Hitting the golf ball further is something most golfers are actively trying to achieve, with many spending hours on the driving range trying to implement the best tips and tricks that could yield those precious extra yards.
Whether it's finding the optimal driver launch angle, perfecting the ball position or spending big bucks on the best new driver, there is no end to the lengths golfers will go to in the pursuit of extra distance off the tee.
Well, what if I told you that you could achieve that in just a few simple drills? In this article and video, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Trey Niven breaks down a few of his favourites to help you crush it every time...
1. Alignment
The first place to being is with your alignment, and understanding how to use golf alignment sticks or a club to help you in practice. Typically golfers set-up incorrectly in terms of how the body is actually aligned from the knees, feet, hips and shoulders. Think of it like building from the ground.
Often what I see is that players have their feet in funky positions, hips facing left and shoulders incorrectly tilted so everything is out of sync. An easy quick fix is the ball position, which needs to be forward with a driver – depending on what shot shape you're hitting.
I like to see a pretty neutral shot shape, maybe just inside the left heel. A common fault here is that when you move the ball forwards your shoulders then start to move left, so we have to just adjust this slightly. Use alignment sticks, or your driver, to check the position of your knees, hips and shoulders, as I demonstrate in the video above.
Start with the right hip back as this will neutralize everything and create a good body tilt. This will also encourage the angle of attack to be up.
2. Lengthen Your Backswing
It's important to note that most golfers aren't full time players. They're not hitting balls all day, every day, so I think mobility is important. If you can work on your mobility with stretches, or with a personal coach, that's really going to help you hit it further.
To create a longer swing, the further you can get the arms back and high in the backswing, the more opportunity you will have to create speed on the way down.
Scottie Scheffler has nice high arms and hands in the backswing to generate some more power in his swing
One way to increase this is to turn your right (for right-handed golfers) foot out a bit, as this helps to turn into the right hip. You can also try to raise your left heel slightly in the backswing, as this will help to improve your rotation. This might feel strange, and like you are a little bit out of sync, but we have seen plenty of top players succeed with this move.
All of a sudden, by changing those two components, you will free up your upper body in the turn which will allow you to get your arms way up in the backswing.
3. Split Grip Drill
Start off by splitting your grip, as you see me do in the video above. Place your left hand or lead hand at the top and your trail hand between the grip and the shaft.
Take the club to the top slowly, then in the downswing quickly set the club parallel to the ground. You are looking for that waggle at the end of the club when you set it at speed, feeling like you might to snap the club at the bottom as you do it.
If you can pull the club down that quickly, you will start to feel like you are delivering your arms at speed in a downward motion. Most people go out towards the ball with this action, and end up producing a slice. Practice this move at home, or on the range, to create that 'feel' that could help you crush your drives.
4. Don't 'Strangle' The Club
I see beginner golfers do this a lot... they grip it way too tight. Often people think they need to grip it hard to get the ball to go further, but that is actually counterproductive.
As soon as you start to relax the grip, you can allow the release to happen. This lets the club get past the hands and then the speed increases. When players squeeze hold of the grip, and don't release the golf club.
As they yank the club through, as I demonstrate in the video above, you'll see the club head in frame and my arms starting to get out the left side of my shoulder.
Jake Knapp has a very long, but powerful swing that looks completely effortless
So as soon as I start to relax this, and just make some short and easy swings, you can see the flow of the golf club. A passive release will feel effortless, but creates a very quick swing, and after this it's important to finish the swing properly and not hold the club off.
To achieve this, I like to feel like I am freeing up my hands, releasing the club and feeling like the club is scratching your back on the way through.
5. Play To Your Strengths
Ask yourself this, what is your body built to do? A lot of golfers fight things that are natural to them. Typically, I see people move the ball left or right, and they'll come for a lesson and want to change that. The most consistent part of their game is actually their ball flight, as often they can predict with a high degree of accuracy whether it will move left to right or right to left.
Rather than looking to change this, let's just harness it. Calculate the wind, play your natural shot shape to compliment this, and trust your swing.
Trying to get better at golf means reducing the 'bad' shots. If a slicer came to see me, I am not instantly trying to get rid of it. Perhaps focusing on a little less curve, and squaring up the club face and path will already help to increase their distance.
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