Butch Harmon's Driving

The No. 1 Teacher In Our Biennial Ranking Helps Tour Pros And Weekend Golfers Alike Become Great Drivers You Re Next

- Peter Morrice

DRIVING THE BALL well carries extra importance. Not only does it set you up to play a hole, but I bet you have an emotional attachment to the driver: Good driving days are your favorite days. You’re not alone. Some of the top players in the world feel the same way. We all step up on certain holes and want so bad to hit a great tee shot. Sometimes it’s because the hole is difficult, or the right drive might lead to a birdie chance. The trouble is, most golfers equate great driving with distance. And trying for distance often leads to your worst drives, just when you need your best. Instead, pick a shot that favors position over power, and then follow a plan to hit it. Let’s talk about some situations where you press for a killer drive—and how to get one. 

SHORT HOLES

SWING TO A DISTANCE

YOU STEP UP ON short par 4s and your instinct is to get as close to the green as possible, so you whale away with your driver. That’s OK for good players, but golfers less skilled with wedges need to look at the shot they’re leaving themselves. If you’re playing a 300-yard hole and you drive it 240, the remaining 60-yard shot can be one of the toughest. Add in a small green or deep front bunker—common features on short par 4s—and you can make a big number fast.