Looking for more distance

[LFalc23]

Hi everyone, first post here. I am 20 years old and this is my third season playing golf, usually shooting in the low 80's. Got into it after high school where I used to play football and run track and got hooked immediately. I work nights so I am lucky enough to get out at least 4 times a week and have improved a lot since the beginning with no lessons. 100 yards and in are what I have practiced most and saves most of my scores. Honestly I am looking for a little more distance and really who isn't? I already hit the ball pretty straight and the farthest I feel comfortable carrying my driver is about 240 yards. If theres trouble past that I'm laying up. I know I have the physical ability to hit it longer but can't seem to figure it out on my own. Had my friend take a slow mo video with my phone yesterday of me hitting 3 wood off the tee (ignore the toe hit....). If anyone sees anything that could be robbing me power or causing me to swing slower and has suggestions to fix it any help would be appreciated.

 

Thank you,

Louis

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hm8Bd1Pwlk

[Reasonability]

LF,

Welcome - for starters. What you're about to hear is one golfer reaching out to another. I will share what I'd do if it were me personally. Hopefully a good quality teaching pro is (or will be) handy for you to compare notes with.

I think (hope) the thing you might be able to get the most from is the image below.

The angle between your left arm and the shaft has almost completely straightened out. The clubhead was gaining speed as that straightening occurred but that acceleration is pretty well spent by the time you make it to impact.

If it were me I would get the hands, shaft and clubhead moving right in front of the sternum as much as possible - starting with the takeaway. As is, you will notice the clubheand moves, then the hands catch up to that, then the sternum tends to go last during your takeaway.

Then at the top of the backswing it appears you hands want to continue to keep going but the turn of the shoulders and hips have stalled....(see how the upper back wants to lean a little going into the transition as you start back down?)

Then the opposite starts on the downswing - the left arm is almost pinned across the chest coming back down and the right elbow is a little late in getting in front of and passing the right hip (ideally that elbow leads the wrists down in front of you as you turn through the shot). Once the left arm is a little pinned across the chest and the right elbow is working a little late - then the wrists and hands start to dump that angle too early (as pictured).

So I would keep the club working more in front of the chest as much as possible (back and through), In transition I would BARELY bump the lead knee only toward the target and get that right elbow working down in front of me to sort of lead the hands. That little bend in the back of the right wrist you see at the top of the backswing - ('d just let that angle go for a ride all the way down - until the handle is closer to the left thigh) THEN the wrists could just naturally unhinge. You would hear the "whoosh" of the clubhead more on the target-side of the ball meaning you are accelerating through the ball more so than "at" it.

About the only other thing I believe I might look into would be getting the left hip bumped just a fraction more toward the target at setup. (just a tiny bit). The reason being that doing so would allow you to reach the top of the backswing with the lower back a tiny bit closer to the target than the upper back. You would be taking full and powerful advantage of what's often termed "secondary spine tilt" that way which would add even more control and power - with very little effort. Its a way of making the swing more efficient.

Hope something in all of this is of use. Again welcome - and hopefully yourself and a good instructor could look into all this and can compare notes. Best to you.