Rory McIlroy tells you how to hit big drives

How to hit your driver like Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy is one of the best drivers in the game today and here he’ll show you how he does it and how you can hit it further.

McIlroy’s game is built on driving. When he’s on it, no one matches his power and accuracy – a combination that puts him in the top 10 of the PGA Tour’s ‘total driving’ stats category.

That power and accuracy is down to his workout routine (that you might want to copy via the new Nike Training Club app) and rock-solid swing fundamentals (that you will want to copy).

In this article, Rory shows you the five key moves he makes to hit long, soaring drives.

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You may not start averaging 304.6 yards off the tee like him – but you will hit it further and straighter…

1 ‘Build a strong, solid base’

Setting up to the driver, I want to make sure I’ve got a nice wide stable base – my feet are probably a little wider than shoulder width.

It’s hugely important to get the footwear to create that solid platform. It’s the only part of your body that’s in contact with the ground, and if you swing the golf club properly you can use that ground for so much leverage.

That’s what I do; I’m only 5ft 9in and 11-and-a-half stone, so if you use the ground – and your footwear enables you to do that – it’s a huge advantage. I have the ball inside my left heel.

2 ‘Feel more width via your hand’

My first move off the ball is a one-piece takeaway (focus on keeping the triangle formed by your arms and shoulders).

I think about pushing the back of my left hand low and wide – a big key for me. That keeps a lot of width in the swing; the wider you can get it, the more leverage you gain.

I try not to break the wrists yet, just take it back smoothly without any jerking or snatching.

3 ‘Feel like you’re a loaded spring’

As I go back, I turn my shoulders as much as I can to get fully loaded. I think about bracing my right leg, trying to turn against something to create a little bit more torque.

When you’re fully loaded at the top, you’re like a spring – coiled, ready to go. From here, it’s just a matter of releasing it back down into the ball.

It seems obvious, but if your shoulders don’t turn, the swing is very difficult to complete.

A good shoulder turn will result in the back facing the target with the chest away from the target, with a little bit of hip turn.

4 ‘Hold the angle between your wrists and shaft’

The majority of my weight now is on my right side, so I want to transfer that weight – and I think about my left knee.

Once the club starts to come down I try to get my left knee out of the way. One of the flaws that can creep into my swing is my left knee going towards the ball, the club gets behind me and I need to save it with my hands or I’ll hit a big draw.

But with my left knee out of the way, all of a sudden my weight starts shifting and that gets the club in a good position on the way down. I don’t have to think about getting the club on the inside, because that’s a natural thing for me.

It’s very important to hold onto the angle between your wrists and the shaft, almost as if you’re pulling down on a rope or a chain.

Once you’re halfway down like this, you’re not casting it (throwing the club outside the swing plane, causing all sorts of problems).

If you can get into a great position there, it’s reactive; you don’t really need to think about it as you just release the clubhead into the ball.

5 ‘Make as full a finish as you can’

On the way down into the ball, you need to be stable – using your legs, your glutes and your core – to stabilise yourself coming into impact before making as full a finish as you can.

That full finish is really important; it ensures you’re fully committed to the shot. If you don’t finish fully, it’s like you’re holding something back, and obviously with a driver in your hands, you want to try and get it down there as far as possible.

Posting up on your left side (right handers) means you’re as committed as you can be. That’s what gives you the balance; I do some balance work in the gym, but it’s a natural finish.

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