This is not a definitive article on how to launch your driver as far as your swing and current physical conditioning will allow, but I will give you some solid points to work on that will help your distance and accuracy without swing changes. This is for those of you who want alternatives to swing changes which will optimise your distance and accuracy through physical and mental functioning. Perhaps your swing is pretty solid and reliable already and you need other strategies to up your game?
EQUIPMENT
First a word on the tools you are using. If you have not been properly fitted for a driver by an experienced club maker then that is the first step toward getting the best driver for you. Please don't confuse the basic custom fit services offered by many golf clubs and shops as being the same as a proper fitting and build of a club by a master club maker who knows his or her stuff. And yes, there are some pretty rubbish club makers out there too so it's important to find a good custom club maker.
If you want to have that brand name then a good club maker will be able to rebuild any club so that it performs better than normal. Perhaps changing the shaft, "FLO" align or "PUREing" it for optimal bend, making sure the kick points suit you, the length is correct and the club is swing weighted properly to suit you.
The average fitting I see takes about 20 minutes. Do you honestly think the best players in the world would put up with that? Neither should you. Your game is important to you and you want to play your best consistently, so do your research and speak to some club makers about what they can do for you.
PHYSICAL CONDITION
Now for some advice on your bio-mechanical machine or otherwise known as your body. If you truly want more distance and accuracy then your physical conditioning is a big key to unlocking a new level of golf with every aspect of your game and not just the driver.
A fitter, stronger body is going to be better balanced and far more capable of holding and maintaining balance throughout the swing, especially when you are swinging the big dog. More power in the body will result in more powerful swings and definite gains in distance not only off the tee but for every club. We are not talking about body building here, just getting stronger and increasing the mobility strength equation.
The better your physical conditioning and the stronger you are the more stamina and staying power you will have in a round of golf. Time and time again I watch players losing it over the last 3 or 4 holes and it's all down to a loss of brain function as their mind and body struggle to cope with a poor fitness level. Poor decisions are made and the body loses its rhythm and timing when it is poorly hydrated and chemically unbalanced by bad nutrition which brings us onto the next peak performance golf strategy.
NUTRITION AND HYDRATION
No matter how good (or bad) your physical conditioning is, if you do not eat and drink correctly around the course then you are going to suffer the consequences in poor shots brought on by a undernourished and dehydrated mind and body. Just a slight drop in hydration levels causes a massive drop in brain function. If you are feeling thirsty and have a slight headache coming on, it's too late to rescue your round.
Drink water, not sports drinks, sugar sodas or coffee and if you have any alcohol then I'm not sure why you even bother reading this. Yes I did warn you away from sports drinks because they are by and large pretty poor when it comes to balancing brain and body chemistry. This kind of inside information you will only get from a conditioning specialist at the very top of his or her tree so seek out the leaders in the industry, not the average followers.
There are some very high-end sports drinks available but you can't buy these at the supermarket. They work extremely well and are in some cases secret recipes of specific trainers and nutritionists. One I use is a great mixture because it not only hydrates the body properly but the drink is also a "food" containing slow release nutrition to keep my mind and body functioning properly for the whole round.
Again, please do a lot of research before deciding on a nutrition program. I wouldn't trust 95% of the nutritionists and personal trainers out there government certified or not. The disappointing truth is that the vast majority are poorly trained, although they would fight their corner tooth and nail, after all, they believe they know what they are talking about.
The bottom line is that your mind and body are perfectly capable of playing 18 holes of golf, even on tough days where the weather is terrible with wind, rain and cold or the opposite with blistering heat. So if you are tiring by the end of a round then the fact is you are seriously out of shape, have a poor hydration program and do not feed your body the proper nutrients for good performance.
If there is some solid advice I can give you which will set you on the right course it is this. Find out what your metabolic type is and really concentrate on eating the foods recommended for your type. Pay attention to your body 1 to 1.5 hours after eating. Are you energised and feeling good? Then the food was good for you. Do you feel sluggish after an hour and want more food? Does the food make you bounce off the walls and then you "crash" and hour or so later? STAY AWAY from that stuff, it's probably not really food.
Also, get a "green drink" program going. Try and find one that you can accept the taste as not all of them are particularly pleasant. One I drink basically tastes like I am outside chewing my lawn, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do right? I don't drink it for the taste, I take it because the human body LOVES the stuff. After all, I can't spend all day slowly grazing on vegetables, berries, nuts, leaves and other great things like my biological ancestors did, so instead I down a glass full of goodness and get on with my busy day. I do have some alternatives though that taste quite good.
Play well, have fun.
For more advice and help please feel free to contact me personally with any questions you may have. We LOVE helping. You can send me a message via the website Golf Mind Shop link below. We would be happy to advise you on nutrition, green drinks and strength training for golf.
Good technique + Good Mental Game = Your Best Golf Consistently. The key to playing your best and getting the most enjoyment out of your game is combining good technique with the ability to control your mind and get it working for you in a positive manner both emotionally and physically.
For more articles and help with the mental or physical game of golf, please stop by and visit our site at http://www.golfmindshop.com
Mental Practice will drastically cut down the amount of time that you need to spend actually practicing when it is done correctly and although top athletes in all sports practice this as a daily routine, it can and WILL work for anyone.
Wishing you FIR's, GIR's & Blue Skies,
Mark Wright.
GET YOUR Peak Mental Performance FREE EBook to get your mental game started now at http://www.golfmindshop.com or FREE GOLF GRIP EBook.
Mark Wright is a Master Coach and Sport Psychologist, NLP Sports Coach, Hypnosis Expert and Master Club Maker with nearly 25 years of Sports Coaching Experience.
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