Two exercises that target better driver swings—and two more that improve iron play
· Yahoo Sports
If you're an aspirational type of golfer, look no further than Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa as models to copy when it comes to driver swings and irons swings, respectively. McIlroy is typically near the top of the strokes-gained-driving stat while Morikawa is among the leaders in strokes gained on approach shots.Even at golf's highest level, it's unusual when a player is a great driver and a great iron player or vice versa (though there are some examples). The reason it's hard to be both is the body is required to do something different to flush a shot with either type of club. Adjusting your swing to the club in hand is not something that's easy to do—especially for average golfers who often struggle to groove one type of swing, let alone two."The more that golfers slide toward the target earlier in the swing, the more they're going to be able to swing down and compress an iron shot," says Ben Shear, Golf Digest's Chief Fitness Advisor. "The more golfers resist a lateral shift, hang back with their trunk and just rotate toward the ball, the more they're going to be able to use their driver to sweep the ball off the tee—a key for distance."
If you hit better iron shots than drives, Shear says you can improve your tee shots by training your body to rotate without moving so much laterally. And if you drive the ball better than you hit irons, you need a better blend of lateral and rotational movement.
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Shear, architect of Golf Digest's Fitness Trainer Certification program, offers two exercises—a push and a pull movement using elastic tubing for resistance—that will improve either shot. Do two sets of 12 reps for each exercise. Then switch hand positions and do them in the opposite direction for muscular balance.
Poor Iron Player?You need to learn how to move laterally toward the target as you start the downswing to hit better iron shots. On the course, feel like your weight shifts almost entirely into the left leg as you start down.
Resisted lateral pushes
Standing in an athletic posture with your feet perpendicular to the anchored point of a resistance band or cable, push your dominant hand across and then away from your body. Rotate your trunk as you extend the arm.
Resisted lateral pulls
Stand in an athletic posture with your feet perpendicular to an anchored resistance band or cable and your arm extended. Pull across your body with your non-dominant hand as you rotate your trunk.
Bad With Your Driver?You need to learn how to rotate your trunk—not lean it toward the target—as you start the downswing to hit better drives. On the course, feel like your trunk rotates toward the ball but stays behind its position on the tee.
Resisted rotational pushes
Stand in an athletic posture with your feet facing away from the anchored point of a resistance band or cable. Push with your dominant hand away from your chest, rotating your trunk as you extend the arm.
Resisted rotational pulls
Standing in an athletic posture with your feet facing the anchored point of resistance band or cable and your arm extended, pull toward your body with your non-dominant hand as you rotate your trunk backward.
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