TODAYSGOLFER.CO.UK ISSUE 367 53BUYING TIPS
How to pick the right
woods for your gameSmaller doesn’t have to
mean less forgiving
Ping’s G400 driver has a slightly
smaller head, yet its MOI
(forgiveness) is higher than the
previous G model. It a bit of a
magic trick, as it means you get a
slightly more compact head which
most golfers tend to like, as well
the better forgiveness and
playability most golfers need.Higher is longer
It’s been said countless times but
the longer you keep the ball in the
air the more distance you rack up.
There are lots of higher-lofted
drivers about nowadays, and from
what we’ve seen they really help
club golfers flight drives more
successfully, maximising your
distance potential.Improve with
shot tracking
Shot tracking
used to be for
geeks, but it’s
mainstream
nowadays. Arccos
say golfers who use their system
lower their handicap on average
by three-five shots. Cobra’s King
F7 driver comes with an Arccos
sensor in the grip. It monitors
where you hit every drive, and
when combined with the caddie
app even makes club
recommendations for you, based
on your previous performance.Think high-launch for
your fairway woods
Modern golf balls spin less, which
makes flighting fairway woods
from the short grass a challenge,
particularly at average swing
speeds. 16.5° 3-wood lofts are a
trend of the last couple of years.
They’re easier to get airborne and
help keep the ball in the air for
longer, which is great for hitting
second shots into par 5s.Wide or narrow
body hybrids?
Our test results show wide bodies
go slightly higher and typically up
to 8 yards further. Wid b di s
are great if you sw
hybrids away lik y
If you hit down y
irons (and eng f)
narrower bod d b
more suitable.Build more speed
To create more speed, we’re going
to focus on the delivery of the club.
People talk about wrist cock, late
hit and a right angle between the
lead arm and shaft, but when you
think about it, this angle releases
downwards towards the ground,
not forwards into the ball. There is
little power in wrist cock as such.Palm to pocket
To feel what I mean by this, hold the driver in your
trail hand only and bring the club down to hip
height. Place your lead palm against the grip. Make
sure its palm is facing towards your trail-side
trouser pocket.
Forearm rotates
From this position, Feel both forearms rotating hard
to square the clubface at impact. It’s this rotation,
rather than any uncocking, that really creates force,
speed and power. Work on this split-hand move
slowly at first, before bringing it in to your full swing.ROTATION IS KEY
Instead, for more speed
you need to grasp that a
speedy release comes from
the rotation of the lead
arm. The faster the lead
forearm rotates, the more
speed you can generate.