count after each swing. If you're able to assume and hold a picture-perfect finish, you can rest assured that you're in balance and swinging with a nice, even tempo.

Long-drive competitor Darryl Anderson captured the 1994 RE/MAX National Long Drive Championship.

Resource: golftipsmag

Anchor Your Right Foot

One key to hitting more powerful golf shots is keeping your body behind the ball before impact. A premature lifting of the right foot during the downswing causes golfers to shift too much of their weight to the left side, resulting in a loss of power and distance.

Don't get me wrong, getting to the left side is crucial in the golf swing. One common flaw among amateurs is the tendency to hang back on their right side without a proper weight shift. But the move to the left side must be made in the proper sequence.

To keep from leaving for the left too early, anchor your right foot and avoid lifting it before contact. With your foot anchored, you'll be able to ultimately fire more of your right side into the shot and maximize your power.

Contributing Editor Art Sellinger is a two-time winner of the National Long Drive Championship. He represents the Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas, Texas.

Resource: golftipsmag

Lengthen The Right

Golfers often talk about the importance of keeping a straight left arm during the backswing. Equally important, but seldom discussed, is the value of keeping the right arm straight during the first two feet of the takeaway. I see many amateurs bend their right elbow too much at address–which causes incorrect posture–and fold their right elbow too quickly as they take the club back. These right elbow flaws create a lifting action and produce a too-narrow swing arc, robbing players of their power potential.

When you practice, try to keep your right elbow extended as much as possible from the start position until the club is parallel to the ground. Let the natural hinging of the golf club and the rotation of your shoulders allow your right elbow to bend at its natural position–the top of the backswing.

Lengthening your right arm during the first two feet of the takeaway will widen your swing arc and add power to your drives and iron shots.

Contributing Editor Art Sellinger is a two-time National Long Drive champion. He plays with Pinnacle and Cobra golf equipment.

Resource: golftipsmag

Watch The Watch

Like anyone else, I have days when I'm not hitting the ball as crisply as I'd like. If I'm blocking my golf shots or hitting weak pushes, I always go back to basics and make sure I'm releasing the clubhead. Once I start releasing the clubhead properly again, I'll regain my distance—and my accuracy.

A good drill you can use to develop a proper release is to look at your watch. At address, the face points toward the target. During the backswing, as the left wrist and forearm roll to the inside, the dial faces directly away from you, then skyward. Returning to impact on the downswing, the wrist and forearm roll targetward, and the face of your watch should again point toward the target. (You can also use the logo on the back of your glove.)

Golfers who chronically slice the ball often allow their watch faces to remain pointing skyward—or straight ahead—at impact. This leaves the clubface open to the target line.

Practicing this motion with the left wrist and forearm will help eliminate weak blocks or pushes and produce more powerful shots.

Art Sellinger owns and operates Long Drivers of America. For more information and additional power tips, visit www.artoflongdriving.com.

Resource: golftipsmag

Hang A Shirt

At my power clinics and exhibitions, I often recommend to audiences that they try to develop the feeling of holding a golf club long enough at the top of their backswing for someone to hang a shirt on it–the Clothesline Effect, if you will.

Imagining the shaft as a clothesline serves two important purposes. One, it encourages players to finish their backswings completely and, two, it reduces the tendency to slide forward too quickly on the downswing, a move that creates slices and pop-ups due to an overly steep angle of attack.

While ingraining this feeling of the club resting at the top, don't make the mistake of simply stopping the club before you make the transition from the backswing to the downswing. Remember, the golf swing is a swing, with the club in a constant state of motion.

On those days when your timing is a bit off and you feel you're rushing things, concentrate on finishing the backswing and hanging a shirt. You'll soon develop a smoother transition from the top to the forwardswing, which will greatly benefit your ballstriking.

Contributing Instruction Editor Art Sellinger is a two-time National Long Drive champion. Sellinger is the creator of the Power Guarantee training program. For more information and additional power tips, visitwww.artoflongdriving.com.

Resource: golftipsmag

Lead With Your Left

When you want to get some extra distance out of your drives, it's natural to think that your right or dominant hand (for right-handed golfers) should supply the power. In reality, however, maximum power is a result of a left-hand lead.

When you think about overpowering the ball with your right hand, that arm becomes involved in the motion too early. Two things will happen and both are bad. First, when you pull hard from the top with your right hand, your arms will separate too much from your body. This creates an outside-to-in swing path and, inevitably, the result is a weak slice. Second, tugging hard with your right side causes you to lose the angle created between your hands and the shaft. You'll have no lag during the downswing, and clubhead speed through impact will be reduced rather than increased.

The next time you watch the Re/Max World Long Drive competition, notice how long into the downswing the big hitters maintain the angle of their hands and the shaft. It's held until just before impact, then released with speeds of up to 160 mph. This is impossible if your right hand is released at the beginning of the downswing. indeed, the world's longest hitters lead with the left.

The best way to feel the proper start of the downswing is to imagine that your right arm is being pulled by the left for as long as possible. A great drill to get this feeling is to release your right hand from the club at the start of your downswing and swing only with your left. With practice, this drill will ultimately lead to more power and control.

Mike Gorton, the 1987 National Long Drive champion, was a three-time finalist in the competition throughout the '90s. In 2000, he won the Senior Division. He is a member of the World Long Driving Hall of Fame.

Resource: golftipsmag

Swinging For The Fences

I can't tell you how many people come to my lesson tee and say, If I could just get rid of my baseball swing, then all my problems would be solved! My initial thought is always: I wish you had a baseball swing, because it would help you play better golf.

Most people don't realize that baseball and golf swings are essentially the same; they're just on different planes. A baseball bat is swung on a very flat plane because the ball is in the air, whereas a golf club is swung on a more tilted plane because the ball is on the ground. Regardless of where the ball is, both swings demand a similar sequence of events to ensure solid contact.

Any movement that generates power is the result of a coordinated effort that utilizes all of the body's speed producers. From throwing a pitch to hitting a home run, a kinetic chain of events occurs to deliver an explosion at the moment of impact. For most people, a simple baseball swing most correctly conveys the idea and attitude of a proper kinetic sequence that's perfect for golf. In addition, the rounded arc produced by a good baseball swing will encourage proper clubface rotation through impact, thus curing the common slice.

Drill: Make some waist-high practice swings as if you were hitting a pitch. Increase your speed after each swing, really trying to feel and hear the clubhead whip through impact as if you were swinging for the fences. Gradually lower the height of the swing as if a pitcher were throwing you lower pitches. Continue until the clubhead contacts the ground.

Congratulations, you just picked up 20 yards and hit it right down the middle!_Ê

PGA Professional Jeff Ritter is the Director of Instruction at the ASU/ Karsten Golf Academy in Tempe, Arizona. Visit www.jeffrittergolf.com for contact information.

Resource: golftipsmag

Crush It!

So you think you're a big hitter? Well, consider this. Today's top long drivers don't bunt the ball a measly 250 yards off the tee. Heck, a mediocre wallop drops somewhere around the 320-yard range. Frankly, these guys aren't satisfied with anything under 400 yards when it comes time to winning a paycheck. Now that's long!

Lucky for you, the longest hitters in the world are actually pretty keen on knowing and talking about what it takes to produce Hulk-like power off the tee, and they're here with a special expanded feature just for Golf Tips readers. With the help of 13 competitors, we took a few snapshots at the latest RE/MAX World Long Drive Championships in Mesquite, Nev. (where Jason Zuback won his unprecedented fifth championship with a 412-yard bomb), and let each long driver describe in his own words what his ingredients are for more pop. (Honestly, we somewhat expected to hear guys talk about hitting the gym and pumping weights, but not a single barbell was mentioned. Instead, what you'll find may surprise you.) Read on.

Golfzilla Jason Zuback 5-time RE/MAX World Long Drive Champion If you want to add some serious power, you have to first learn how to generate effortless power. What's effortless power? It's the feeling of having the body in sync and the swing feeling simple, as if you put little effort into hitting the ball. To achieve effortless power, try keeping your hands soft throughout the swing and leaving the club at the top of your backswing for as long as possible. By soft hands, I mean keeping your muscles supple from your elbows through your fingers. Doing this helps promote a quicker, snappier release through impact. By leaving the club at the top, here's what I mean: Once you get your body set at the top of your backswing, keeping your club at the top allows you to begin the downswing not with your hands, but with your larger, more powerful trunk and leg muscles. By driving the downswing with the body and then with the hands, you can achieve some serious lag that's going to release when your clubhead meets the ball. Stick with these two swing thoughts, and you'll find that effortless swings are the secret to more distance._Ê

Gerry James 2005 & 2006 World Long Drive Champion, Senior Division To get the most distance out of any club (not just the driver) you have to be flexible, and the only way to get flexible is to stretch. Ever hold your club over your shoulders and simulate the golf swing? Well, sorry to say, that's not the way to stretch. The proper way to stretch your golf muscles is to hold the arms over the shaft as I'm doing below. Trust me, you'll feel it when you rotate back and through.

Brian Pavlet 2003 LDA Tour Leading Money Winner Want a quick tip for more power? Try this. Instead of teeing the ball in your normal ball position, move it forward in your stance between four-to-six inches. This encourages you to swing down and through and fully transfer your weight down the target line. Also, since you'll be reaching farther, you'll find that you need to extend the arms to make really solid contact. The greater the extension, the more speed that follows. After a few tries, return back to your original position and notice how much more effective your weight shift and arm extension is. Oh, and by the way, check out the extra distance I just helped you get!

The Beast Sean Fister 3-Time World Champ To hit some bombs off the tee, I concentrate on swinging around my right knee. I first do this by remembering to get my left shoulder above my right knee at the top of my backswing. Then, as I initiate my downswing, I concentrate on rotating around my right leg and allowing my right shoulder to come under my left and turn into the ball. By swinging around my right leg, I not only activate my strong side, I also encourage an upward blow into the ball by maintaining a spine angle that tilts away from it. Hey, you'll never be a long driver if your body outraces the clubhead, so make sure you swing around your right leg and let your bigger, stronger muscles fire down the target line and into the golf ball. Stay behind it and release the hands at impact!

Baden WaiWai 2006 RE/MAXWLDC Quarter-Finalist Take a deep breath and relax. My secret for longer drives doesn't come from tensing up the muscles, but instead in keeping the arms soft and the body fluid. Remember, relaxed muscles are fast muscles.

Danny LuiretteThe Longest Lefty In The World I think balance is critical for more yards, which is why I encourage folks to have a strong lower-body base to allow the upper body to release through the downswing. To achieve good balance, I make sure I shift my weight to my back foot on the backswing. Once I set my weight on my back foot, there's nowhere to go but forward and into the ball. Better balance produces better drives!

Predator Steve Monroe Swing thought? What's that? I'm self-taught, so I don't really think about much over the ball. Instead, I just like to keep my mind clear to encourage a smooth swing. I also adjust my left hand and make sure it's strong. A weak grip will only produce weak drives. To make a strong grip, point both Vs_Ê formed by both hands behind the right shoulder. Now rip it! _Ê

Davyn Nola Fifth at 2003 RE/MAX World Championship A lot of instructors say the feet should be shoulder width apart for distance. Well, in my native New Zealand, we do things a little bit differently. Try situating your feet according to the width of your hips, not your shoulders. This narrower version of the stance allows your body to make a bigger, longer coil. And the bigger your coil, the more room you have to unwind and explode into the golf ball. I couldn't coil like this if I had a wide stance. That ball just got smacked! _ÊJohn Noble Australian Long Drive Champion For me, tempo and weight shift are key. Look at photo 1 (far left), and you'll see that a few inches into my backswing I've already shifted my weight to my back foot. In photo 2, I'm fully set, ready to unwind with my weight still on my back leg. In photo 3, I've cleared my hips and my weight is almost completely on my left leg. The secret is to get your weight back (photo 1) as soon as possible. By the way, better balance and tempo means you'll hit the sweet spot more often. That's an absolute must if you want to win a long drive contest!

Justin James 2004 RE/MAX Junior World Champion To hit the ball really hard, you have to understand how to get your body's energy transferred from one side of your body to the other (and hence, into the ball). To do this,simply stay behind the ball. Check out my sequence (lower left). Despite my huge swing, I don't shift my weight beyond my back knee on the backswing or beyond my forward knee on the downswing. Thus, my power is directed at the ball!

Steve Griffith 2005 Super Senior World Champion A quick and easy way to hit it long is to concentrate on your shoulder turn. On the backswing, your left shoulder should be under your chin, and on the downswing, your right shoulder should turn and take the place of where your left shoulder was at address. Make sense? The shoulders help to initiate the necessary rotation of the body and they're also easy to visualize when it comes to improving your swing._Ê Remember, the golf swing is a turn, not a slide.

Clayton Burger 2003 World Long Drive Champion Since I have a baseball background, I tend to flare my forward foot (as shown above) to encourage the needed weight shift and rotation toward my left side during the swing. Also, notice how my right foot isn't flared at all. This enables me to build tremendous torque at the top of my backswing, much like a spring coiled up tightly. From here I turn and let the spring loose!

Vince Howell 2002 Long Drivers Of America Tour Championship Winner To really hammer it, you have to leverage the upper body against the lower body. This means, as the lower body stops on the backswing, the upper body keeps moving to produce torque. That way, on the downswing, the upper body can fire into the lower body for powerful drives.

Power Tools Golfers looking for an online resource devoted to hitting golf balls 400+ yards should consider www.sellingerspowergolf.com, the Website of longtime Golf Tips contributor and champion long driver, Art Sellinger. On Sellinger's Website, visitors can special order custom-assembled drivers with their choice of clubhead, shaft and grips. Also, golfers can select from an assortment of accessories and fun stuff that carry the LDA (Long Drivers of America) logo.

However, that's not the best part. Golfers can actually submit a DVD or VHS cassette of their golf swing that will be analyzed by the long driving legend himself, Art Sellinger. In addition to replying with an e-mailed critique of the golf swing, Sellinger arms each golfer with a series of drills and tips to further enhance their distance and lower their golf scores. Such customized golf instruction usually comes at a premium, but Sellinger charges less than $40, a fraction of what other high-profile instructors charge. In short, it won't cost much if you want to go long.

Take it from us, we strongly advise you act on Mr. Sellinger's offer and send in a copy of your swing. No doubt one of the longest hitters in the world can help you_Ê add a few more yards and even find the right driver too! www.sellingerspowergolf.com

Resource: golftipsmag

Trigger It

You can't fire a gun unless you pull the trigger, right? A similar concept also applies to the golf swing, which also usually requires a trigger move to get the body moving. Now, not everyone has a trigger, some manage to swing well from a static position to a dynamic position. But for the rest of us who often find confusion when it comes to where to start the golf swing, a trigger move can help you start swinging in a fluid and consistent manner.

For an example of golfers with trigger moves, consider the great Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus initiated (and still does) his backswing by turning his head slightly to the right. While this may not be the best move for most amateurs, other greats, such as Gary Player and Vijay Singh, utilize the knee as an effective trigger move to initiate the proper weight shift toward the back foot.

Let's look at how it works and how it can help you. First, from the address position, kick the right knee in toward the ball and hold it. You should feel your weight has shifted to the right! Now, start over and repeat the knee kick only for a second, then begin your backswing. This trigger move allows you to begin your golf swing from a dynamic (moving) position, as opposed to a static (still) position, which helps maintain a smooth and steady swing.

The knee trigger is just one of many moves that can help ease tension and get the swing underway. Experiment on the range and find your own trigger. You'll soon see that a little movement goes a long way toward producing better results.

Southern California-based Bobby Hinds, PGA, is one of the area's most popular instructors, thanks to his back-to-basics approach to swing fundamentals. To learn more, call (818) 787-8163.

Resoure: golftipsmag

Drive With Balance

Like all members of the PGA Tour, I play a lot of rounds with recreational golfers in various pro-ams and charity tournaments. If there's one thing I notice during these rounds, it's how inconsistent most weekend players are off the tee. Obviously, the driver is the most difficult club in the bag to hit consistently, due to its long length (most off-the-rack drivers measure about 45 inches) and low degree of loft.

However, most recreational players make the driver even more difficult to hit accurately by taking a home-run swing every time they tee it up, which tends to result in one or two relatively long drives in the fairway, and countless others that don't fly very far and wind up all over the place, including on the wrong side of the OB stakes.

It's easy for me to tell when golfers are swinging too hard for their own good, even before I see the result of the swing. All I have to do is watch the body in the finish, and I can tell by the way they fall over, or backward or sideways, after the swing, that they don't have control over their body or the golf club. Overswinging is one of the biggest and most common mistakes in golf, and believe it or not, it doesn't just reduce accuracy, it also can minimize distance. _Ê Anyone who regularly watches PGA Tour events knows how comfortable and balanced most of the players look as they hold their finish on the tee and watch their shots fly down the fairway. This posing isn't just for looks; it shows that the player has made a well-balanced, controlled swing. Recreational golfers, on the other hand, can't pose because their bodies are out of control, which makes squaring the clubface at impact (for accuracy) and making solid contact (for distance) extremely difficult. To get your motion, and your shots, in better control, I suggest concentrating on balance more than speed in your swing.

To improve your balance and hit consistently straighter drives, try to make some swings with your driver while keeping the sole of your right shoe in contact with the ground through impact. Make these swings at about 70 percent of your maximum speed and be sure to make a full turn of your shoulders through the ball. Try not to let your foot come off the ground until it's pulled up by the rotation of your body, and concentrate on maintaining your balance as you pose in the finish. I know this sounds like a simple technique, but if you can learn to swing and finish under control, you'll hit the ball a lot straighter, and probably longer, than you ever have before. Just keep the urge to overswing in check, and your driving will improve almost immediately.

"A lot of weekend players think of the driver as a club made just for distance, and simply choose the one they think they hit the longest. But finding the right clubhead and shaft combination can improve your accuracy, especially if you're currently playing a club that has too little loft, or a shaft that's too stiff. In general, most recreational golfers are better off using a driver that has more loft, and a shaft with more flex, because that combination provides a lot more forgiveness. On days when the swing and timing aren't working as well, a more forgiving club can be a big help."

In The Bag Slocum currently is playing the new PING G2 driver with 7 degrees of loft and an extra-stiff shaft. At 460cc, the G2 is_Ê the largest driver PING has ever introduced and also is the easiest to hit. Features of the G2 include an innovative, precision-milled variable face thickness, which is designed to transfer more energy at impact for greater distance, as well as variable sole thickness, which places more weight low and toward the back of the clubhead for lower spin rates and higher, more optimal launch angles. Slocum also carries a mixture of PING S59 Tour irons and G2 irons, as well as a hybrid iron that has the loft of a 2-iron, but is easier to hit.

Heath Slocum earned his first PGA Tour victory at the 2004 Chrysler Classic of Tucson. As of April 5, 2005, Slocum ranks 19th in driving accuracy and 28th in the total driving category on Tour.

Resoure: golftipsmag

Sweet Spot: Fredrik Jacobson

Sweden's golf program has produced a number of world-class players in recent years, including Annika Sorenstam, Henrik Stenson and Jesper Parnevik. One of the players you might be less familiar with, Fredrik Jacobson, is well on his way to completing his fourth consecutive year on the PGA Tour after spending six successful years on the European PGA Tour. Jacobson has already had top-10 finishes in big events like the Memorial Tournament and the EDS Byron Nelson Championship and has shown that his outstanding play on the greens can make him a threat on just about any course.

The Eyes Have It Jacobson's eye line is parallel to the target line. This is a critical alignment to facilitate the club's correct path approaching impact. If the eyes point to the right of the target, the club will likely come excessively from the inside. If the eyes point to the left, the club will be excessively steep. Matching the eye line to the target line is a great way to get the club on the correct path.

On Plane The right forearm and clubshaft are perfectly in-line before impact. This is the test for an on-plane delivery position. If the shaft is below the arm, the club is too flat, and if it's above the arm, it's too steep. When the shaft lines up correctly, the likelihood of solid contact increases significantly.

Left Wrist=Clubface

Regardless of whether the clubface was open or closed during the backswing, or if the left wrist was bowed or cupped at the top, it's the alignment of the two in the delivery position that really counts._Ê Jacobson's left wrist is flat, and the leading edge of the clubface is parallel to it. This square position is all that matters, and Jacobson does it perfectly.

Elbow Glued To The Hip

The correct sequence of motion beginning the downswing creates the proper tilt of the right side. This allows the right arm to bend, creating a powerful position while ensuring an on-plane attack. Keeping the right arm close to the hip encourages the body to drive the arms and club through impact, minimizing the role of the hands during contact.

Tippy Toes There's no question that getting into the front of the shoes on the downswing will promote a more active lower body. While this is great for the right foot, it can be problematic if the weight moves excessively into the front of the left foot. This can block the proper release of the club and is something Jacobson should improve upon to produce more consistency.

Sequence Jacobson's downswing is unfolding in the perfect order. His feet, knees and hips have begun the motion and are now more open to the target than his shoulders. This proper sequence of motion not only produces maximum power, but also creates tilt in the right side that gets the club attacking on plane.

Resoure: golftipsmag

Impact: Driver Vs. Iron

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There's at least one basic certainty in golf and that is that good, solid contact produces quality shots. Every player, even those who compete on the PGA Tour, knows this and strives to perfect the moment of impact. Unfortunately, many recreational golfers don't make high-quality contact as often as they should, in part because they simply don't know the key elements necessary to do so. Knowing and practicing the key elements of impact is critical to producing consistently well-struck shots, so you must be aware of the basics, as well as the fact that there are significant differences between properly striking a ball with an iron and doing so with a driver off a tee. Study the keys that I provide and practice them, and I guarantee your ballstriking will improve in no time.

All good players are good ballstrikers. That's the basic secret to producing shots that have a solid sound and feel and travel a long way. To strike the ball properly, you must learn the key differences between iron and driver impact.

Setup For an iron, position the ball about two inches inside your left heel and assume a neutral spine tilt (your right shoulder should be only slightly lower than your left). Your feet should be just inside shoulder width, and your arms should hang freely with your hands over the front portion of the golf ball. To adjust for a driver, maintain the same ball position relative to your left heel, but move your right foot back so your feet are just outside your shoulders. Tilt your spine farther away from the target (the right shoulder should be significantly lower than the left) and place your hands over the back of the ball.

Impact Differences A proper setup position with an iron features a relatively neutral spine angle, allowing for a more downward strike, which is critical to solid iron impact. The hands should lead the handle of the club into the ball, creating ball-first contact and a divot past (after) the spot where the ball was struck. Tilting the spine away from the target with a driver promotes the necessary ascending (upward) strike. The hands should be even with the ball at impact, not in front of it as it is with an iron.

My left hip has rotated in a counterclockwise direction more aggressively than it would with an iron. Because the driver is the longest club in the bag and the most difficult to hit, it's absolutely imperative you swing in the proper sequence.Hip Rotation One of the biggest mistakes recreational golfers make is sliding the hips laterally instead of rotating them in a counterclockwise direction (to the left for a right-handed player). The lateral slide tends to create a lot of problems that range from slicing and hooking to a lack of power. This mistake also has the potential to create physical injury as well. The key to creating a swing that stores power and delivers it into impact is getting the hips more open than the shoulders as you deliver the club into the ball. By starting the downswing with an opening of the hips, you'll allow the club to swing on the correct plane and attack the ball slightly from the inside. Also, clearing the hips helps maintain the correct spine angle through impact, which promotes a proper weight shift and ultimately, solid contact. Try to get your belt buckle facing the target at impact, and you should quickly see improved results. Notice how open my hips are as the club reaches impact. This move helps create a ton of clubhead speed.

Doug Hammer is a Class A PGA Professional and Director of Instruction at Troon North Golf Club, in Scottsdale, Ariz. For more information, visit www.troongolf.com.

Resoure: golftipsmag