Longer, straighter drives off the tee don't lower golf handicaps by themselves, but as many golf tips point out, they can help you dramatically improve your game. Bomb one down the middle of the fairway and you face a shorter—and probably easier—approach shot. Nail the approach shot and you're chances of making a birdie or a par increase significantly. Follow this recipe for success on par 4s and 5s and you'll eventually cut strokes from both your scores and your golf handicap.
Among the biggest obstacles to longer, straighter drives is the "chicken wing." Many who attend my golf instruction sessions exhibit this deadly fault. In fact, it's one of the deadliest of all swing errors. The chicken wing saps power from your swing, derailing your quest for power. On the other hand, few professionals exhibit chicken wing. It's one reason that hit the ball so far and so straight. If the "chicken wing" is short-circuiting your power a simple move eliminates it and adds yards to your drives.
The Dreaded Chicken Wing
A weak grip is the root cause for most players who struggle with the chicken wing. Your grip is "weak" if the "V" formed between your right forefinger and thumb is pointing up your left arm (for right-handers). A weak grip causes the clubface to become open during the backswing and remain open during the downswing. As a result, the clubface is not perpendicular to the ground the way it should be in the downswing. Instead, it is pointing skyward. A clubface pointing skyward is said to be open.
If you swing down with an open clubface, you have to somehow square the clubface to make solid contact. The most common way that golfers do this is by stopping the chest from turning during the swing. As a result, the hands pass the belt buckle and the left arm and wrist fold up. This is the classic look of the chicken wing—a move I see in my golf lessons all the time. The deadly swing error results in weak contact and decreased accuracy.
Eliminating the Chicken Wing
The easiest way to eliminate the chicken wing is to adopt a neutral grip. In a neutral grip the right hand (for right-handers) points up the right arm and toward the right shoulder. If you're wearing a golf glove, you can read the name on the back of the glove and see two knuckles on your left hand. It's easy to monitor both positions from address by looking down at your hands.
With a stronger grip, you're able to keep the clubface square during my backswing. In this position, the toe of the clubface points skyward. This move puts you in great position at the top of your swing for a on-target downswing. With a stronger grip and a better club position on the takeaway, you no longer have to stall your body and employ the chicken wing to square the clubface through impact. All you have to do is turn your body through the ball. Your arms will extend and the club will release automatically. You'll hit longer, straighter shots and make solid contact every time.
Practice This Drill
A good way to practice the chest turn and arm extension is to make short practice swings with an abbreviated follow through. Take the club back partway to a position where your wrists are cocked and your left arm extended, parallel to the ground. Now turn your body all the way through the ball and stop at that position. Your arms should be fully extended and the club pointing at your belly button. It may take a while to get the hang of this drill, but stick to it and you'll be fine.
The chicken wing is among the biggest swing errors I see in golf lessons. Eliminating it enhances your ballstriking capabilities and increases accuracy of the tee. You'll find yourself hitting longer straighter drives, like those described in golf tips. Longer straighter drives position you for shorter, easier approach shots. Nailing these approach shots increases your chances not only for making birdies and pars, but also for cutting strokes from your golf handicap.
Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros." He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.
