If you wanna hit high draws with the driver and eliminate those horrible weak tee shots, then you need to hit the golf ball from the inside. In this post, I’m gonna show you a three-stage process to help you do that, but at the end, I’m gonna share a little trick that I’ve given to many of my students to help them hit that high draw. It works really, really well.
Understanding the Concept of Hitting from the Inside
The first thing we need to do is get some more depth at the top of the golf swing. This is crucial for hitting from the inside. But what does it actually mean to hit from the inside? Imagine a golf club placed on the ground in line with where your golf ball is. If your club approaches from your side of that line, that’s considered hitting from the inside. A great golfer will approach from the inside, make contact with the ball, and then return back to the inside.
Conversely, many golfers struggle with their driver because they hit from the outside, which leads to pulls, fades, and slices. This outside-in swing often results in poor strikes and excessive spin, robbing you of both distance and accuracy. If I can get you to hit it from the inside, you’re going to hit much better golf shots.
Stage 1: Priming the Backswing
Let’s start with a one-arm drill that helps prime the backswing. It’s incredibly difficult to get that golf club to approach from the inside if your backswing has a lot of upward movement and not much inward. By achieving more depth at the top of your backswing, hitting from the inside will happen more naturally.
To perform this drill, take your address position, remove your lead hand, and place it on your thigh. Hold the club with your trail hand and swing it back as if you’re making a big backswing. Notice how your right arm tends to stay pretty straight without much flex. Now try to place your left hand back on the club. This movement requires significant rotation and movement from your left side, which is often lacking in golfers who struggle with their driver.
By allowing your left side to move freely, you’ll create the depth needed for an effective swing. I recommend rehearsing this drill to understand the necessary movements in your body to achieve that depth. As a coach, I look for the grip end of the club to be above your heels at the end of your backswing, if not a little behind.
Stage 2: Transitioning from Backswing to Downswing
The second point is how you transition from the backswing to the downswing. It’s possible to make a great backswing and still come from the outside. A common error is spinning your upper body during the transition, which causes the club to move outside. Instead, imagine there’s an arrow coming out of your back pointing towards the target. As you transition, focus on shifting pressure to your lead side and applying force through your lead foot.
Keep your back facing the target and let your arms come down while maintaining that arrow pointing towards the fairway. This allows for a smooth transition and ensures the club is coming from the inside as you start your downswing.
Stage 3: Controlling the Club Face at Impact
Now, let’s address the issue of controlling where the club face points at impact. If you hit from the inside, your club face must be pointing left of where the club is swinging at impact. This is vital to avoid blocking the ball to the right.
Here’s a simple drill: take a tee and place it in your trail hand on the golf club. As you set up, make sure the tee points down towards the club head. Through impact, aim for that tee to point towards the ocean behind you. This ensures that as you hit from the inside, the club face is oriented correctly to produce that desired draw.
A Little Trick for Better Results
Now, for the trick I promised. Take your golf ball, aim it perfectly down the middle of the fairway, and angle it slightly out to the right—just about five degrees. This visual cue helps you focus on hitting the stripe of the ball in the direction it’s aligned. It encourages you to create more depth and hit from the inside, making everything simpler on the course.
By implementing these techniques, you’ll find that hitting high draws with your driver becomes much more achievable. Remember, it’s all about getting that depth in your backswing, transitioning correctly, and controlling your club face. Happy golfing!
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