How to Drive like a Pro - Denis Pugh

Driving

The key to solid driving is that you first get fully behind the ball as you wind up your backswing. Only then can your truly stay behind the ball as you unwind on the way back down. With the driver, one of the problems that I see a lot of amateurs struggle with is they get too far ahead of themselves on the way down, which results in the swing being too steep coming in to the ball.

For you to create the shallow swing path that you need to catch the ball at the very bottom of the arc, or even as the club begins to swing up, you have to make sure that you first get fully ‘loaded' up, then wait a moment, and be patient from the top.

Next time you play, think about turning over an axis that runs up through your right foot and right hip as you turn your upper body and really wind up your backswing. Get the left shoulder under your chin and fully behind the ball, your weight across into your right side.

From the top, the first move down is key: you have to ‘settle' into a position that frees the right side, and gives you the room then to accelerate the whole of your right side as you rotate hard through the ball.

As you change direction, a good feeling to have is that as you ‘squat' on to your right thigh you swing your right hand away from the right shoulder. Trust me, it won't actually happen, but a feeling of doing that – of ‘casting' the right hand and the club will encourage you to establish fantastic width as you make your way back to the ball.