Be Your Own Drill Sergeant

Jeff Fisher
Director of Instruction
Fisher Bryan Golf Academy at Longbow Golf Club
Mesa, AZ
jfisher@obsports.com

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Distance. Everyone wants more of it but most go about trying to find it in the wrong manner. There are several things involved in trying to max out your distance capabilities, but in broad strokes we are talking about centeredness of contact, clubhead speed and using your body efficiently. For this moment in time we are going to deal with using your body efficiently.

When you set up to hit a golf ball, the pressure in your feet is divided fairly evenly. The key is to create more pressure in your rear foot in the backswing, transfer that pressure to your front foot in the start of the downswing and then exert that pressure into your follow through.

To set up this drill you need three clubs or alignment rods. I have used two pool noodles and one club in the pictures for better visibility. Set one of the clubs on the ground just inside your rear instep and one outside your front foot, as you see I have done. Then put a club across your shoulders and hold it there by crossing your arms. Take your address posture and turn your body into the backswing stopping when the club across your shoulders aligns with the club inside your rear instep (picture 1).

The goal is not just to turn your shoulders but to create pressure in your rear foot. Do this by making sure your rear knee does not move towards the outside of your foot. This would actually relieve the pressure you are trying to create. Now transfer the pressure to your front foot starting from the ground up. Your shoulders should stay coiled and your front knee should move out over your front foot (picture 2). Notice that by keeping my shoulders coiled I have not steepened my spine angle.

Now you need to exert that pressure into the ball and release it in your follow through (picture 3). Moving your belt buckle up and through by pushing off that rear foot will maximize the pressure you have on your front foot at impact and release that pressure in your follow through. When you finish the club across your shoulders should be pretty close to above the club on the outside of your front foot.

As I said, efficient use of your body is just one component to more distance, but an important one.

Jeff Fisher is Director of Instruction at the Fisher Bryan Golf Academy at Longbow Golf Club. Jeff can be reached at 480.414.9330 or jfisher@obsports.com.