If you read my gibberish bi-weekly you know by now I’m continually preaching short game. Today however I thought I would discuss the favorite topic of nearly every club player who steps on my lesson tee, the DRIVER! The one wish of every amateur to go along with this beast is how to hit it longer, or as Tad Weeks one of my college teammates and now the Head Professional at The Champions Club in Houston Texas used to love to say, “Let the Big Dog eat!!

When I first evaluate any players desire to step it up off the tee box the two very first things I look at is their physical well being and their equipment. By physical well being I mean their ability to 1- Turn their body to the right ( right handed player during the backswing ) , and pivot their body ( rotate their lower body as they unwind during the downswing ) . 2- How well they can balance themselves during this motion when they step on the gas! 3- How physically strong / fit they are as per their age? From here I can understand just how well their machine (their body) can perform the physical task at hand. That is to produce an on plane, balanced, center face strike of the golf ball at maximum velocity! I.E., hit the snot out of that dimpled monster down the fairway!

Next I evaluate as mentioned there equipment. Does their driver fit them as a player for the task they are trying to perform? I would guesstimate that well over 90 % of the club players I come in contact with are playing with ill fitted equipment especially their drivers. Typical things I see are 1- To stiff 2- The wrong kick point in their shaft 3- To long a shaft (yes a longer shaft in theory produces more speed but also can be the cause of off center strikes which will cause radical loss of power being transmitted to the strike!) 4- Not enough loft for the players swing speed to optimize their launch angle.

So therefore if we can get the player to work a bit on his or her body. If we can get a properly fit instrument in their hands then and only then do we have a fighting chance to give that player help on a lesson tee to be able to consistently ( important word – consistently ) perform the desired function : I.E. To hit the snot out of that dimpled monster! For 36 + years now I have found a great deal of success on my lesson tee in being able to make these type things happen for folks but one must understand this , no teacher or coach waves his or her magic wand . Parties, teacher and student have to get in the dirt and work hard for that result.

I wish each of you long straight drives. If by chance that’s not the case, see your local PGA Professional and let him or she takes you to the promised land.