How studying an NBA player’s jump shot can improve your golf game

How It Works: You can generate enough speed to play competitively among your friends with a strong shoulder turn and arm action, but if you really want to max out your distance and power, you must get your legs to contribute more. Look no further than an NBA 3-point shooter, as in Kent Bazemore (below). As he picks up the dribble, he squats, then explodes upward, extending his ankles, knees and hips. He’s not simply unfolding these joints — he’s pushing through the floor, generating massive amounts of upward force.

The only difference between this and your golf swing is that the triple extension takes place while you’re actively rotating. While a player like Bazemore extends upward, golfers extend upward and also toward the target. (Notice how Justin Thomas’s belly is pointing both out and to the right in the photo below.) You know you’ve done it correctly if you feel “small” as you near impact and “tall” in your finish position.

How to Groove It: When practicing triple extension, focus on your belt buckle. From the top all the way down to the ball, it should remain pointing at or near the ball. As you move through impact, get it to point just right of the target line and up toward the sky. If you’re only thinking about turning your hips, your drives will go nowhere.