Every golfer obsesses over driver distance, with many searching for all the ways to generate more speed and more power in order to bomb it off the tee.
While more speed obviously helps hit it farther, having the proper swing fundamentals to generate more power is most important before applying it. After all, if you’re just swinging as hard as you can and fall off-balance or out of good golf posture, there’s a very good chance you’ll fall off-plane and shank the hell out of your shot.
So before just going to the driving range, whipping out the big dog, and swinging with as much force as possible, let’s walk through some simple steps that’ll help your driver distance improve, OK?
How to add distance without completely changing your golf swing
To do so, take a look at the three simple tips from golf teacher Eric Cogorno, who demonstrates a few ways to effortlessly gain yardage off the tee in the video below — yes, it’s possible!
By applying them to your golf swing, you’ll be able to hit the ball more squarely on the clubface and right on the sweet spot, leading to the increased distance you’re searching for.
Try this to get more driver distance
As mentioned above, a common misconception when it comes to gaining driver distance is that you just simply need to swing harder. But Cogorno shuts down that theory, and describes three things you can do right now to max out off the tee without maxing out your effort.
1. Tilt at setup
When you’re standing over the golf ball, Corgorno says that, for a right-handed player, drop your right shoulder closer to the right hip when setting up. This helps swing up on the ball, allowing for more drive and an ascending ball flight.
“Put your hands on your quads at setup and run the trail hand down to just above the top of the knee cap,” he says. “That’s about the right amount.”
2. Press into your trail foot
When pressing the weight into your trail foot, it should “feel like you’re tossing the club away from the target,” Cogorno describes. So why’s this important? He says it’s to get good backswing width — which is why it’s important to keep the trail arm wide without much hinge.
“This all helps create a reaction in both the transition and the downswing, which will provide you more speed,” he adds.
3. Keep your head back through impact
Some golfers (myself included) have a tendency to dip their heads as they come through impact. That’s an out-of-whack swing sequence, and is costing you valuable yards off the tee.
Instead, Cogorno says you must keep your head back, using the side tilt from address to help swing up on the ball in order to launch it for maximized driver distance.
