Kyle Berkshire is one of the tallest drivers in the world.
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Welcome to Play Smarta regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you play smarter and better golf.
No one has ever hit a golf ball as hard as Kyle Berkshire. In late 2023, the long pro driver hit 241 mph (yes, you read that right) ball speed just weeks after he recorded a drive that traveled 579 yards. There’s tall, and then there’s Kyle Berkshire tall.
Long drivers are a different kind of golfer than your average Joe—or even your average pro—but there’s still a lot to be learned about how they go after the ball. And if you can incorporate some of the long drive technique into your game, you can add precious yards to your carry numbers.
In a video recently posted on social media, Berkshire shared some of his own the secrets to bombing the big stick. And in the video posted below, you can learn his biggest tip for amateurs looking to add yardage to their drives.
Kyle Berkshire’s long-haul travel advice
If you want to get the most out of your driver, you need to hit OVER on the ball. It’s an easy principle to understand, but in practice it can be difficult to implement.
“I see this in a surprising number of golfers,” says Berkshire. “They have no tilt of the spine.”
If you watch a tall driver at address, you’ll see that his shoulders are angled away from the target. This pattern will repeat as they approach the shot, helping them to move up on the ball, increasing the angle of attack.
@kerrodgraygolf / X
“The best configuration for speed is to tilt the spin axis that is positive relative to the plane you’re moving in,” says Berkshire. “Put your hand on your chest and feel that tilt. And then go for the beat.”
By slightly altering your setup in this way, you’ll instantly induce increased kick and a positive angle of attack. With this, you will probably see longer drives.
