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Long Drive competitions

alexped2393

alexped2393

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Hi all, taking part in a fun long drive competition later on this week and wondered if anyone had any tips for preparing, had any experience etc.

My gaming swing is around 110 but I've done some work with a friend and we have been able to get it around 120 with a heavily modified/super violent swing (think lots of side to side, lots of shoulder turn).

Using my X2 hot at 8* with a grafalloy bimatrix xflex (80g) standard length.

One of my friends is taking a brute driver with him that I'll give a go but I'll be needing some huge tees to get that thing elevated.

Any tips would be taken and I'll post my distances (probably be terrible but I just want to get it past 310)
 
Just a note, this is being done on an uphill driving range and measured on launch monitors, the trees at the back of the range make good targets but rollout is hampered
 
Couple of questions:

1. Do you perfer to draw the ball or fade the ball w/ the driver?
2. Do you hit up on the ball, down on the ball or don't know?
3. What balls will the tournament be providing? (Doesn't really matter but just curious.)
 
Nate said:
Couple of questions:

1. Do you perfer to draw the ball or fade the ball w/ the driver?
2. Do you hit up on the ball, down on the ball or don't know?
3. What balls will the tournament be providing? (Doesn't really matter but just curious.)
Click to expand...


When playing I hit mainly a fade because I find a draw harder to control, can go both ways though. When going ballistic it generally just goes dead straight or a pull if its bad
Driver I 100% hit up on the ball 1-2* when I need to, hit neutral or 1 down on a fairway finder or normal swing
I think we are using Titleist pro v's
 
alexped2393 said:
When playing I hit mainly a fade because I find a draw harder to control, can go both ways though. When going ballistic it generally just goes dead straight or a pull if its bad
Driver I 100% hit up on the ball 1-2* when I need to, hit neutral or 1 down on a fairway finder or normal swing
I think we are using Titleist pro v's
Click to expand...

Well, I've never been in a long drive event, but I've seen in done in person, which really doesn't mean anything either. Depending on how many balls you get, and whether you are going at the beginning or the end and know what the distance to beat is and depending on the wind direction and how nervous you are, etc. etc. etc. here ya go:

Draw swing 'usually' will get you more distance. But like you said, it's harder to control and less predictible if you don't usually play one. Now many of the "professionals" if you watch 'em on tv, have adopted the open stance, out to in, fade approach. They can hit it harder, easier to get the hips out of the way and can control it slightly better. I think it's going to come down to what you feel the most comfortable doing and what gives you the best approach at hitting it the hardest! If I had weeks to prepare I would most certainly try both approaches to see what you were getting. Sounds like fun either way!
 
Nate said:
Well, I've never been in a long drive event, but I've seen in done in person, which really doesn't mean anything either. Depending on how many balls you get, and whether you are going at the beginning or the end and know what the distance to beat is and depending on the wind direction and how nervous you are, etc. etc. etc. here ya go:

Draw swing 'usually' will get you more distance. But like you said, it's harder to control and less predictible if you don't usually play one. Now many of the "professionals" if you watch 'em on tv, have adopted the open stance, out to in, fade approach. They can hit it harder, easier to get the hips out of the way and can control it slightly better. I think it's going to come down to what you feel the most comfortable doing and what gives you the best approach at hitting it the hardest! If I had weeks to prepare I would most certainly try both approaches to see what you were getting. Sounds like fun either way!
Click to expand...

It is just a bit of fun, they held one last month and to get in last 16 you needed 314. I'll see what distance I have to hit to qualify for top 16 then play it from there.
If I need to rippermagoo one then technique is going out the window for a bit.
 
Dude that's awesome. Cant wait to hear how this experience goes.

120 is some serious heat!
 
alexped2393 said:
It is just a bit of fun, they held one last month and to get in last 16 you needed 314. I'll see what distance I have to hit to qualify for top 16 then play it from there.
If I need to rippermagoo one then technique is going out the window for a bit.
Click to expand...

Only takes 1!
 
What’s now a LONG time ago I dabbled in long drive. I was long enough to be super impressive to most golfers but not long enough to truly compete. Highest recorded swing speed was 143, but that was 20+ years and 2 back surgeries ago. Last year I played around 120, could touch 130 with a Long Drive setup IF I totally gave up on any control other than luck (read that as “I may whiff”, lol). Didn’t practice nor work the SuperSpeed system over the winter and 2 rounds into this season I’m playing around 110. Need to get back close to 120, but it’s gonna take some work and as hard as I’m trying, I’m not getting younger.

Yada yada, anyways... best advice I could give since you don’t have time to work the SuperSpeed or some other overspeed training program is to think about impact as “cracking the whip”. The only time that speed matters is impact. The harder I bear down and try to kill it, the slower my swing gets. But if I focus on being smooth until impact and putting everything into impact, that’s when I swing my fastest. A lighter grip pressure can also lead to speed increases. Use Just enough to hold onto the club.

Good luck and have fun!
 
SmiterOfPv1x said:
What’s now a LONG time ago I dabbled in long drive. I was long enough to be super impressive to most golfers but not long enough to truly compete. Highest recorded swing speed was 143, but that was 20+ years and 2 back surgeries ago. Last year I played around 120, could touch 130 with a Long Drive setup IF I totally gave up on any control other than luck (read that as “I may whiff”, lol). Didn’t practice nor work the SuperSpeed system over the winter and 2 rounds into this season I’m playing around 110. Need to get back close to 120, but it’s gonna take some work and as hard as I’m trying, I’m not getting younger.

Yada yada, anyways... best advice I could give since you don’t have time to work the SuperSpeed or some other overspeed training program is to think about impact as “cracking the whip”. The only time that speed matters is impact. The harder I bear down and try to kill it, the slower my swing gets. But if I focus on being smooth until impact and putting everything into impact, that’s when I swing my fastest. A lighter grip pressure can also lead to speed increases. Use Just enough to hold onto the club.

Good luck and have fun!
Click to expand...

Don't think I could hold on at that sort of speed, thanks for the tip
 
Hit some decent shots last night, sadly my longest was in qualifying at 325, carried it 315 with only 10 yards of rollout.

Got through the quarters with a 310 then in the semi's hit a 314 that was beat by a 318.

Longest drive of the day in the comp was 336, I think it was a dodgy reading and should be further as his ball speed was around 200+, it was only about 8 degrees Celsius, mid 40s Fahrenheit and getting colder as the night went on.


I felt like I got tired as the comp went on and 315 was my biggest carry and it was only the 3rd ball I hit all night
 
alexped2393 said:
Hit some decent shots last night, sadly my longest was in qualifying at 325, carried it 315 with only 10 yards of rollout.

Got through the quarters with a 310 then in the semi's hit a 314 that was beat by a 318.

Longest drive of the day in the comp was 336, I think it was a dodgy reading and should be further as his ball speed was around 200+, it was only about 8 degrees Celsius, mid 40s Fahrenheit and getting colder as the night went on.


I felt like I got tired as the comp went on and 315 was my biggest carry and it was only the 3rd ball I hit all night
Click to expand...
That's still really impressive. Huge carries.
 
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