PHOTOS: Colorado’s Drive, Chip and Putt Champs
Three Colorado kids took on the world at the 2024 Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at Augusta National
Find More Driver Distance With Help From a PGA Tour Pro
In this edition of Call Your Shot, PGA Tour Pro Jim Knous joins us at TPC Scottsdale to give his best tips for getting a little extra distance off the tee. You know the feeling, standing there on the tee and really wanting to get after one to have a chance to get home in two on a par 5 or reach that drivable par 4. Watch the video for some great insight on adding distance, then take it to the course to start hitting it past your playing partners!
1. Lift The Heel Of Your Lead Foot
Hitting for power and gaining distance begins with the feet and works up. Jim explains to start by lifting the heel of your lead foot when you take the club back.
The heel lift allows for more hip rotation, which adds torque on the downswing as you rotate back and through the ball.
This added rotation and torque will lead to more speed and distance as you put a solid strike on the golf ball.
2. Extend Your Arms Back
Now that you are lifting your lead heel and rotating more, we can move up to your arms and the club.
Jim’s second tip is to extend your arms back. This creates width in the backswing. Feel like you are reaching straight back behind you as far as you can.
This added width in the backswing creates a bigger swing arc, which generates more speed on the way back through.
3. Maintain Your Natural Tempo
For his third and final tip, Jim goes to tempo. Sure, you want to swing hard to make the ball go farther. But, swinging hard doesn’t mean rushing the downswing.
Instead of jerking the club down quickly toward the ball, focus on maintaining your natural tempo.
Jim says it’s good to even have a slight pause at the top of the backswing, just to make sure you aren’t rushing the swing.
Remember, the added rotation from lifting your lead heel and extending your arms to create width will provide plenty of speed to gain more distance.
Maintaining your natural tempo will ensure you make a good strike on the ball, because finding the center of the clubface always helps with distance.
To check on your driving numbers and see how you can gain more distance, visit a local GOLFTEC Coach near you, and start hitting bombs like the pros!
Want to read more instruction articles like this one? Visit our INSTRUCTION PAGE.
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