It may look more like something you’d see at a trick-shot competition, but hitting driver off your knees is actually a great drill to train better swing mechanics as well as increase distance and consistency.
Here’s European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington showing you how it’s done…
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While the tweet is suggesting Harrington is messing around on the range, there is actually a method to his apparent madness.
The Ryder Cup captain replied to the tweet saying:
“It’s a fairly standard speed drill. Topped out at 174mph ball speed. That’s similar to my normal range speed which suggests I don’t generate much speed from my leg work.”
In particular, this is perfect for those who struggle with coming over the top and slicing. And it’s easy to do.
Simply place your knees on a towel and set up as you would normally from there with the upper body slightly tilted away from the target. I would advise making some practice swings before getting started as it takes some getting used to.
What are the benefits of hitting driver off your knees?
- Shows you how to swing your arms properly and therefore, improve your angle of attack
- Learn to load your wrists and shoulders and how to unload at impact to create speed
- Teaches you when to apply force to the club and gives you instant feedback. Hint: you’ll hit the ground if done wrong
- Levels out swing path
- Helps with consistency of strike
Try this exercise the next time you’re at the range. Don’t worry about how it looks – if it’s good enough for the pros, it’s good enough for you.
Have you tried hitting driver off your knees? If you’ve tried any other extravagant drills, I’d love to hear about them. Let me know in the comments or tweet me.
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