A good grip and posture is essential for a good swing, but your stance is important too. Not only does it need to align properly to the target and be the correct width for your swing, your legs must be engaged and your feet must feel connected to the ground in order to generate power.
So, how do you know if your lower body is engaged and connected? Try this: Grab a short iron, go through your pre-shot routine, and set up to the ball normally. Hit the shot, and pay attention to your carry distance.
Now, using the same club, get ready to hit another shot. Go through your pre-shot routine, set up to the ball, and get ready to jump. Yes, you read that right! Hold on to the club and jump up off the ground about three to six inches if you can. Your legs will instinctively squat down, then your feet will push you up off the ground. When you land back on your feet, you will feel engaged! Now, hit the shot with those large muscles engaged and watch the ball fly farther.
The lesson here is that lazy, unengaged legs (or locked down, tight legs) won’t support your swing, and you won’t be able to jump if your stance is tight or too relaxed. This is why you’ll see good players moving their feet with a little back-and-forth pivot before they swing.
So if you want to generate some extra power, remember to engage and connect, and enjoy those extra yards.
To add more pop to your swing, get a driver fitting from the experts at 8AM Golf affiliate True Spec Golf.
