In a recent GolfersRX blog Christo Garcia recommend a driver swing setup that will help you generate longer, straight drives. When I tried his recommendation, I realized that his 2 suggestions were exactly what I have been doing subconsciously for my best drives. He suggested a STRONGER grip and keeping your trailing ELBOW CLOSE TO YOUR SIDE during the downswing, like Lee Trevino and Dustin Johnson. A stronger grip is easy to position during your setup, but the tight trailing elbow needs a flat or bowed leading wrist to create the inside swing path.
More Power for your Drives
The Garcia recommendation uses an inside to outside swing path so that your trailing elbow almost grazes your rib cage. I understood what he was trying to describe when he commented about Jack Nicklaus who liked to play with a “PALM UP CUT”. He was adding power to his swing by forcing his trailing hand to swing through the ball as if he is swinging a hammer with his strong trailing hand on the backside of his club and into a wall as he swung through the point of impact.
Dustin Johnson bows his leading wrist at the top of the swing in order to swing with a bowed wrist as he powers the back of his bowed leading wrist up his target line. That forces his trailing elbow to narrowly miss his side during the downswing.
Another Suggestion
If those 2 descriptions are not helping you understand how to swing with your trailing elbow narrowly missing your side, my personal option my help. As I approach the top of my backswing I remove any “cup” shape in my leading wrist by flatten my wrist. This shallows my swing path from the inside and up my target line. I’m not sure if my wrist is actually flat or slightly bowed, but I definitely shallow my swing plane and feel like I am hammering my club directly up my target line.
Slice Solution
Hank Haney highlights the fact that an open club face at the point of impact will ALWAYS create a fade or slice. If you are trying the “hammer” swing and experiencing fades or slices, setup with a 1 or 2 degree closed face on your club. That should create a slight draw or at least a straight ball flight.
If you want more distance with your drives you need to hammer them with more swing speed. Practice with GOLFSTR+ to keep your leading arm straight and hammer the club face of your driver up your target line. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com
Thought for the Day: The greatest sound in golf is the “Whoosh, Whoosh, Whoosh” of your opponent’s club as he hurls it across the fairway.
Thanks for sharing. I find that if I also try to relax and think “quick” versus hard, it helps minimize tension and helps me create more speed in my swing. When I think hard, I tend to grip it too tight and try to muscle the ball and don’t hit it as far or as straight.
Gentle grip is a good point. It helps your relax all of your swing muscles especially the fat one in our brains.