It’s safe to say that Scotland’s Paul Lawrie knows a lot about hitting low drives into a strong wind by the seaside.
In 1999 he overcame the biggest pre-final round deficit (10 shots) to chase down Jean Van De Velde and win the Open Championship at Carnoustie.
Two years later he won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, the tournament that celebrates Scottish seaside golf and features not one but three great courses – the Old Course in St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.
Without the ability to hit strong drives into a tough wind Lawrie would have won neither of these titles and in this video created by the Open digital team he reveals a simple drill that everyone can follow.
“We’ve got a nice breezy day for it, up here in Aberdeen,” says Lawrie, wrapped up in a woolly hat and waterproofs.
“There’s a few things to start with whenever you’re hitting into the wind and it’s all about set up,” he explains.
“First of all, you grip down the club a little bit from the top.”
Lawrie shows his hands about three inches down from the top of his grip.
“You also hit the ball a little further back in your stance with the weight a little bit on your left.
“But the big thing is that the swing needs to be a little shorter and a little slower,” he insists.
“The easy mistake is if you add swing to the speed because the ball just goes up in the air.
“So it’s important to take speed off and make sure the ball goes low.”
The video breaks away to show Lawrie putting theory into practice during an Open at St Andrews. With a low, slow swing he drills the ball forward and it runs up to within eight feet of the flag at the famous short par-4 18th hole.
“So remember,” he says, back in Aberdeen and all wrapped up. “Grip down, ball a little further back, weight a little on the left, and a shorter, slower swing.
“You’ll get that nice low shot that keeps the ball under the wind and it runs out to where it’s supposed to go.”
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