Golf Tip: Driving

Whether a PGA Tour competitor drives the ball incredibly long like VJ Singh or very straight like Fred Funk, reliable driving is a common denominator of all golf champions. If you can consistently drive the ball in the fairway, you will place yourself in a competitive advantage.

Good driving puts you on the offense while poor driving forces you to play defensively. Most poor drives are doomed before the ball is even struck thanks to a poor set up.

The driver set up is different than the iron because the driver is much longer, has less loft, and meets the ball at the low point of the swing arc. This creates impact with the clubhead moving level to the ground. You will notice the driver shaft sits on a flatter angle than that of an iron. The difference in the shaft angle will pre-set a slightly shallower angle of approach into impact. A good set up at address will allow for this to occur.

Set-up Characteristics:

• Stance at least shoulder-with apart

• Proper primary and secondary spine angle

• Ball position slightly inside left heel opposite left shoulder

• Hands in line or slightly by the ball

• Shoulders and forearms square at address

• Arms and hands relaxed

Todd Sinclair is the Director of Instruction at First Coast Golf Academy. Sinclair gives lessons at both The Orchards at Egg Harbor and Meadow Ridge Lodge at Cherry Hills in Sturgeon Bay. He can be reached at 904-338-7107 or at firstcoastgolfacademy.com