My keys to better driving

Big-hitting Masters winner Charl Schwartzel explains how he hits it low and sets up on the tee.

You need to think low to play low. Learning to hit the ball with a lower trajectory was one of the first challenges I faced when I arrived on tour. The English guys, like Simon Dyson, were all good at it, but in South Africa, I’d been used to playing with a higher ball flight.

There are three things that I do to get the ball to fly under the wind.

1. I visualise the shot I want to hit. This might sound odd, but give it a try. If you see a lower flight and picture a flatter trajectory, then your natural instinct will help you to execute it successfully.

2. I tee the ball a little lower. This is because I’m looking to sweep the ball off the top of the tee peg at the bottom of my arc. I’m not trying to hit ‘up’ the back of the ball.

3. Use a slower rhythm. If you hit fiercely at the ball then you’ll struggle to keep it down. Just make your rhythm nice and smooth. This doesn’t mean shortening your swing, because all that does is encourage you to get too quick from the top.