I am not as short as I used to be off the tee, but I’m still not one of the longer hitters on tour. For me, hitting fairways is absolutely crucial because I don’t have the luxury of hitting a lot of short irons into greens. I’m able to compete because I find so many fairways. Despite ranking 151st in driving distance last season (288 yards),
I ranked 35th in strokes gained/off the tee. I also led the tour in nearest average proximity to the centre of the fairway (20 feet, five inches) and was second in average proximity to the edge of the fairway when I missed it (18 feet, 10 inches).
I go about my driving differently than most guys on tour. I’ve worked hard to develop four tee shots: my stock drive, a bomb when I can swing away, a “second serve” fairway finder – and my bullet, the drive I’m demonstrating here.
I learned the bullet – a low, piercing shot that runs when it lands – as a kid. My home course in England, Hallamshire Golf Club, gets quite windy, so I used it to maintain some control over my tee shots. Now I turn to it whenever my driving goes wayward.
Most players change ball position when they’re trying to hit it higher or lower. I lower the flight more intuitively. Imagine there’s a wall just in front of you. If you had to hit the ball under it, how would you do it? I focus on feeling like all my weight is on my left side during the backswing. I make a conscious effort to feel a ton of pressure between my left foot and the ground, like the stack-and-tilt swing method. This helps lower the ball flight, because you’re set up to swing more down on the ball. You’re not trying to sweep it as much.
Then on the downswing, I feel like I’m pressing my hands towards the target through impact to deloft the club. It’s crucial to keep your arms out in front for this shot, or the ball will launch too high. This shot also requires a good amount of confidence, so definitely practise it on the range before you bring it to the course. And don’t be discouraged if you hit some tops early on, because your path into the ball will probably be steeper than you’re used to.
When I’m hitting the bullet, my driver’s dynamic loft is only about 3 degrees, so it launches extremely low and carries far less than a normal drive. For me, the bullet flies about 240 yards. But it can run for days, especially if it’s firm. And it’s super reliable to get the ball in play.
