How to Drive
with Tyler Claybrook
GolfTech instructor and First Tee Coach Tyler Claybrook shares his secrets to drive toward a 10-under par 60!
Video
Question and Answer
Tell us who you are!Tyler Claybrook with GOLFTEC aka Coach Tyler with The First Tee
What’s your career low round, what course? What was really working?60 (-10) at Redmond Ridge for a casual round, 65 (-6) at Legion Memorial in a tournament. Putting – I made almost everything I looked at and hit nearly every green. Proximity to the hole on approach shots was great all day.
If you could pick any dream foursome from the past or present, who would the other 3 be?Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, my best friend Rett/my dad.
Do you have one or two main keys to driving the golf ball?- Center face contact and a wide base/stance
- Width, body turn and rotation in the takeaway to maintain connection and harness power
Ball position – in line with my lead/left instep and back heel. Tee height – half a ball above the crown of the driver to send it (for long drives) and top of ball in line with the crown of the driver to get it into play and keep a low trajectory.
Does anything change from your iron swing to your driver swing?Yes...iron swing is a letter V (sharper angle of attack). Driver swing is the letter U (more shallow angle of attack) and a slightly wider stance. I also try to aim my body slightly left of parallel to the target to preset a clearance of the hips and body.
How do you choose your target from the tee?I pick an intermediate target 2 feet in front of the ball (a blade of grass, pebble, leaf, old tee, etc) then align the club face to that target and trust that it is in line to my intended end target. I align my body (toes, knees, hips and shoulders) parallel or slightly open for easier body and hip clearance.
Do you prefer a draw, fade or straight ball? Why?My eye prefers seeing a tiny draw most of the time, but a fade is easier to control and has less side spin. I feel like if I’m holding off the face open (to hit a fade) and keeping it from rotating too much through impact and the result is a 2-3 yard draw, that’s when I’m swinging my best.
Any last thoughts as you swing?None besides my target and knowing I will accept whatever outcome happens and do my best to keep hitting great shots. It helps to stay in my routine and enjoy the process.
What do you do when you really just need to hit a solid drive to find the fairway?I tee the ball slightly lower and make sure to hit the center of the face. I’ll usually hit a tiny fade and sacrifice a bit of distance in order to assure I hit the fairway.