“Most golfers I know are capable of hitting a ball 250 yards with a driver,” says Scott Ezell, Director of Instruction at Birdwood Golf Course in Charlottesville.
For many average golfers who are delighted to see their drives land somewhere in the fairway and go as far as 190 or 200 yards, that is a mind-boggling statement. Yet, barring a physical incapacity, advanced age or injury, Scott stands by his affirmation. A golfer should be able to hit it 250 yards.
“Distance off the tee is under-rated, not overrated,” he says. “The difference on a scorecard between hitting from the white tees as opposed to hitting from the championship tees, for example, is easily 6 strokes. The fact is that the farther you hit your drive, the easier it is to hit a good second shot to the green.”
So now, fellow duffers, the goal is to be hitting the ball 250 yards and not settling for an inch less. Here’s how, says Scott Ezell, PGA Pro.
First, Scott assumes the setup is correct – the grip, aim, stance and posture. Without those 4 basics in good order, however, it will become very difficult if not impossible to hit good golf shots.
“To prepare for a drive, the golfer takes a wider stance than normal. This allows a bigger upper body coil,” Scott notes, “This is essential in hitting long drives.”
Another key is to be tension free when Big Bertha comes out of the bag. It’s very difficult to be consistent if you have white knuckles gripping the club.
“I advise my students to take a short exhale before they begin their swing,” Scott states. “This helps release tension.”
On the take away, keep it low and slow, Scott instructs. This promotes more of a good shoulder turn as opposed to a common mistake of lifting the hands and arms straight up in the air.
“The key to good direction and good distance with a driver is ‘coiling’, created when the upper body turns while the lower body resists turning,” he points out.
Perhaps the number one mistake by average golfers is an improper turn or not enough upper body turn, and good flexibility has a lot to do with it.
A good exercise is to sit on a chair and crisscross your arms in front of your chest and hold a driver. Then, practice turning your upper body. Because you are sitting, your lower body can’t turn. It’s a good way to stretch muscles and get the feel of the body turn, Scott emphasizes.
The PGA Pro also states that the length of the back swing is not a critical factor in hitting long drives. A good hip turn and good timing on the downswing is the secret to hitting it long off the tee.
“The club speed will take care of itself if you allow the downswing sequence to unfold properly,” Scott instructs. “There is no need to rush your downswing, you’ll have lots of time to create maximum power.”
Sometimes a golfer can work out the kinks on the practice range with a driver and a bucket of balls, but an easier way to lower your handicap is working with a good golf professional. Scott believes that a golfer benefits from multiple sessions as opposed to one 30-minute lesson on the range.
“This gives the professional a chance to help the student build a good swing from the ground up,” he states.
Two-hundred and fifty off the tee? Why not?