Driving The Ball in Thailand

Driving is one of the most important aspects to anybody’s golf game in Thailand. A strong, straight drive that land on the fairway every time is a good way to lower your handicap – but it certainly isn’t easy. Even the professionally have difficulties with their drives now and then, and an entire industry has sprung up around this very thing. Throughout golf in Asia Millions of dollars are spent every year on lessons, equipment, and magazines promising the weekend duffer tips on improving their drive. Yet all of the fancy equipment in the world won’t do much if your swing is faulty. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to make sure that your form and your swing are doing their part to help you drive the golf ball the best you can.

Like many sports, golf in Phuket and other Asia golf destinations such as golf in Bali and golf in SIngapore is a largely mental game. The drive is no exception to this. Most great golfers have a pre-swing routine that they go into even before they approach the tee. Although these routines vary from golfer to golfer, the important thing is that they help you get into the proper mental frame of mind to drive your best. Tiger Woods, one of the great golfers of our time, recommends focusing on a point in the distance along the fairway, and visualizing the ball flying to that spot. Find a routine that works for you.


The proper mindset is important, but you must also have proper form if you expect to execute a good drive. A mistake many beginners make is to think that the key to a good drive is power. They rush to the tee and swing with all their might, thinking nothing of balance, control, or form. Although occasionally these golfers might hit a mammoth drive, they will usually find themselves the laughingstock of the course. Instead, they should be following a few simple rules for a solid drive.
First, you must take your stance. Stand with your feet a comfortable distance apart – enough so that you can shift your weight comfortably to get some momentum in your swing, but not too much so that you’re off balance. The tee should be closer to your front foot than your back foot, and your feet should be parallel. Lean on your back foot slightly, so that fifty-five to sixty-five percent of your weight is resting on it. Make sure your knees are not locked out. Your strong hand should be lower on the club than your weak hand. Find a grip that is comfortable – many golfers like to lock the pinky of their strong hand through the index finger of their off-hand, and clasp the thumb of their off-hand with their strong hand at the same time as they are clasping the club. This provides support and balance for the swing. Line the center of the club face up with the ball.

Next, begin the swing. On the backswing keep your head straight and your gaze on the ball. Keep your front arm locked; your back arm will bend to almost a ninety-degree angle. Rotate your hips back as your club rises into the air. Once your hands have reached head high, rotate back toward the tee, bringing the club down in a graceful arc, until you’ve made contact. Make sure your head is straight and your gaze is on the ball the entire time. Once you’ve made contact, follow through with the same clean stroke – the club should swing above and over your front shoulder, and your weight should have shifted onto your front foot.


A few important tips to remember: Driving requires intense concentration. Visualize your club following a perfect arc on both the upswing and downswing. Your body should be relaxed and your grip should not be too tight. Finally, remember that driving takes practice, so don’t get frustrated when your first few shots go awry. It sometimes seems that there are so many mechanical things to consider that you’ll never hit the perfect drive. But the more you practice, the more automatic these things will become. Don’t get too upset with yourself if you struggle here and there. Again, even the best golfers in Thailand have bad drives.

More Thailand golf tips at www.golfthink.com