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DrivingDraw or Fade Driver Expert / Intermediate ⏱ 9 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Charley Hull's Swing Driver: Compact and Instinctive

At the Me and My Golf driving range in Florida, Charley Hull talks about her driver with Andy and Piers. She explains what she’s working on with her coach, Matt Belsham, and then hits three different shots: a fade, a low, safety shot, and a high draw. Her approach relies more on visualizing the shot than on technique.

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Charley Hull
Charley Hull · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

15 minSame problemTommy Fleetwood's Precision Drive: The Safe TeeTommy Fleetwood · Intermediate / Expert10 minSame problemCollin Morikawa and Dustin Johnson's fade with the driverCollin Morikawa · Intermediate16 minFrom the same proCharley Hull and Sergio Garcia wedges: 100 to 125 yardsCharley Hull · Intermediate / Expert

What the lesson shows

With her coach Matt Belsham, Charley Hull is looking for a a more compact backswing three-quarters of the way up. She tends to arch her back in her backswing—the “granny move,” as she calls it—and wants to keep her back straighter. With a more compact stance, she no longer gets stuck on the downswing: she leans more on her right hip and then shifts her weight. Her lower body remains very stable, as her hips have been fragile since a fall when she was 17. When she was younger, she would initiate her swing with a slight forward bend.

For the fade, with a headwind, she aims for the left side of the fairway, Place the ball lower on the tee and lets the ball drift to the right; she holds her position through the end of the swing to keep the ball low. On a narrow fairway, she hits a three-quarter low ball, a very low ball on the tee, a short swing, and the ball rolls. For a high draw, the swing is full and upward. Coaches emphasize this: The only thing that changes is the finish., because she visualizes the shot and lets her swing create it.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Choose your shot by looking at the target and visualizing its trajectory.
  2. Keep your backswing compact—three-quarters of the way back—and your back straight.
  3. To hit a fade, aim for the left side of the fairway and place the ball a little lower on the tee.
  4. For a low, safe shot, place the ball very low on the tee and finish short, with your hands low.
  5. For a high draw, let the end of your swing go all the way up.
  6. Let your swing produce the shot you envisioned without thinking about your positions.

Key Takeaways

A more compact three-quarter backswing, with a straighter back.
A very stable lower body throughout the entire swing.
Fade: Aim for the left side of the fairway; place the ball lower on the tee.
Low safety shot: very low tee and a short swing.
Draw up: complete end of the swing, upward.
See the shot before you play it, rather than focusing on technique.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Arching your back in the backswing, which makes the downswing more difficult.
  • Playing a shot you can't visualize: Charley Hull then misses her shots off the water.
  • Maintain the same finish regardless of the desired trajectory.
  • Getting lost in technical thoughts on the course.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Three-quarters drives with a compact backswing
  2. Fade, low ball, and high draw by changing only the finish
  3. Variation in tee height based on the ball's trajectory
  4. Choose a target and describe the shot before each shot

Your Questions

What is Charley Hull working on with her driver?

A freer and more compact three-quarter swing with her coach, Matt Belsham. She wants to correct the arch in her back during the backswing so she no longer gets stuck on the downswing.

How does Charley Hull hit a fade with her driver?

She aims for the left side of the fairway, places the ball a little lower on the tee, and lets the ball curve to the right. With the wind coming from the left, she also holds her swing through to keep the ball low.

What shot does she play on a narrow fairway?

A low, three-quarter shot, with the ball placed very low on the tee, and a short finish. The ball doesn't carry as far but rolls and stays in play, a little farther than a 3-wood, according to her.

Do you need to think technically to work on effects?

Not according to Charley Hull: she visualizes the shot, and her swing follows. Without a clear mental image of the shot, she admits she has trouble executing it.

Learn More

All “Driving” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Draw Effect or Fade Effect” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Tommy Fleetwood's Precision Drive: The Safe TeeTo find the fairway, Fleetwood maintains his tee height, holds the club in the air, widens his stance, and hits over a tee placed behind the ball. 5 Pro Tips from Tommy Fleetwood: From the Drive to the GreenFive habits from the Tour: placing the tee in front of the ball when using a driver, no calling out shots with irons, planning chip shots in advance, keeping a distance log, and reviewing the round afterward. Collin Morikawa and Dustin Johnson's fade with the driverAim to the left, don't force the spin, a clubface that doesn't rotate on the upswing, and a single starting line at the top: Morikawa and DJ's fade. Charley HullAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Charley Hull). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.

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