270 Yards with the Driver
Golf has developed into a power game. Longer holes, thicker roughs, elevated greens and tighter fairways have attributed to this change in concept. In the golf swing there is only 3 power sources available: wrist cock, arm swing and body turn. Club head speed and power is the effect of the blending of these power and speed sources. Golfers must use all 3 power sources when attempting to maximize distance and speed.
Allowing the wrist to cock and unclock freely during both sides of the golf swing will increase speed and distance. As the club swings back allow the wrist to cock thus forming a right angle from the left arm and club. Holding the club lightly will allow this action to take place.
The body needs to turn freely on both sides of the swing. The backswing the shoulders turn 90 degrees as the hips turn 45 degrees. On the forward side of the swing the lower body needs to initiate due to the coil established in the backswing. The knees should touch with the right hip finishing closer to the target as the left. A great drill to assist with the back swing pivot is to place a club on the shoulders at address and turn the shaft into the top of the swing. Allow the upper body to turn against the resisting lower body.
Complementing the wrist cock and body turn is the swinging motion of the arms as the right arm bends 90 degrees. The arms must swing freely on both sides of the swing as the right arm bends. The arm swing is the effect of the correct posture and relaxation at address and during the motion.
A drill to assist you with generating these power sources, is what I call the wind up exercise. Place a club across your chest. From the starting position, wind your upper body against the lower body. Allow the shaft to rotate freely at right angle to your spine. Hold for 5 seconds at the top and repeat. As you do this exercise, maintain your posture and keep your abs engaged.
The completed power backswing has full wristcock, arm swing and body pivot. Allowing your wrist to cock, arms to swing and body to turn will give you the opportunity to create Rory McIlroy’s power and speed.
Ninety degrees of wristcock, shoulder turn and right arm bend will generate 270 yards of distance. Allow the arms to swing, wrist to cock and arms to swing and you will hit it like Rory!
“Find your distance potential”
By Tim Mahoney
One of the keys to playing golf in this era is to hit the ball long. As golf courses continue to be designed longer and more difficult, hitting the ball with power allows players the best chance to score. Although Tiger Woods has possibly the greatest short game in the history of the game, it is also a huge advantage the he has been consistently ranked among the longest hitters during his career. How can you hit it longer?
Quite simply, there are two keys to hitting it long: solid contact and speed. Hitting the ball in the center of the face with maximum speed will allow you to hit it as far as you can. This combined with the latest in club and ball technology can help you find your true distance potential.
The first thing you should determine is if you hit the ball solidly with your current swing. The easiest test is to use face tape that can be found at most golf shops. Place a piece of tape on your club and hit a shot. The ball will make a mark on the tape which will show you your contact point. Hopefully you will find you are consistently finding the center of the clubface. Make sure you test both woods and irons as you want solid contact with all clubs.
If you find that your contact is not as solid as you would like, look at two things to improve your swing. Make sure your posture at set up and throughout your swing is in an athletic position that you maintain during your swing. Good posture will help you swing the club around your body consistently “on plane” which leads to center hits.
Once you are satisfied with your contact point, the next key to distance is trying to increase your swing speed. In the golf swing there are three power sources that will help you swing the club faster. The combination of proper wrist action, an arm swing that puts the club in position throughout the swing and a powerful body pivot that supports the swinging action of the club will allow the club to swing consistently and produce power.
Finally, if you feel you are making solid contact and are using your power sources, make sure your equipment fits your swing. Clubs and balls that are fitted specifically for your swing will probably give you an extra few yards as well.
Learning to hit the ball longer is a very fun part of the improvement process. Examine your current swing and determine your needs. With a little practice, hopefully you will find a few more yards.
Remember if you do hit the ball farther, you will have shorter approach shots to the hole. It is important to work hard on short game distance control so you can take advantage of your distance and hit it closer. This should take pressure off your putting game and allow you to improve your scoring average.
Ben Hogan’s Plane of Glass
The legendary golfer and technician Ben Hogan in 1946 developed the swing concept of an angle the club needs to swing: Swing plane or simply the shape of the swing. Throughout the years a debate has developed regarding the angle or plane of the swing: 1 or a 2 plane motion. Within the Mahoney and Troon Golf Academy we believe that it is not a 1 or a 2 plane motion, simply an on-plane swing that is determined by the club and your posture. The angle or plane that you swing the club on determines the centerness of the strike, the ability to square your club face at impact and the amount of divot. Swing plane is not a ball flight law, but simply, a golf swing preference.
The backswing plane can be viewed as an inclined angle taken at address running up the shoulders from the ball. The left arm controls the shape of the backswing, the shoulders, arms, hands and club should rotate and swing on this angle and not deviate from the intended angle. Swinging on this determined angle will allow the upper and lower body the ability to turn freely on both sides of the swing. Once golfers understand how to swing to the top of the backswing they will solve consistency problems.
During the downswing motion, the golf club MUST swing under and below the back swing plane. The shallowing of the club on the downswing is a significant power boost at impact. The slight lateral shift of the hips towards the target as the upper body is turning back, allows for a “flattening” of the downswing plane. As the hips are sliding laterally, the right elbow connects to the side as the left hips turns behind. Hands or shoulders starting the downswing establishes an over the top or steep angle. Steepness in the downswing causes toe hits, open club face and a decrease in club head speed. Create a flatter downswing as compared to the backswing results in greater power and consistency.
Drills that will assist in creating this angle: baseball swings above the ball and chip shots where the club stays below your hands on both sides. These drills will allow you to focus primarily on the shape of the swing and the intended plane.
Club face, angle of attack, centeredness of hit, club head speed and swing path are the ball flight laws that effect every shot from a putt to a chip, to a full drive. Ben Hogan’s plane of glass or swing plane is every gofer preference to golf excellence. Swinging the club on the intended angle, determined by the club and your posture will provide longer, straighter and more solid strikes.