NEED MORE SPEED? YOU DON’T HAVE TO SWING HARDER You’ll pick up distance by improving your timing As drivers have become bigger , lighter and more forgiving – thank you, manufacturers! – you probably have picked up some distance without doing anything to your swing. However, I know distance gains are addictive, so now you might be tempted to go at the ball harder than ever. That’s fine, but don’t make the mistake of adding speed to your driver swing in the wrong place. I’ll explain. Many amateurs sacrifice distance by thinking they need to swing down hard into the ball at the start of the downswing. This notion typically leads to the driver slowing down as it meets the ball. There’s no snap-like action through impact. What you want to do is think about having the club moving its fastest at the ball or even after it. Think of it like you’re sneaking up on the ball . Your driver should initially start down on a slower, unhurried pace with a feeling that your arms are simply falling. As the club nears the ball, that’s when you step on the gas pedal – literally pushing into the ground to get that acceleration in the right place. Practice this move without a ball. If you do it right, you’ll be in a fully unwound position ( below ) when you’re done. Then try to re-create
COBRA King Tec TBA
GOLD
OVERALL RATING ★★★★ ½
• The muscle-back shape cleverly hides the fact that the head is hollow and uses a thin variable-thickness face for greater ball speed and a higher launch. • A 20-gram tungsten toe weight in the 4- through 7-irons is positioned in a way that allows the centre of gravity to be more in line with the face’s centre. • The five-step forging process and softer foam create a deeper sound that appeals to better players. • Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps • Specs: 7-iron: 29.5 degrees; PW: 44 degrees
PERFORMANCE ★★★★ ½ INNOVATION ★★★★ ½ LOOK / SOUND / FEEL ★★★★
‘Another head that has no distractions. Even the thickness doesn’t bother you. It’s a well-balanced club, too. You can throttle it back to hit different shots if you want to.’ – +3-HANDICAP
that wraparound finish when it’s time to hit the ball. That’s how you gain clubhead speed without swinging harder. – Jason Guss, Golf Digest Best in State Teacher, Naperville CC, Illinois.
AESTHETICS
Plain
Elaborate
ACOUSTICS
Quieter
Louder
SENSORY
Softer
Firmer
LAUNCH
Lower
Higher
FORGIVENESS
Least
Most
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 83
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