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Free Golf Lessons

Lessons on How to Master the Driver

The following Golf Lesson is reprinted with permission from the "Golf Beginner Guide", a full 272 page resource for Golf Beginners. For only $29.50 you get an incredible amount of invaluable tips, lessons and advice - great value for money. Click the above link to find out more!


It's been said that the driver is the second most important club in your bag--next to your putter. A good drive sets the tone for the rest of the hole. Will you be scrambling just to get back on the fairway, hoping for pars and bogeys--or will you be aggressively going for the green and for birdies?

By squeezing a few extra yards out of those drives, the subsequent iron shot will be that much easier, as will your chips, putts, and so on.


Of course good equipment also helps a lot. Most importantly, appropriate clubs that are proven for long drives while still being very forgiving are a good way to add extra yards. A good example is the new Pinemeadow Golf Doublewall 400cc Driver which features a exclusive proprietary design to maximise distance while increasing the sweet spot for improved forgiveness.


1. Body Coil

Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, and other greats generate tremendous power by coiling the upper body with a big shoulder turn. The hips, however, don't turn nearly as much. This creates tension and torque, not unlike a rubber band being stretched before it's let go. How do you accomplish it? Try to keep the right leg and knee bent but solid as you take the club away and fully rotate your shoulders. On the downswing, unwind and rotate through the ball with your hips. Make sure your navel is facing the target at the end of the swing to ensure a full turn.

2. Developing a "Lag"
Successful drivers all have a "lag" in their swing. On the downswing, the wrists must release their energy at some point. When this happens is key. The closer to impact with the ball, the more stored power there will be. Many golfers deliver this source of power near the top of the swing or early on the way down, and end up swinging with just arms at contact. This is commonly called "casting"--the opposite of lag. One drill to improve this is to cock your wrists at the top of the backswing so that there's a right angle between your arm and club. Pull the club down in slow motion, while doing your best to retain this angle. Try to incorporate this into your full swings, and remember to release those wrists through the ball!

3. Swinging with the Whole Body

Some of the biggest muscles in your body are the upper legs and trunk, and you should use them to put power in your swing. On the downswing, your legs should begin the drive and the trunk begins the turn. Also, the bigger muscles have much less chance to twitch under pressure than do the smaller ones. This is why good swingers seem to move effortlessly--the small muscles are being led by the larger ones. I call this "swinging with the whole body." Try it!

4. Left Arm Straight at the Top

Make sure your left arm is kept relatively straight on the backswing to ensure a wide swing arc. Keep some distance between the hands at the top of the swing and your shoulders and head. This produces more clubhead speed without swinging any harder. Davis Love III and Vijay Singh are great examples of this. Watch them, and internalize what you see




If you want to improve your Driving even more you should watch an excellent instructional DVD made by one of the top Teaching Pros - we recommend the PurePoint Golf Driver DVD, worth taking a look!




NOTE: If you have trouble hitting your clubs correctly there is a good chance that your clubs don't suit you properly.

The reason for not improving your game may well be is due to badly fitted clubs. Think about it: people come in all different shapes and sizes, but most golfers simply buy their clubs off the rack in the golf shop.

Unless you are completely 'standard' and 'average' you should consider custom fitting for your next clubs. This can be done online, and it is free, quick and easy (and doesn't hurt a bit). Visit these two sites for free online club fitting, just follow the instructions given there:

Ways to Help Increase the Accuracy of Your Drives

The following Golf Lesson is reprinted with permission from the "Golf Beginner Guide", a full 272 page resource for Golf Beginners. For only $29.50 you get an incredible amount of invaluable tips, lessons and advice - great value for money. Click the above link to find out more!


How often have you birdied or even been able to par a hole after finding trouble off the tee? Hitting the fairway consistently is vital to playing well. However, it's no easy task, especially in a pressure situation such as a tournament. The following are a few ideas to help you drive your ball in the fairway more often.

Visualize the Shot

Creating a positive visual image is critical in any sport but it's even more important in golf—a very mental game. The next time you're in the tee box, stand behind the ball and pick a target. Be very specific about your target rather than just aiming out there somewhere. As you stand behind the ball, picture yourself addressing the ball with the proper posture and alignment. Now, focus in on the desired ball flight. See the ball launching off the clubface—high in the air and heading right toward the target. Draw back on a positive drive from another day in the same situation. Finally, step into the address position and let it happen. Remember, "seeing" what you want gives you a much greater ratio of success.

Swing within Yourself

Many good drivers will tell you they have a "bread and butter" shot and an all-out shot. When the fairway is wide and the situation allows, it's fine to grip it and rip it. But when you really need to be in the fairway, go to a swing you can trust. Use the swing that gives you the highest percentage of accuracy. This swing is usually an 80% swing speed accompanied by good rhythm and tempo. In addition, reducing the hip turn on the backswing is helpful. Remember, the key with this type of shot is to get the ball on line and rolling. Tiger Woods used this tee shot often during the U.S. and British Opens this year. When executed correctly, your ball will fly low, straight, and roll a lot—almost knuckle down the fairway.

Stay Balanced

As I've mentioned in other lessons, balance is critical in achieving consistent results with the driver and all other parts of the game. After you've swung, you should be able to stand tall with your body fully turned toward the target for a few seconds without losing your footing. If you're at all shaky, it's time for some work. A good drill is to make a slow and complete practice swing. This slower motion will help to train your muscles and makes it easier to keep your balance. Eventually, you'll be able to increase your practice swing speed while retaining the balance at the end of the follow-through.

Use the Right Tools

This is the hard part and can take some time if you're just randomly trying clubs. This is where club fitting can really speed up the process of improving your game. No two golf swings are alike. The best club for you might be the worst for someone else. Having the perfect fit is very important in helping you find the fairway. Nowadays getting custom fitted is easy and painless with web-based fitting tools like the 'club fitting wizard' at Pinemeadow Golf (click here to find out more) or the 'e-fit System' at GigaGolf. Of course good equipment also helps a lot. Most importantly, appropriate clubs that are proven for long drives while still being very forgiving are a good way to add extra yards. A good example is the new Pinemeadow Golf Doublewall 400cc Driver which features a exclusive proprietary design to maximise distance while increasing the sweet spot for improved forgiveness.

Unlock the Power of Your Right Side for a Stronger Swing

 
Students often tell me that they have "too much right-side emphasis" in their swings. Usually, they've been told this by well-meaning teachers.

I'm here to say that in most instances, the right side is getting a bad rap. In reality, it's the biggest asset most golfers have! Among right-handed players, it provides most of the power.

You really can't have too much right side in your swing--but you can use it improperly. To illustrate the power your right side possesses, try pushing as hard as you can against a fixed object about three feet off the ground (such as a golf cart). Make sure the right elbow is close to your side in front of your right hip. Now try the same thing with the left arm pushing into the cart with the back of your wrist, as in a golf swing. No power there! The reason? The right hand is taking advantage of the full body: trunk, legs, and torso. In contrast, the left arm is pulling away from the body, making it difficult to generate power. Like a boxer throwing a punch, you're using a full body rotation with your right side--not just the arm.

1. Drop at the Top

What gets golfers into trouble with the right side is often called "coming over the top." This means that the downswing is being initiated by the upper body, particularly the right shoulder and arm. To correct this, think of your hands and arms lightly dropping for a few inches from the top of the backswing. This puts the right elbow where it should be--close and connected to the right hip as you start to turn (see photo). (Don't try to keep the elbow close on the backswing, however, as this will create a very flat and narrow swing.)

2. Get Your Train on Track

The other problem is when the right hand becomes overactive and dominates the left. This causes a breakdown of the left arm, and a "cupping" of the wrists. Here's how to fix this: Think of the right as the locomotive, and the left as the train tracks. The left channels power down the proper path toward the target. To get a feel for this, swing with the left arm only. As you come through, ensure that the left shoulder turns naturally, and away from the chin. If this doesn't happen, you'll likely see lots of shots go to the right.