Golf lessons are constantly evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new Timeless Tips series, we highlight some of the best advice teachers and players have shared in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we have a five-step plan for hitting longer tee shots from Brooks Koepka, which originally appeared in our September 2015 issue.
Brooks Koepka is back. After three years on the rival LIV Golf Circuit, it was announced Monday that the five-time major winner will bring his talents back to the PGA Tour.
In honor of the news of the day, this Monday edition of Timeless Tips features a piece that Koepka wrote more than 10 years ago for GOLF Magazine. In it he described five keys to hitting longer drives off the tee.
Check them out below and apply them to your own swing to bomb it like BK.
Koepka’s 5 on/off keys
I love going far. What’s more fun than walking 20 yards past your opponent’s driveway to reach yours? This year – my second full season on Tour – I have become one of golf’s greatest players, ranking tenth in the driving distance until mid-summer. I hit almost 60 percent of my fairways and about 70 percent of my greens. Trust me, it’s easier to hit the ball with a 9 iron than with a mid iron. That kind of advantage helped me earn my first Tour victory, at this year’s Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Sure, I’m 25 and in pretty good shape, but most of my distance comes from good mechanics that you can copy. So I’ll let you in on a few secrets, with the help of my coach, GOLF Top 100 teacher Claude Harmon III. We’re going to teach you how to tap into the muscles that create serious swing speed. Soon you, too, will be able to suppress urges that inspire awe in your playing partners and prepare for close approach shots. And no pump iron is required. You already have the physique needed for long, straight rides, you just need to know how to use it.
Your strength lesson begins now.
1. Flex your feet
There’s a lot to worry about at address: your grip, aim, distance to the ball, etc. But nothing is more important than what you do with your feet. The reason you take a stance is to create a rocking foundation, so make sure you physically push both feet into the ground during those last few wobbles. You want to feel rooted in the grass. It helps if you balance your weight over the ball of your foot and then use your glutes and quads to put pressure on the ground under each shoe.
The more you connect to the ground, the faster you can turn. Think of the opposite extreme: If you swung while standing on ice, you could certainly turn, but you wouldn’t be able to roll up because your lower body would have to rotate with your upper body. Flush is key, and it all starts with your feet.
At address, concentrate only on seeing how the clubface strikes the ball; the danger on the left or the OB bets on the right don’t matter. A good trick is to think about swinging quickly, but also taking slow, deliberate practice swings. Feel your weight moving to your right side as you reach the top, then moving to the left on your downswing. Combining fast thoughts with slow body movements in my pre-shot routine helps me perform my best.
2. Flex your glutes
Many people teased Tiger Woods for withdrawing from the Farmers Insurance Open last February because he “couldn’t activate his glutes.” Well, he was exhausted. Butt power is swing power. If you can’t effectively “load” your glutes as you swing to the top, you’re essentially swinging on fumes.
Your backswing creates potential energy, and your downswing expends this energy. All your potential energy is stored in your right glute as you swing back correctly. The trick is to turn while keeping your knees bent and your feet pressing into the ground. Avoid swaying, and you’ll feel your right glute tense as you approach the top. I like feeling so tense that a tackler coming from my right can’t bring me down. While gym work isn’t mandatory, any exercise that builds rear-end strength will be worth it.
Even simple squats in your house or hotel room will improve your swing – no problem.
3. Arch your back
The bigger your turn, the faster you swing. It’s simple physics. There are many theories about how to make the biggest windup.
What works? Rotate my upper body as far to the right as my flexibility allows, while keeping my feet firmly planted in the ground and my lower body stable. The secret is to rotate your back, the center of your upper body. Turn it, and everything – shoulders, chest and core – rotates with it.
Imagine a flashlight between your shoulder blades and try to twist your back enough that the light shines on the target when you reach the top. This visual reminds you to use your big muscles, not your small ones.
4. Bend your knees
As you transition from backswing to downswing, drive your right knee toward the target while keeping your left knee bent and stable. Major League Baseball stars like Giancarlo Stanton and Mike Trout do the exact same thing when they hit home runs. This knee action shifts your energy to the target (good for any hitting activity) and helps put the club on the ideal path. It also prevents the club from getting stuck behind you (leading to a push) or moving too far in front of your body (a cut or a pull) as you approach impact.
To effectively control your right knee, your feet must maintain pressure on the ground. (I told you that was important!) Without a grounded stance, you won’t be able to drive forward with your right foot, and your left foot won’t be stable enough to accept the weight shift.
5. Flex your core
Technically, your core is active as soon as you start your takeaway, but it’s moving like crazy in those few critical feet before and after impact. Through the striking zone, your primary focus is to rotate your core as quickly as possible. Imagine a laser beam shooting out of your belly button: you want the beam to cut the ball along the equator as you spin through the shot – and fast!
When I really want to make a drive, I imagine hitting the ball with just my stomach. Stronger abs mean faster turns and longer rides. Do a few sit-ups or crunches. Do it. In addition to core strength, it helps you maintain your posture through impact, for squarer hits and to reduce pressure on your lower back.
At the same time, keep your arms soft and supple. Your goal is to allow the rotational momentum of the clubhead to pull your arms straight through impact, not to actively extend them. Not only will consciously “snapping” your arms look unathletic, you’ll lose speed in an instant. Arms are for holding, not for generating speed.
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