Do this move with your lead leg to hit longer drives, says Phil Mickelson

Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you play smarter, better golf.

Hitting longer drives is something that will benefit everyone’s game. The closer you are to the green, the easier it is to get the ball close to the hole. And the closer you are to the hole, the more birdies you’ll make. It’s a simple formula — but it’s not so easy to execute.

Hitting the ball longer off the tee happens for a couple main reasons. One is hitting the ball more solidly. If you can find the sweet spot, you’ll increase your efficiency (smash factor) and produce longer drives. The second reason is simply increased clubhead speed. More mph with your driver is a surefire way to add yards to your driving distance.

Common logic would suggest that getting that extra power just comes from maximal effort in your swing. And that logic holds true … sort of. While you do want to swing harder, you want to do it as efficiently as possible, which all starts with implementing the right moves.

Phil Mickelson’s power move

Phil Mickelson might be of Champions Tour age, but that doesn’t mean he’s short off the tee. Far from it, in fact. In recent years, Lefty has maintained and even gained some yards with the driver. And it all starts with being efficient in his move with the driver.

“If you watch the guys who are long drivers like Bryson [DeChambeau], Bubba [Watson], who hit it really hard — all the long drive guys — your knee is meant to bend,” Mickelson says. “There’s minimal rotation, but not a lot. It is not meant to support a lot of violent rotation.”

To take a little stress off his lead knee, and to maximize efficiency, Mickelson allows his lead knee to flex forward, and lets his lead foot flare out toward the target.

“So as we push, you actually want your foot to come off the ground,” he says. “It relieves the pressure and lets your toe open up.”

Don’t be afraid to let your lead foot come off the ground and move a little bit as you make your move through the ball. As Mickelson demonstrates, it not only takes some stress off your lead knee, but also adds some yards to your drives.

Zephyr Melton

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.