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Swing sequence
Free up your driver
Try a lighter grip and shorter backswing
By Ernie Els
Photos By Stephen Szurlej
November 2007
I'm sure you have a hole at your course where you love to hit the tee shot. You can't wait to get up there and bomb away, because the fairway is wide or the hole always plays downwind.
But don't get overexcited on that tee shot -- or any other one with your driver -- because you can kill your swing with too much tension in your hands and arms. I find that grip pressure and tension hurt my swing more than any other technical problem.
If you squeeze the grip too tightly, you engage all the muscles up and down your forearms and into your shoulders. Tight muscles move slower than loose ones -- even if you feel very strong and aggressive when you're holding the club that way.
Make a conscious effort to loosen your hands and let your arms feel soft when you're at address. Take the club back a bit shorter, and feel as if you're cracking a whip on the way down -- not tensing up to smash something hard.
In this case, less is definitely more. Your longest drives will come when you feel you're swinging at 75 percent.
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tension free
- Start out with lighter grip pressure to keep your arms and shoulders loose during your backswing.
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smooth speed
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Photo By Dom Furore - Loose muscles move faster than tight ones. Feel like you're cracking a whip, not tightening your grip at impact.
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