HELPFUL HINTS Swing Adjustments For “Improved Ball Carry” (NAPSA)—Every golfer strives to hit the ball as far as John Daly at least once in his life. Daly, who won the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open, is considered one of the greatest drivers in the game’s history. In fact, between 1991 and 2001, he led the PGAin driving distance 10 years out of 11. Each year, at over 400 sites around the world, thousands of golfers try to emulate Daly in long drive championships. IBC, the official soft drink of the long drive championship has teamed up with Art Sellinger, two-time winner National Long Drive Championship to offer the following tips to help add power to your swing anddistance to your drives: * Grip it, don’t choke it— Holding the club too tightly diminishes power and distance. Your grip should be firm, not tight. Too much tension wrecks tempo and ruins any chance of making a smooth accelerating swing. Keep your left arm soft— Too rigid a left arm at the top of the swing causes players to pull down on the handle. That slows the club’s speed and can lead to open face at impact. A slight flex in the left arm allows a player to generate more clubhead speed and distance. Chin up for extra power— By approaching the ball with your chin in the proper position—your fist should fit between your chin and the top of your chest—you’ll be able to swing freely and powerfully with norestrictions at impact. Maximum distance from less-than-maximum effort— Driving with 85 percent effort ver- To get more distance from your drives, try adjusting your swing. sus an all-out max will produce several positive results. At 85 percent effort, you have a better chance of hitting the ball flush on the sweet spot of the driver. The properties of torque and flex built into the shafts of today’s drivers perform best when the club isn’t swungas hard. Hit through the ball, not at it—Let the ball get in the way of your swing. Don’t lose momentum once you’ve made impact with the ball. A solid swing should be one continuous motion, with the speed created on the backswing and enhanced by centrifugal force on the downswing,finally reaching a peak immediately after impact. These tips are brought to you by IBC soft drinks, the official soft drink of the Long Drive Association Tour. To learn more about the company or the long drive championships, visit the Web site at www.ibcrootbeer.com.
