We see many swing idiosyncrasies among the world’s longest drivers. But there is certainly one component they all possess – a strong, stable and active trail leg during the backswing.
The stabilising and activation of your trail side will help you in many ways, one being able to hit it further. It is important to learn how to use the ground in the trail side during the backswing to store up that power before we start swinging down. This a very simple, yet hugely effective drill which will help you create the result that you are looking for
- Take your standard driver set-up and then withdraw your lead foot away so it sits behind your trail leg with the toe of the lead foot lightly touching the ground.
- Focus on feeling well balanced and stable in your trail foot before starting the swing.
- You should already feel an increase in pressure throughout the trail side and your glute muscle (yes that is your butt) becoming active. The red circle highlights where the glute muscle is on your trail side and the yellow/red semi-circle indicates the direction you should feel the pressure created by your body weight.
- Slowly move through your takeaway and feel how you have to work hard to keep the trail foot stable and the pressure going in the same direction (yellow semi-circle).
- If you are able to maintain this you will sense your glute muscle beginning to work much harder.
- Very slowly, and with as much control as possible, take the backswing as close to the top as you can whilst trying to keep the pressure in the trail foot to increase the workload in the glute.
- Your backswing is now in a very stable and powerful position.
- Relax and bring the club slowly to the bottom and restart the drill.
After a couple of attempts at the drill go ahead and try to create the same sensation from a standard set-up and increase the amount of power available in that drive.
