Mastering the Driver: Strong Grip & Rear Elbow Positioning

In today’s Longer and Straighter Driving Series lesson, we’re going to focus on two key techniques that can help you hit the ball longer and straighter:

✅ Using a stronger grip
✅ Keeping the right elbow under through impact

Let’s break these down and see how they can transform your driving game.

Strengthen Your Grip for More Control

Many of the best golfers—Dustin Johnson, Lee Trevino, and many tour pros today—play with a strong grip, especially with the driver. A stronger grip allows for better control and prevents unwanted clubface rotation at impact.

Why use a strong grip?

• Encourages a more natural release of the club
• Prevents the clubface from shutting too quickly
• Helps execute a "hammer release" without flipping the clubhead
  
  How to adjust your grip:

• Grip the club slightly more on the strong side (rotating hands slightly right for right-handed golfers)
• This allows you to hammer down through the ball while maintaining a square clubface
• Works especially well with today’s advanced driver technology
  
  Keep the Right Elbow Under for a Square Clubface
  
  The second key move is to keep your right elbow under your left (for right-handed golfers) as you swing through impact. This technique helps maintain a square clubface and produces more consistent, straight drives.
  
  Why is this important?
  

• If the right arm crosses over the left too soon, the clubface closes too quickly, leading to hooks
• Keeping the right elbow under delays face rotation, improving accuracy
• This helps execute Jack Nicklaus’s "palm-up cut" for better control
  
  How to keep the right elbow under:

• As you approach impact, keep bend in your rear arm
• Focus on turning your body rather than letting your arms cross over
• This keeps the clubface square longer, allowing you to hit with power and precision
  
  Final Thoughts: Hit It Long & StraightBy incorporating these two adjustments into your swing:
  
  ✔ A stronger grip for better release
  ✔ Keeping the right elbow under for a square clubface
  
  You’ll be able to hammer the ball down the fairway with confidence.
  
  🔔 Stay tuned! Check your email inbox for the next lesson in Christo Garcia’s Longer and Straighter Driving Series, where we’ll unlock even more secrets to a powerful, repeatable swing.