There’s a moment in every golfer’s round that feels like the stars are aligning. A wide-open par 5, a breeze at your back, and a runway of fairway calling your name. It’s the green light special, the drive you’ve been waiting for. No hazards pinching in, no swirling winds making you second-guess. Just you, your driver, and the tantalizing promise of reaching the green in two.
Why Big Drives Start at Setup
But here’s the rub: most amateurs blow it. Not because they can’t swing hard, because most can. The real problem is they don’t know how to swing smart while swinging hard.
Enter Mike Malizia, GOLF Top 100 Teacher, who breaks down how to turn opportunity into execution with three straightforward swing keys with three simple tips. Two of them happen before you even pull the trigger. The third adds a touch of flair you’ve probably seen in the swings of golf’s elite bombers.
First: tee it high. Not just “normal” high. When it’s time to go full send, you want the ball teed slightly higher than usual; we’re talking about more than half the ball sitting above the top line of your driver. Why? Because it helps you hit the ball. The result was a higher launch and lower spin, the magic combo for distance.
Unleash Rotation for Maximum Coil
Second: pull that trailing foot back a few inches. This isn’t a gimmick. By doing this, you give yourself more room to rotate during the backswing. More turns equals more coil, and more coil equals more potential energy, the kind you release at impact.
Let the Swing Breathe at the Top
Third: lift the lead foot. This old-school move, think Snead and DeChambeau, gives you just that extra beat in the backswing to load up. It’s like winding a spring just a bit tighter. And when it’s unleashed, the ball knows it.
So the next time you stand over a tee shot with nothing but daylight ahead, remember these tips, don’t just swing harder. Swing smarter. Tee it high, shift your stance, and let the swing breathe. The result might just be your longest drive of the day, and a shot at eagle.
