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Golf! How To Power That Drive Away
Anyone who tells you, that he or she would not like to hit the
golf ball further is either a liar, or Tiger Woods.
Drive for show and putt for dough maybe sound advice, but if you
ask the average weekend golfer whether they would like to putt
like Brad Faxon, or regularly belt the ball like Tiger, most
would opt for Tiger's power off the tee.
It is this fascination with power in golf that prompt's me to
write this article, and provide a golf tip.
A couple of facts first, that were discovered two or three years
ago, by the teaching profession in the USA. These were, that by
using the golf swing, test robotic arm generating a clubhead
speed of 100 mph, the golf ball, on average, would go around 265
yards.
However, if the clubface is opened by 2 degrees only, then the
distance reached was only 225 yards, with the same clubhead
speed. Again by opening up the face to 4 degrees, the distance
covered was only 185 yards.
This shows that distance is not just about power, and clubhead
speed, but also hitting the ball squarely with a nice golf
swing. This may sound like common sense, however many golfers
are trying to hit the ball with the incorrect golf swing.
So, what is the secret of achieving maximum power? My golf tip
is this:-
Speed, can be increased, by
setting the wrists into a cocked
position early, and on the downswing keeping the wrists cocked
for as late as possible, and then swishing through the ball.
This is similar to flicking your wrists, when using a badminton,
squash, or tennis racket.
Power, comes from having as full and flexible a body turn as
possible, plus creating a wide arc. The powerful muscles of the
legs will also help.
To generate maximum power, it is essential that the start of the
downswing be calm and unhurried. This enables the golfer to
build up speed, so that the golf club is still accelerating when
it reaches the ball. Finally, ensure that the arms are fully
extended through to a high finish.
A key point to note is that the hands control the position of
the clubface, keeping it square at impact.
Golfers, who are inclined to hit at the ball with their hands
rather than a nice even tempo golf swing through the ball, find
that they lose a lot of power, and hence distance.
Slow, smooth tempo wins every time.
About the author:
Bill Ritchie runs a site dedicated to providing great golf tips,
from the basics through to detailed tips, and practice drills,
to help improve and enjoy your golf, plus topics on rules,
fitness, nutrition, sloping lies, bad weather, history, and
golfing articles.
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