FRONT TIPS FROM THE PROS * BY MIKE BARGE * Mike Barge is the director of instruction at Hazeltine National GC, and a Class A member of the PGA of America and the Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame. Dialing (in) Long Distance G olfers have been searching for more distance for as long as I can remember. There's no doubt distance can be an advantage, although many accomplished players have lost their games in that quest. It's fair to say most of us are not maximizing our potential distance due to a variety of factors. In striving for more distance, let's take care of step one, which is making solid contact. Especially with the driver, 6 MINNESOTAGOLFER Directory 2021 Maximize the length of your shot by making center-of-the-face contact on your driver. missing the center of the face by even a half inch can reduce distance by 5-10%. Now miss by an inch or more and you can see the signifi cance. Most golfers can feel and hear solid contact, but for accurate feedback a foot spray on the clubface can help. Most drivers respond best with center and slightly higher on the face contact. Once you see this, you are on your way to longer drives. mngolf.org PHOTOS BY MATT SEEFELDThttp://www.mngolf.org