Hitting it long: a team effort
If you want serious distance on your tee shots, turn to your technique. A properly fitted Driver and ball can add 20-plus yards, but you’ll be amazed at how much yardage you can gain if we get your upper and lower body working “against” each other.
The diagram below compares a Tour Professional, who hammers his tee shots 350 yards, with the regular amateur who lags about 150 yards behind that. The view is from above the golfer looking down on his head and shoulders. Shoulders are in blue, hips in red. Now, take careful note of the angles.
There are any number of problems caused by starting your downswing with the upper body, but the most compelling reason to change the sequence is the added distance a golf coach can add to your shots.
Tour Player
Top of the backswing
Full shoulder turn, hips half-way coiled. Substantial tension between upper and lower body.
What goes up…
The best players start down with the lower body. So hips turn ahead (if only slightly) of the shoulders. This initially increases tension between upper and lower body.
Bang!
At contact the Tour Professional’s hips are slightly open and his shoulders square. The upper body has had to chase to catch up, producing additional speed (think of a figure skater spinning while bringing the arms into the body).
Amature Player
Top of the backswing
Amateur golfers too often don’t make a full shoulder turn with the upper body.
What goes up…
They then start the downswing with the upper body, closing the gap between shoulders and hips. All the power in the swing is coming from the upper body.
Bang!
At impact, if we are lucky, the amateur golfer is entirely square. No uncoiling swing speed has been generated and potential power and distance has been lost.
To learn more about driver techniques, click here
