Hip & Torso Distance Drill

Video Transcript

Well the rules of golf have finally changed because I have a ball big enough here that I can not miss. That is not the reason for it here, this is a drill that can help you disassociate what the lower half does from the upper half. What the guys and gals on Tour do that hit the ball a long way is they are able to keep their lower half really quite and not move very much while they get a nice turn through their chest or upper bodies. What this is called is disassociation. Most players that struggle with distance tend to have everything go together. Their hips turn as much as their shoulders. They have not created what is called an X Factor. The X Factor is defined basically is the difference with what your hips would do with what your shoulders would do, from an overhead view. My shoulders are turning this way, while my hips stay like this and it creates and X. That is basically what it means, the X Factor. So here is how this works. This ball is a medium sized plastic ball that I have taken some air out of. I put it right in between my knees and I am going to squeeze it a little bit. Take my golf posture with my hands over my shoulders. Now the goal is turn my upper body as much as I can while I am resisting turning with my lower half. What I really feel now is I feel my feet rooting into the ground. It is giving me a great sense of stability and support and now I am getting a nice big stretch across my left side and my lats. I can do it again. Just this action on a repetitive basis will help to teach you how to disassociate your lower half from your upper half. There will be impact and you can do the same thing on the forward swing. Give this drill at try it is going to help you tremendously from a stability and coordination standpoint. It will also help transfer directly towards you hitting the ball more solid and a greater distance.

Laird Small
Pebble Beach Golf Academy
1700 17-Mile Drive
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
Tel: 831-622-8650

Laird Small is Director of The Pebble Beach Golf Academy and is listed as one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers and Golf Digest's #23 instructor in the world.

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