Women’s Golf: I Want More Distance Now!

We all want more distance off the tee. With women, I see a few common threads that need addressing, and pronto.

The key elements to hitting the ball farther are:

• Setup • Backswing musts • Release on the downswing • Finish

SOLID SETUP

• Chin up, not pinned.

• Arms hang down without tension, with shoulders over toes.

• Shaft pointing to belt buckle, ensuring I'm the correct distance from the ball.

• The right bend from hip joints, not waist, creating good angles in my hip crease and knees.

• Pressure points in the feet favoring the balls of my feet.

• Zero doubt, only laser focus on a specific target out in the fairway.

BACKSWING KEYS: LOAD WITH A PURPOSE TO RIP IT!

• Left arm is still connected to my chest.

• Chest facing opposite of fairway, confirming I made a full shoulder turn.

• Hip and knee crease still intact, confirming that I've stayed in my posture. Many players lose this at the top of their swing.

• Big stretch through my back. I feel tightly coiled. Club not even to parallel, but my shoulders have turned significantly.

• I feel like I sit into my back hip, almost as if it heads back toward the target.

• I feel pressure on the inside of my back thigh.

• My feet are gripping the turf. This is your power source. Use the ground as leverage. Grip it to rip it!

COIL FOR POWER

• My clubface matches my left forearm.

• I've maintained my posture as indicated by my hip and knee crease. My belt buckle points down. Many players straighten the back leg, causing the hip to raise.

• I like to feel a low center of gravity with the ground from the start of the swing to the moment I'm ready to explode into the ball.

• Front foot planted, but most of my weight has shifted to the inside heel of my back foot.

ONCE YOU REACH HIP HEIGHT, EXPLODE!

• The L of my right elbow is still intact. My legs are driving the downswing with my hands and arms following.

• Pressure point moves toward front toe.

• My shoulder plane is still intact. Once I hit hip height, I release the L hard through impact.

• Using the ground as leverage, I'm driving into the ground with my front leg.

• Pressure point moves to outside heel.

RELEASE—LET IT GO!

• A good release is the result of doing everything else right.

• My right arm crosses over my left. Notice my left palm facing toward the sky and my left arm still connected to my upper chest.

• My shaft is rehanging, creating the L.

 

FINISH FOR POWER

• An aggressive finish generates incredible clubhead speed.

• Sternum is still square to the ball as my hips are unwinding at warp speed.

• My right shoulder has completely rotated through the shot.

• Belt facing left of target.

• Aggressively getting to your finish is the secret to power, assuming you've loaded in the backswing.

• Pressure point on the outside of my front heel.

Christina Ricci is an LPGA apprentice and a top-selling author for the female enthusiast. You can learn more at www.golfsurvivalguide.com.