Rory McIlroy is one of the longest drivers in the game.
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Rory McIlroy has become one of the greatest players of his generation. With 26 PGA Tour wins, 17 DP World Tour wins and four major titles, he has compiled the kind of career that few in the history of the game can match.
Throughout his triumphs, perhaps the biggest key to his success has been the driver. With one terrible draw and over 180 mph the speed of the ball in his arsenal, his game off the tee has been completely dominant.
Over the past 10 seasons, McIlroy has ranked in the top 10 in SG: Off the Tee every year. His “worst” driving season during that span, he finished sixth. Pretty impressive stuff.
McIlroy’s accuracy deserves praise, but what makes it truly great is the distance it generates. Despite being only 5 feet 9 inches tall, Wee-Mac is one of the tallest drivers on the planet.
Watch the video below where he explains his secret to hitting bombs off the tee.
Rory’s driving secret
When you really need to throw a car down the freeway, it can be tempting to drive with reckless abandon. This may give you a little extra swing speed, but it’s far from the most efficient way to generate power.
When McIlroy is trying to really follow a drive, he first focuses on establishing a solid base by widening his stance. Then he moves the ball slightly forward in his stance.
Once at the top of the backswing, McIlroy likes to feel a softness in the transition. This may seem counterintuitive when trying to generate speed, but it helps synchronize everything and makes for an efficient start to the landing.
“From there, once I get the club going, then I just focus on whatever energy I’ve built up,” says McIlroy. “Just trying to put it all into hitting the golf ball and impact.”
Stronger swings can generate more swing speed, but ultimately it’s more important to find the center of the clubface. When you do this, not only will you have better accuracy, but you will also generate more ball speed as the club is being used more efficiently.
Try these tips the next time you need a big drive and you’ll be hitting the ball like McIlroy in no time.
