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| Paula Creamer (LPGA.com) |
PAULA CREAMER IS AFTER WHAT MOST amateur golfers want—more distance. In a story by Neal Reid at LPGA.com, Creamer talked about her work with coach
David Whelan to overhaul her driver swing and tighten things up with
the irons. Averaging 241 yards per drive last season, the Pink Panther
ranked 113th in driving distance on the ladies tour.
“I tend to get flat and hit it on the way down and not on the way up,” Creamer said.
“I’ve really been trying to get some [added] distance with that. I feel like, because I’m 5-9 and a pretty
strong girl, I should be able to hit it a lot farther than I do. I have a
lot of wasted energy in my golf swing, and I’m just trying to be a
little bit more efficient with it.
“That’s why I’m such a good iron player—I hit the ball on the way
down and am consistent with that. But I lose 15-25 yards with the
driver. You want to hit it on the way up, and that’s something I’ve
never done. I’m trying to do it, but it’s such a big change.”
The
swing changes haven’t been easy, but the 25-year-old Creamer thinks
they will make her better in the long run. She said she will not stray
from the strengths of her game—consistently hitting fairways and
greens—which have enabled her to win nine times and earn $9 million on
the LPGA Tour.
Other challenges she has faced are the
recent death of her grandfather and a surgically repaired left thumb
that’s still not quite right. Creamer called the thumb “good, but not
great.” With all that’s gone on, she remains positive.
Which is exactly what you’d expect from Paula Creamer.