Not sure what to work on this off-season? Here's an idea – why not focus on the area of the game proven to have the biggest impact at every level
Being able to hit the golf ball further can make such a positive impact to your game. It sounds obvious but I still hear so many amateurs refusing to acknowledge the difference a few extra yards can make. If you look at the guys who dominate the strokes gained off-the-tee stat year-on-year, it’s always the ‘bombers’. In 2019 it was Rory McIlroy – who had arguably his most consistent season ever – who led the way in this and the strokes gained tee-to-green category.
And the Northern Irishman makes no attempts to hide the emphasis he places on these statistics: “One of my goals every year is to reach the holy grail of +3 [strokes gained tee-to-green]. I’m getting closer and I’m not going to stop until I get there because Tiger has done it in multiple seasons, and when you get to three strokes gained, you’re just in another league.
“That’s what I strive towards.”
McIlroy believes, quite rightly, that if he is performing well in these categories across an entire season, the results will take care of themselves.
“That’s the professional game though, it won’t make the same difference for me.”
Well, as it happens, the impact is actually greater for club golfers. If you don’t believe me, the good people at the Professional Golf Association have done some research. Check out this tweet from Jack Wells, a PhD researcher in golf biomechanics and Sport Scientist for the PGA:
What’s the value of increasing your drive distance by 20 yards?For a PGA Tour player, this equates to 0.75 strokes saved per round. If you have a handicap of 8, 18 or 28, an extra 20 yards will save you 1.3, 1.6 and 2.3 strokes respectively. #Golf #Research #Evidence #GoLong
— Jack Wells (@JackWells009) January 1, 2020
They are crazy savings per round.
Now, I’m not saying you should abandon every other performance aspect and go on a relentless pursuit of power, but there are some simple ways I believe everyone can make gains.
In fact, I was lucky enough recently to spend time with elite golf instructor, Dan Whittaker, and pick his brains about how I can introduce more distance into my own tee game. He shared some simple set-up tips that can help everyone on a shot-by-shot basis before discussing the three main areas of the swing where power is generated.
So why not start here and see how you get on?
If this helped in any way, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the section below or tweet me.