Correct Your Driver Setup

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For the majority of high-handicap golfers the driver is the most difficult club in the bag to hit because it is the longest club and it has the least amount of loft. It will slice more often than not.

• Pros set up with their spine tilted away from target at address, which helps them give the ball a more sweeping blow
• As opposed to high-handicappers who may lack strength and mobility in spine and hips and set up too much on top of the ball at address which makes them hit down on the ball.
• If you have marks on top on your driver because you have hit down on ball with driver.

On-Course Drill

Right Leg Balance Drill –

• Here is a simple drill to help you get the correct spine tilt with the driver at address.
• Walk into your shot placing your right foot down first and lift up your left foot completely off the ground and set club up behind ball.
• If you are left handed, do the opposite foot.
• Your innate ability to balance should cause your upper body to tilt away from the target.
• If don’t tilt away from the ball you’ll fall over.
• Set your left foot down in line with the ball so ball is forward in the stance, but keep the spine tilt.
• This spine tilt will help you 1) make a low wide take away and 2) will help you give the ball sweeping blow instead of steep downwards blow.

Off-Course Exercise-Click here to watch video demo.

Heel Touch Exercise – Will increase flexibility in low spine, hips and pelvis to be able to get correct spine tilt at address with driver.

• Off the course, you need to increase your flexibility in your low spine and hips to get that correct spine tilt at address with driver.
• A great exercise to do is a heel touch exercise.
• You have to get lay on the ground.
• Lift both legs in the air with your hips bent at a 90 angle.
• Keeping your knee bent, slowly lower one leg so your heel  touches the ground without letting your low back come off the ground.
• Repeat on the other leg.
• Do this for about a minute or so and you will increase mobility and strength in your low back and hips.

Karen Palacios-Jansen is an LPGA Teaching Professional and Certified Personal Trainer.  She developed Cardiogolf, a golf-specific fitness system available at KPJgolf.com.