Golf Asia — January 2018

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JON RAHM

THOMAS

PIETERS

TEE IT HIGH AND LET

IT FLY FOR LONGER

CARRY DISTANCE

FOCUS ON A SMOOTH

TRANSITION TO

DELIVER THE POWER

I

don’t have the fastest swing speed on Tour but I’m one of the

longest hitters. One of the main reasons for that is my launch angle.

I like to hit the driver slightly on the upswing. By that I mean the

clubhead is moving up and away from the ground at the point of impact

with the ball. That swing characteristic is shared by all of the biggest

hitters. When you hit up on the ball, it launches higher with less spin. That

combination keeps the ball straighter in the flight and also maximises

your carry yardage. And the good news is that it works even for average

swing speeds. I see too many amateurs hit down through impact with the

driver. That not only leads to a low trajectory, it also adds spin to the shot,

which reduces distance and adds curvature. So tee it up a little higher

and swing up more through impact to add yards to your drives.

H

andicap golfers often have the worst

tempo with the driver because they’re

so desperate to swing the club hard and

smash the ball a long way that they snatch at the

changes of direction as they start the takeaway and

in the transition into the downswing. This will rob you

of speed and control, but a smooth tempo will help

you build maximum speed and deliver it how you

want to. Move the clubhead away slowly and make

a smooth move to the top. Once there, feel like you

pause for a second before beginning your transition.

You won’t really stop but it will help you set the club

properly before smoothly accelerating into impact.

DRIVING AVG

309.4 YDS

NUMBERS

My driver swing speed

is about 117mph,

which creates ball

speed of 175mph.

Ideally, I like to see my

attack angle at

+2 degrees. This

creates a 13-degree

launch angle with spin

rates of around 2,200

rpm – perfect for me.

Connected

right elbow

Keeping your right

elbow tucked in

close to your side in

your downswing

prevents the club

from coming

‘over the top’ and

helps you attack

the ball from the

inside.

DRIVING AVG

305.8 YDS

GOLF ASIA 63