amazing tempo and timing. Slow it down and let your body parts work as one instead of all working alone.3. The last thing I did that was a huge mistake was a direct result of my over swinging. I hit very few balls in the sweet spot. I was all over the club face and that is a sure fire way to loose yardage. Wild slices and hooks mean you have not gained maximum compression of the golf ball. For you to hit it your best you must focus on good solid contact. Think solid, not hard.

So when the pressure is on remember these three simple steps:

1) Grip the club as loose as possible and release all your tension.

2) Do not try and kill the ball. Work on your tempo and slow it down.

3) Make good solid contact. Think solid not hard. Have fun and treat

In 1996 I had the chance to compete in my first sanctioned long drive contest in Sioux Falls, SD. It was a local qualifier put on as part of the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship. You could show up and pay your money to see if you had what it took to make it to the next level. The cost was $25.00 for six attempts and they measured your longest. The longest two hitters of the day made it to the district level several months later. Winners from that district competition then qualified to compete with the best hitters in the world at the World Long Drive Finals in Las Vegas, NV. The day was no fun whatsoever. There were some very large humans swinging at incredible speeds with some intimidating testosterone laced grunts to go along with it. Being my first ever try at the long drive world I had no idea if I had the ability to make it. As you can imagine tension was high and the tightness in my body was at an all-time max.

Somehow I hit it OK in my first set of swings and I jumped into the lead. This was not pleasing to the Neanderthals waiting off to the side with a vested interest in how I did. You see, when I went into the lead it knocked someone out of the qualifying spot. Over the next two hours I agonizingly waited and watched as hitter after hitter paid his money and launched balls off into the distance trying to knock me off the top spot. With each attempt I became tighter and tighter as I heard the yardages being called back to the tee box. Did I mention it was no fun? Finally, after two hours the wind switched and successive hitters knocked it past me by a few short yards. Not much, but enough to edge me from not only the lead but the second and last qualifying spot as well. This turn of events forced me to jump up and try again. Now I needed more yards and I was anything but confident.

Qualifying rules say you can go as many times as time allows if you continue to pay the $25.00 for six attempts. I went three more times for a total of 18 drives. All the drives were short of the mark of out of bounds. It was a horrific display of wild swings and a panicked golfer on the tee box. I did not make it and I failed to qualify that day. That June day, although very painful in every way, actually laid the foundation for me making it to the World Finals later that year and every year since. As tension grew in my body I did some things that guaranteed my failure. 1. I let the tension grab hold of me and control me. You cannot, I repeat, cannot hit a ball your best if you have tension in your body.

We all have to fight it when the pressure is on. Whether a member guest or club event or a two dollar Nassau with some friends we have all experience it. Step one is doing your best to relax and let all the tension drain from you. This, “I do not care” attitude will help maximize your swing speed at impact. Grip the club as loose as possible. 2. The second thing that killed me that day was my all out swing speed. I was swinging at 150% and it paved the way for failure. Watch any Tour player and you will see control. You will see amazing tempo and timing. Slow it down and let your body parts work as one instead of all working alone.3. The last thing I did that was a huge mistake was a direct result of my over swinging. I hit very few balls in the sweet spot. I was all over the club face and that is a sure fire way to loose yardage. Wild slices and hooks mean you have not gained maximum compression of the golf ball. For you to hit it your best you must focus on good solid contact. Think solid, not hard.

So when the pressure is on remember these three simple steps:

1) Grip the club as loose as possible and release all your tension.

2) Do not try and kill the ball. Work on your tempo and slow it down.

3) Make good solid contact. Think solid not hard. Have fun and treat i

at the long drive world I had no idea if I had the ability to make it. As you can imagine tension was high and the tightness in my body was at an all-time max.

Somehow I hit it OK in my first set of swings and I jumped into the lead. This was not pleasing to the Neanderthals waiting off to the side with a vested interest in how I did. You see, when I went into the lead it knocked someone out of the qualifying spot. Over the next two hours I agonizingly waited and watched as hitter after hitter paid his money and launched balls off into the distance trying to knock me off the top spot. With each attempt I became tighter and tighter as I heard the yardages being called back to the tee box. Did I mention it was no fun? Finally, after two hours the wind switched and successive hitters knocked it past me by a few short yards. Not much, but enough to edge me from not only the lead but the second and last qualifying spot as well. This turn of events forced me to jump up and try again. Now I needed more yards and I was anything but confident.

Qualifying rules say you can go as many times as time allows if you continue to pay the $25.00 for six attempts. I went three more times for a total of 18 drives. All the drives were short of the mark of out of bounds. It was a horrific display of wild swings and a panicked golfer on the tee box. I did not make it and I failed to qualify that day. That June day, although very painful in every way, actually laid the foundation for me making it to the World Finals later that year and every year since. As tension grew in my body I did some things that guaranteed my failure. 1. I let the tension grab hold of me and control me. You cannot, I repeat, cannot hit a ball your best if you have tension in your body.

We all have to fight it when the pressure is on. Whether a member guest or club event or a two dollar Nassau with some friends we have all experience it. Step one is doing your best to relax and let all the tension drain from you. This, “I do not care” attitude will help maximize your swing speed at impact. Grip the club as loose as possible. 2. The second thing that killed me that day was my all out swing speed. I was swinging at 150% and it paved the way for failure. Watch any Tour player and you will see control. You will see amazing tempo and timing. Slow it down and let your body parts work as one instead of all working alone.3. The last thing I did that was a huge mistake was a direct result of my over swinging. I hit very few balls in the sweet spot. I was all over the club face and that is a sure fire way to loose yardage. Wild slices and hooks mean you have not gained maximum compression of the golf ball. For you to hit it your best you must focus on good solid contact. Think solid, not hard.

So when the pressure is on remember these three simple steps:

1) Grip the club as loose as possible and release all your tension.

2) Do not try and kill the ball. Work on your tempo and slow it down.

3) Make good solid contact. Think solid not hard. Have fun and treat

and successive hitters knocked it past me by a few short yards. Not much, but enough to edge me from not only the lead but the second and last qualifying spot as well. This turn of events forced me to jump up and try again. Now I needed more yards and I was anything but confident.

Qualifying rules say you can go as many times as time allows if you continue to pay the $25.00 for six attempts. I went three more times for a total of 18 drives. All the drives were short of the mark of out of bounds. It was a horrific display of wild swings and a panicked golfer on the tee box. I did not make it and I failed to qualify that day. That June day, although very painful in every way, actually laid the foundation for me making it to the World Finals later that year and every year since. As tension grew in my body I did some things that guaranteed my failure. 1. I let the tension grab hold of me and control me. You cannot, I repeat, cannot hit a ball your best if you have tension in your body.

We all have to fight it when the pressure is on. Whether a member guest or club event or a two dollar Nassau with some friends we have all experience it. Step one is doing your best to relax and let all the tension drain from you. This, “I do not care” attitude will help maximize your swing speed at impact. Grip the club as loose as possible. 2. The second thing that killed me that day was my all out swing speed. I was swinging at 150% and it paved the way for failure. Watch any Tour player and you will see control. You will see amazing tempo and timing. Slow it down and let your body parts work as one instead of all working alone.3. The last thing I did that was a huge mistake was a direct result of my over swinging. I hit very few balls in the sweet spot. I was all over the club face and that is a sure fire way to loose yardage. Wild slices and hooks mean you have not gained maximum compression of the golf ball. For you to hit it your best you must focus on good solid contact. Think solid, not hard.

So when the pressure is on remember these three simple steps:

1) Grip the club as loose as possible and release all your tension.

2) Do not try and kill the ball. Work on your tempo and slow it down.

3) Make good solid contact. Think solid not hard. Have fun and treat

r and every year since. As tension grew in my body I did some things that guaranteed my failure. 1. I let the tension grab hold of me and control me. You cannot, I repeat, cannot hit a ball your best if you have tension in your body.

We all have to fight it when the pressure is on. Whether a member guest or club event or a two dollar Nassau with some friends we have all experience it. Step one is doing your best to relax and let all the tension drain from you. This, “I do not care” attitude will help maximize your swing speed at impact. Grip the club as loose as possible. 2. The second thing that killed me that day was my all out swing speed. I was swinging at 150% and it paved the way for failure. Watch any Tour player and you will see control. You will see amazing tempo and timing. Slow it down and let your body parts work as one instead of all working alone.3. The last thing I did that was a huge mistake was a direct result of my over swinging. I hit very few balls in the sweet spot. I was all over the club face and that is a sure fire way to loose yardage. Wild slices and hooks mean you have not gained maximum compression of the golf ball. For you to hit it your best you must focus on good solid contact. Think solid, not hard.

So when the pressure is on remember these three simple steps:

1) Grip the club as loose as possible and release all your tension.

2) Do not try and kill the ball. Work on your tempo and slow it down.

3) Make good solid contact. Think solid not hard. Have fun and treat

amazing tempo and timing. Slow it down and let your body parts work as one instead of all working alone.3. The last thing I did that was a huge mistake was a direct result of my over swinging. I hit very few balls in the sweet spot. I was all over the club face and that is a sure fire way to loose yardage. Wild slices and hooks mean you have not gained maximum compression of the golf ball. For you to hit it your best you must focus on good solid contact. Think solid, not hard.

So when the pressure is on remember these three simple steps:

1) Grip the club as loose as possible and release all your tension.

2) Do not try and kill the ball. Work on your tempo and slow it down.

3) Make good solid contact. Think solid not hard. Have fun and treat it like a game, cuzz that’s what it is!