When
approaching the tee on a long fairway, Nathan Chesebro uses some of his
own honed tips and techniques to send his golf ball farther. He
understands that even golfers who are smaller in stature or carry less
body mass can make big tee shots with the following advice.
- Tee shots require a unique mixture of tension and relaxation, both of which are highly controlled. Specific parts of the body should remain loose allowing for more fluid movement. This is true of the face and the arms. Other body parts are meant to feel coiled, purposefully tense, to allow for the most powerful swing. If either the tension or the relaxation is not in place, the shot will not travel to its full potential.
- While the correct amount of coil versus relaxation is key to a big tee shot, it is not the only important factor. The body must be positioned correctly during the entirety of the swing or the shot will go amiss. This is especially needful with the alignment of the left wrist (for the right-handed golfer). The left wrist should lie perfectly flat and square to the head of the golf club when the golfer has fully pulled back their swing. Squaring the wrist to the club at the swing's apex means that the club head will hit the ball squarely.
- Regardless of whether a golfer plays left or right-handed, their back knee must remain bent for the maximum force on the ball. This knee staying bent is what creates leverage during the swing. That leverage translates to power and force. Though straightening that back leg allows the golfer to swing back further, it removes their all-important connection to the earth. Through that connection, their footing, they are able to hit the ball with the most potential, pivoting on the bent knee like a fulcrum.
- Many golfers hesitate to hit their driver off the fairway for fear that they will not get the distance that is needed. While those golfers do not need to practice this swing every time, they should do it every so often to improve their ability. In time, the practice will lead to perfection, or at least a semblance of normalcy that can be repeated at will.
- The positioning of the arms during a big tee shot is paramount. During the back stroke, to the point of the apex, the golfer's arms should be relaxed for fluid movement, but always drawn tightly to the body. Some recommend imagining a sheet of paper underneath the armpits. Working on this tactics is something Nathan Chesebro has practiced at length to improve his big tee shots in Bristol, Maine.
