Jason Day’s nine tips for bigger drives
Published:
Jason Day averages more than 303 yards off the tee and is one of the longest players in the game, here are his power tips to help you flush it.
The world number one is one of the world’s best chippers and putters, and he hits his irons ridiculously high, but it’s his booming drives that really catch our eye, and propelled him to his first Major title at last year’s PGA Championship.
He finished last season just behind Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson in the long driving stakes, averaging a whopping 313.7 yards on the PGA Tour.
This year, he has already carried two drives some 397 yards and continues to lead the way at the top of
the world rankings.
We caught up with the Australian to find out how you can take full advantage of the big stick.
1 Take a wider stance at address. When I’m really trying to rip a drive, my stance is way past my shoulders just because I know that feels athletic and I can kill the ball. You don’t want it too wide to the point where you can’t turn, but you’ve got to have proper width for a nice, stable base.
TOP STORIES
2 Get a full extension. Try to keep your driver as low, long and as far away from your body as possible. Let your arms work as a unit on the way back and extend your arms as far as you can. The width needs to be big on the takeaway so when you’re coming back down, you can lag it inside. When I first take my club away, it’s pretty much all shoulders and arms. From there, I can fold up and make sure that I have good width.
3 One big power accumulator is being able to rotate your hand. If you are one of those guys who cut it all day long, you’re probably holding the release off too much. To hit less of a cut, you actually have to feel like you’re hitting it right. Golf is all about opposites. Feel like you’re attacking the ball on the inside, and fully releasing the club to get that right-to-left shape. If you want power, it’s all about the draw.
4 If your first movement once you take the club back is over the top, then that’s one thing that will rob you of power. It’s like throwing a punch at someone when you’re out of position. It causes you to almost go backwards. When you hit down on the ball, it creates a lot more spin and it produces a high and right ball flight. You have to think ‘step into it and punch’. I try to feel like I’m on the inside hitting up to hit a big, high draw.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE TIPS TO GET BIGGER DRIVES
5 Amateurs usually only turn back about 45 degrees, which isn’t enough to create that real explosive twist. You’ve got to be able to turn behind the ball and keep your hips pretty still. When I’m taking the club back, there’s a little bit of hip turn but there’s 90 degrees of shoulder rotation. There has to be that separation and twist.
6 Fitness, stability, and functional movement is key to holding the force through your golf swing, so you’ve got to improve your body to get better at driving. It can be very time consuming but if you really want drastic improvement straight away, you’ve got to work every day. If you just want to improve on it, go to the gym two-to-three times a week.
7 It’s not about throwing weights around in a gym. You need to work on your overall flexibility because you’ve got to be able to turn behind the ball and keep your hips pretty still. You can’t throw a baseball just standing still, and the same applies to golf. A pitcher will make sure everything leans back and then they’ve got the separation to whip it and create lag. When I’m taking it back, there’s a little bit of hip turn, but there’s 90 degrees of shoulder rotation. A lot of amateurs are not as flexible.
8 Make sure you have a stable foundation. If you’re wobbly and swaying, it’s impossible to consistently find the sweetspot. If you’re well balanced with your legs and knees flexed, then you can turn through the ball and hit the shot powerfully. I try and stay as steady as possible through the hips by turning behind the ball with my shoulders. From there, I can just unload and bump a little bit with my hips.
9 I will rarely take that much off it with my driver. But when I do, I tee the ball down 50% more than normal for a straighter flight. When the ball is lower, you’re hitting it lower on the face which creates a little bit more spin so it doesn’t fly as far.
-
Jason Day's nine tips for bigger drives
