Travel and Leisure

Driving is one of the most important elements of your golf game. It's how you start every round and every hole, and the quality of your driving impacts the rest of your game. Will you lay up nicely for a birdie, or will you be chasing your drives into the rough? Every golfer needs to spend time practicing their game, that's why they invented driving ranges. Wouldn't it be nice if you could have a driving range in your back yard? Well, golf nets can allow you to practice your driving game in the convenience of your own back yard. Let's look at some different aspects of driving the ball that you can practice with a golf net so that the next time you go to the links you will strike the ball with power and precision.

Stance

The approach or the setup precedes the stance and is crucial to the swing. This element is controlled by your judgment. Your feet and shoulders should be in line with the desired path of the ball (unless playing a draw or fade). By laying a club at your feet you can see the direction of your line. An instructor or golfing buddy can also correct the lineup on your approach. Generally speaking, the ball should be forward in your stance (close to your lead foot). Your knees should be slightly bent, and good footing helps ensure stability for the swing. While the eyes should always remain on the ball during the shot, the chin should be raised to allow for the shoulder to rotate through the shot. This is the most intellectual element of the swing, so take time to check your line, footing and other parts of your approach. You don't want to waste a perfectly executed swing on bad preparation.

Now let's check your stance. Your stance should change depending on the kind of shot you are making (drive, iron, chip, putt) and any number of variations you might desire to perform (draw, fade, distance, etc.). Because you need extra power and stability for the drive, you should spread your legs just wider than shoulder length. Tiger Woods makes this comment in his book How I Play Golf, "When I plan to go all out with the driver, I spread my feet even wider than normal. That gives me a firmer base so I won't lose my balance" (Woods 161). [1] Finally, make sure you have a good grip on the club. Different golfers will try different grip methods, but it's important that your grip is firm because you need to have absolute control over the club-head through the swing in order to make solid impact.

The approach and stance take meticulous precision. You want to be comfortable with your approach and be sure to practice it. The approach sets the tone for the shot and gives you a sense of regularity and consistency in changing situations. Be sure to always practice the science of your approach so that you can master the art of your swing.

Swing

The swing involves several key factors all coming together in a matter of seconds to execute a powerful and precise shot. Sometimes, only one thing needs to go wrong to make a poor shot. Consistent practice will refine your drive as you focus on each of these elements of the swing.

Backswing

Beginning the motion of the swing is the all important backswing or takeaway. Instructor Jack Moorehouse says, "The first 24 inches or so of the takeaway is crucial. It helps determine the swing's width and the clubhead's path." [1] Concerning path and width, you want to be sure not to let the shaft stray wide or inside of your line. In other words, during the mid-point of your backswing, the shaft should be parallel with your target line - parallel to your feet. The backswing should be simple and smooth, try not to make any jerky movements.

From the Top

You should check several things at the end (or top) of your backswing. Often, golfers can make the mistake of over-reaching on their backswing as if to wrap the club around their body. The thought is to gain more power on the downswing, but that is not the case. The opposite risk is not going far enough, which sacrifices the power of your drive. At the top of the swing, the shaft of the club should again be parallel to your target line. To ensure that you are parallel at the top, check your lower arm (usually considered the dominant hand) and make sure your elbow forms a right angle to the ground. Your other arm (top hand) should stay straight throughout the swing. This draws the lead shoulder around so that at the top of the backswing the shoulders will be perpendicular to your feet which face the ball. Allow your hips to rotate slightly with your shoulders. This rotation creates power for the drive. When you are practicing, make sure that your clubface itself is parallel to your lead arm. The angle of your club-head is not irrelevant because it affects the impact of the club-face with the ball.

Tempo

Now we have to bring everything back to earth. Many golfers get over-eager at this point and speed things up on the way down. Again, the thinking is that more speed equals more power. With all of the factors involved in the swing, the math is not that simple. Power will come primarily from the torque in your shoulders and hips released through your arms. An even tempo is more important than speed, especially during practice. This is a prime reason to take practice swings before your shot. During practice, try developing an even counting system that corresponds to your backswing and downswing. As your game develops, you can begin to speed up your downswing, but a comfortable tempo will always govern the swing. Don't forget to swing comfortably!

Sweet Spot

All of these things are preparation for the decisive moment - impacting the ball. Every club has a "sweet spot," and drivers are designed with extra sugar. A larger clubface is no reason to be careless though. A shot with poor impact can result in an embarrassing shank or a crank in the rough. Solid impact will create the distance and direction you are looking for. If you are struggling with making a solid impact, check all of the preparatory elements already discussed including set-up, distance from the ball, and backswing. Essentially, you want the moment of impact to reflect the approach stance. Of course, your shoulders and hips will be moving through the ball, but the club should impact the ball at the same point at which it began the takeaway. As with other sports, eye contact is crucial to solid impact. Be sure to keep your head down and your eye on the ball through impact and even follow through. This mistake is so common that the discipline of keeping your eye on the ball should be strongly enforced during practice.

Follow Through

Jack Moorehouse again advises, "The follow-through is a good indicator of the shot's quality. If it ends with a nice finish, chances are the swing was effective." [2] For all practical purposes, the follow through simple resolves the movement of the swing. Yet, it is so united to the rest of the swing that you want to attend to your follow through in practice. Tiger Woods explains the importance of extension in follow through when he says, "My right arm is fully extended straight down the target line. That shows I've tried to generate as much clubhead speed as possible" (Woods 181). [4] Also be sure to keep your feet in proper stance. Your back foot should come up with your toe pointing to the ground, and you should be balanced on your lead foot. If you are losing your balance, then you need to adjust the width of your stance or maybe your tempo. Don't choke yourself with your follow through; make your follow through comfortable.

Results

Your practice will determine how you play. With all of the different aspects of a drive to develop, it is important to practice. Most people are reduced to only practicing their short game in their yards, but now you can practice all elements of your game at home. With a golf net you will be able to hit as many balls as you want without chasing them, and you can practice at your leisure without traveling to the range. Here is what the great Tiger says about the importance of practice, "I committed myself to the idea that there are no shortcuts to improvement. The best way to ingrain the correct movements and positions is through repetition" (Woods 106). [5] After developing the fine points of your swing at home, you will be able to experience the joy and pleasure of a great game from start to finish.

Paul Galla, President

[1] Woods, Tiger. How I Play Golf. New York: Warner Books, 2001

[2, 3] http://www.golfetips.com/AnEffectiveGolfSwing.htm

[4, 5] Woods, Tiger. How I Play Golf. New York: Warner Books, 2001