Golf Tips » September 1999: How Do Female Golfers Get More Distance? Part 2

This months tip request comes from Wendy Morris of Pawleys Island who asks,

“How do female golfers get more distance?”

Well, Wendy, this is a common question asked at the golf school, and there are three parts to this article.

Part 1 was the August 1999 tip, read this first.

Part 2 – The Start of the Downswing

The Power Move

The start of the downswing is critical in two ways. It determines the direction and the power of the shot!

The downswing must be started with the lower body as Jenny Buchanan is demonstrating her in picture #1.

Any attempt to start the downswing with the arms will cause you to come “over thee top” of the shot and the hands will uncock the wrists too soon (called “casting”) and a loss of power will result.

The second aspect is to hold the angle between the shaft and the forearm as long as possible, as Jenny is doing in picture #3

I see the losing of this angle as the biggest cause of power loss in high handicap golfers.

In order to help our students with this problem we give them a drill to do called the “dagger drill”. We call it the “dagger drill” because we “dagger” the butt end of the club at the ball on the downswing in order to keep the angle between the shaft and the arm as long as possible.

The “Dagger Drill”

Take the club back to the top of your backswing and then start the downswing with a slight lateral move of the hips while still holding the angle of the club shaft as in picture #2

Stop at this position, and then return to the top of your backswing. Come down once again to the “dagger position” and then return to the top of your swing. On the third downward move, continue right through impact trying to hold the shaft angle as long as you possibly can.

Practice this drill until you can hit the ball solidly and feel the “snap” of the wrists right at impact. This move alone will help you produce several more yards to your shots.