Ray Beaufait won the Remax District Championship for PA/DE/MD/and NJ in 2007, making it to the finals of the World Long Drive Competition. In that event Ray smoked the 5th longest drive in his division, at the tender age of 64! Now 65, Ray consistently hits his drive over 320 yards!
Ray is also the Webmaster of "Golf Swings", which has drawn millions of viewers since 1998.
In his columns Ray will give you his Long Drive Tips to hitting it big at any age and keeping your distance (and getting more!) as you get older. (Ray added 50 yards to his tee shots at the age of 61.)
So if you want to hit longer drives, check out all of Ray's Long Drive tips and secrets here. You should also check out Ray's web site where you'll also get insight from Ray's mentor, Steve Griffith. Steve is the 2005 Remax Long Drive World Champion. He is also 8 time World Long Drive Finalist. He consistently hits his drives, in competition, in the vicinity of 400 yards!
But then again Steve's only 58!
Check out Ray's archives of Long drive Tips and Golf Exercises and start Rippin' it like Ray!
ARCHIVES
ASK RAY YOUR LONG DRIVE QUESTIONS!
Archive of Past Questions:
What Driver and specs do you use?
Slice only on course, not at range!
Not taking a divot, ok? (better contact)
OK to take a divot on your practice swing?
June 08
Hi Ray,
What kind of driver do you use. Shaft? Flex? Degree of loft? I can hit it close to 300 now, just wanted to try out whatever club you use and see if that might work better. Do you hit it high or low. How much roll do you usually get? I have a 10.5 Stiff shaft. I used to use a 9.5 but that was sometimes hard to control. I’m due for a new driver so I thought I’d ask the pro!
And what kind of swing speed do you generate? Do you know?
Thanks
Jack M
Hi Jack,
I use an Alpha driver head with a accuflex shaft. I have a 7.5 and 8.5 degree head. The length of the shaft is 47".(xx shaft). I usually hit the ball high with an average roll of usually about 10% under normal conditions. The club head weight is 198 grams, 460 cc. Hope that helps!
Thanks for your e-mail,
Ray
Slice On Golf Course, Not At Range!
July 08
Ray,
I am trying desperately to fix a slice that I have. I am fine at the range but as soon as I hit the course I slice like a mad man and I don't know what I am doing!! Please help.
Dennis P.
Dennis,
Without seeing your swing I think you are probably holding the club too tight with you hands. Have a very light grip and make sure you are not swinging from out to in. Try to "drop the club behind you" and not over the top on the downswing.
Ray
(Sept 08)
Ray
I tend to pick the ball clean with hardly a divot. I've tried all kinds of ways to make better contact through taking a divot but none work for me. HCP =14. 6'0'' 190 , Age 64, in good shape...
Ray (his name is also Ray!)
Many pros don't take a large divot. Divots many times depend on the fairways you play on. With an iron you hit down on the ball. Your divot should be in front of the ball if any divot at all. Meaning you hit the ball and the club continues after striking the ball into the ground.
Ray Beaufait
(ISAG Bonus Comment! Woo Hoo!) Check out Better Contact Drills. That may help you as well.
OK To Take A Divot On Your Practice Swing?
Ray,
I know the rules say not to take any divots during play other than what your actual shot produces but I can only play once a week, am a 12 index, and often time need to take practice swings especially when the ball is above or below my feet. How serious an offense is it to take a divot during your practice swing? I can easily chunk a shot without this calibrating routine.. Dave (One of my foursome is giving me s--- for it.) Sorry if this is a dumb question.
Hi Dave,
There are no dumb questions .....I have nothing against practice swings. Most pros take a practice swing or two. As long as you don't hold up play or get excessive in your practice swings I see no wrong. If you take a divot, no problem here also. Just make sure you repair your divot before moving on. Ignore your friend.
Ray Beaufait
ISAG BONUS ANSWERS! We found this question to be an interesting one, so we forwarded to some of our other pros and experts for their opinions as well....one thing is for sure, it isn't "cut and dry".
ISAG EXPERT/PRO |
Ok to take a divot on practice swing? YES/NO |
DETAILED ANSWER |
LPGA Pro Diana D'Alessio |
NO | No, I don't intentionally try and take a divot. I wouldn't suggest someone intentionally try and take a divot while taking a practice swing. I believe that a practice swing should be the rehearsal of the shot you intend to play. So for me I don't stand over the shot and try and take 3 inch divot. I look at the lie, the stance, and flag location and then try and get myself comfortable with my stance and take a couple of practice swings to truly feel the shot. Plus, most golf courses don't really like it when you take divots with your practice swings - doesn't make you particularly popular with the grounds staff :) |
| Top Teaching Pro Barry Goldstein | YES | If he doesn't he will lose to another player who does. |
| Pro Golfer Christina Lecuyer | NO | Don't know what anyone else is saying, but I think you can still take a solid practice swing without actually taking a divot. You can still feel the shot and see what you want to happen without taking a huge pelt! |
| Long Drive Champ Rippin' Ray Beaufait | YES | If you take a divot during your practice swing, no problem here also. Just make sure you repair your divot before moving on. |
| The Golf Guru, David Fineg | YES | I would say that it is not the taking of the divot that is important. The important part of this question is what you do to repair the damage after you make it. If you bother to chase the grass plug down and return it to the scar, tamping it down, it will take almost no time to repair. It is the damage NOT REPAIRED on the course that matters. Especially if you are making two divots per shot and not repairing them. |
ISAG writer and all around great guy, Ken Tonks |
NO | First off, I'd like to thank the academy for allowing me to respond along side all these great athletes and experts ....I don't think it's ok to purposely take a divot on your practice swing. I'm embarrassed when I do, especially on a well manicured track. Take your practice swing trying to graze the top of the grass, if you take a divot you take a divot, but don't try to duplicate the swing exactly by removing turf. Unnecessary wear and tear on the course. You can't duplicate the situation without a ball to aim at, so why try? |
| Swing Expert Bill Crowley | YES | If Dave tends to take divots with practice swings so be it. Just learn proper replacing techniques and carry around some extra seed mix if down south(Bermuda grass, etc....) |
We loved this question! We're still awaiting answers from a few our our pros. Right now it's pretty split. Maybe the rest of our experts can break the tie when they weigh in on this one! Thanks for the question Dave!
(Jan 08)
Hi Ray,
My question is what do you do to keep loose? I know in order to crush your drives you have to be pretty loose, especially as you get older. I’m always tight but especially the first few holes. Any tips on how to loosen up fast just before a round and any tips on stretching at home? Thank you.
Bob P.
Hi Bob,
The older we get the harder it is to stay loose. Our joints and ligaments are just not as elastic as when we were young. I usually pop a Advil and stretch before playing or competing. Especially the legs and shoulders. Do a few isometrics, such as place your arms across your chest and simulate the turning of the shoulders in the golf swing. Turn as you would on a normal golf swing. Turn as far as you can into a back swing position and hold for 10 seconds. Do three sets. Than do another 3 sets of turning to the end of the golf swing and holding this position for 10 seconds.
Now, for the legs try and stretch the hamstrings and do some toe raises. 3 sets of each .........after these simple isometrics swing your driver a few times. Start slow and easy and wipe it faster as you get looser. Now, go to the tee and bust it.
Ray
Rippin' Ray Beaufait