Power from the ground

Golf Monthly Top 25 Coach Keith Wood explains how to get power from the ground to add distance to your golf shots

Fault:

- Your legs are not getting any power from the ground - You lose your balance during the swing

Fix:

The ground is a source of great power that every golfer should know how to tap in to. Firstly, check that your spikes are clean because you need to use this connection as the base for a powerful move. Now swing to the top of your backswing and hold the position for a couple of seconds. If you get it right your legs will provide the resistance against which your upper body coils for power, and the position will feel uncomfortable to hold.

It is the power that your lower body creates from the ground, that creates this resistance at the top of the backswing. From here, your body will unwind towards impact adding important distance to your drives without you trying to swing any harder. It is this essential move that is often referred to as the x factor power move.

There are two common cheats golfers employ here that kills power. The first is to slide away from the target. This only serves to complicate your swing (you'll have to slide back somehow during the downswing) and kills the resistance between your upper and lower body. The other mistake occurs when your right knee locks straight. This is a bad move and whilst it helps your upper body to rotate it will force your weight onto your left side. So concentrate on keeping your knees firm during the backswing and feel the tension at the top.

There are a host of reasons you could be struggling for power and this is just one. But a better basic swing mechanic will help you hit longer drives. So retain the flex in your knees and swing to the top feeling the resistance between your upper and lower body.