Jessica Marksbury
For many recreational players, gaining more distance off the tee starts with increasing their turn on the backswing. But that can be daunting, especially if you already have a limited range of motion due to a large chest or short arms.
But according to teaching professional Gia Bocra Liwski, there’s an easy fix: simply drop your trail foot back about four to six inches at address. (Check out the right-side image above.)
“You’re basically buying yourself a turn,” Liwski told me a GOLF’s recent Top 100 Teacher Summit at Pinehurst. “You’re buying yourself flexibility, and you’re buying yourself width because you’re opening that hip up.”
Dropping your trail foot back allows you to truly finish your backswing, Liwski says, allowing you both the time and the space you need for your arms and the club to match up better with your hip turn. Check out the extended range of motion on the right-side photo above — all thanks to a simple step back.
A deeper turn offers many benefits, including better impact and, ultimately, more yards. Give it a try — and enjoy.
Gia Bocra Liwski is the Creator & Host of Golf Experiences for Her® and a teaching professional at Fiddler’s Elbow in Bedminster, N.J.