A simple household product can help generate more power and lead to more distance from the driver.
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I don’t know many golfers who they are not looking for ways to add power to their movement. But with more power and speed comes responsibility, as the player must figure out how to keep good bases when trying to bomb it a little farther.
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Swing very hard and you risk breaking your sequencewhich can throw off your club path and lead to bad mistakes.
So how can even the average golfer gain more power and distance without sacrificing accuracy? Simply using a car sponge (really!), which will give you the feel of a wide-to-narrow swing path and create more lag on the club.
Jason Carbone, a GOLF Top 100 Alumni Teacherexplains how (and why) it works below.
This sponge drill can increase the distance of the driver. Here’s how
How does sponge piercing work?
“Take a regular car wash sponge and place it under your arm at address,” says Carbone. “Imagine that the sponge is full of water and that any tension placed on it will spill the water all over your shirt. Now hold the sponge under your arm at address so lightly that not a drop is spilled.”
As you begin to pick up your food, Carbone says to continue holding the sponge all the way to the top of the backstroke, making sure there’s still some tension. This should be maintained all the way to just before impact – this is when your trail arm should be squeezed hard, releasing the water into the sponge.
“Once you get the stroke, I want you to squeeze the sponge really hard, making sure every drop of water comes out,” he adds.
“The purpose of this drill is to teach you the feel of a wide to narrow swing – as you swing the club back, it should feel like your swing arc is wide, and when you swing down and squeeze the club, it should feel tight . This helps create the clubhead lag you need for more power and added distance.”
Moreover, this sponge drill offers the sensation of long delay transition from backswing to downswingalso causing you to keep your arms connected to your body through the stroke.
“This combination of movements is something that all good players use to build power as well as increase accuracy and endurance,” shares Carbone.
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