How to Hit the Power Sweet Spot
By Steve Silverman
Today's modern golf clubs offer the golfer plenty of opportunities for "forgiveness" if a shot is not hit with the proper spot of the face of the club. You can still hit a decent shot if you hit the outside portion of the hitting zone on your club. However, there's nothing like hitting the ball on the sweet spot of the club. That's how you hit an accurate shot and that's how to get maximum distance.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Tee the ball up high when you are going to hit your driver. Most tees are about 3/4 of an inch high. There are tees built for oversized drivers that are an 1 1/2 inches high. Use these to give yourself a better chance of hitting the power sweet spot on contact.
Play the ball one ball length closer to your front leg than normal. This will help you to find the power sweet spot when using your driver.
Check your grip strength. Be careful not to squeeze the club too tightly. Most people tend to think that they can hit the ball further if they hold the club tighter but that will keep your from getting a full rotation on your swing. Hold the club at a grip strength of about a "5" or "5 1/2" on a scale of 1 to 10 in order to give yourself the best chance of hitting the ball on the sweet spot.
Keep your head down on contact. You have been waiting all afternoon to hit your long drive. You set up at the tee and you are ready to hit the ball on the sweet spot. You are anxious to see the ball fly down the fairway and you pick your head up a fraction too soon and watch the ball go about 100 yards. Watch your club make contact with the back of the ball and don't lift your head until your hands have reached shoulder height on the follow through.
Slow your swing down. When you are anticipating a big shot with a driver or another wood, the club will do the work for you without having to add extra power on your part. A smooth and even swing will bring maximum distance and give you the timing you need to hit the ball on the power sweet spot.
Tips & Warnings
Go to the driving range and practice keeping your head down and building a repeatable swing with good timing.
About The Author
Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.
