Struggling for distance is a common complaint among golfers, with the thought of extra yards exciting for even the most casual player. Reasons for a lack of power in your golf swing vary and can have as much to do with your physical capability as it does your technical prowess.
In the video and article below, Advanced PGA professional Katie Dawkins reveals how you can add distance to your game with this simple split-grip golf power drill...
Think of your swing as a lever system, requiring two (the club and your arm nearest the target) to consistently send the ball a good distance. If two becomes three (your lead arm folds) then the efficiency of it breaks down and you can kiss goodbye to long drives and say hello to a bag full of clubs that all seem to go the same distance!
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Once the lead arm bends it has to straighten at just the right moment in order to deliver the clubface back to the ball. Distance can be literally thrown away in the process as can the chances of a consistently good strike as you're now relying purely on timing. The result is a succession of uncontrollable contact points and poor distance.
Golf power drill: Split-grip drill
The split-grip drill is a fantastic way to keep the body connected and really boost power. Try it by splitting your hands on the grip so you've got a fist-sized gap between them.
Hovering the club above the ground (you'll struggle to do anything other than this) swing to the top and turn your back as much to the target as is comfortable. You’ll notice a fantastic amount of width between your head and your hands. This is POWER people!
From this sprung position at the top really unwind and turn through to a finish. This drill helps to keep the swing connected and you can even go as far as hitting some half shots with this hold.
It's a great drill that can be done as part of your pre-shot routine to help provide a powerful feeling when you need it on the course.
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Of course, if you have limitations in your rotational capability - perhaps you suffer from a bad back or simply can't turn like you used to be able to - then don't expect such a full shoulder turn but you can still achieve width in your swing. Simply accept your swing will be more efficient while remaining a little bit shorter.
But take into consideration what you are actually capable of. Perhaps a bit of flexibility work is in order, or perhaps you don’t need as long a swing as you think to be at your most effective.
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