How to hit longer drives, according to the longest player on the LPGA Tour

Everyone wishes they could add a few extra yards to their drives. In the bomb-and-gouge era of golf we find ourselves in, there’s no greater weapon than a reliable big stick. But adding some extra pop to your drives is easier said than done.

There are several ways you can increase your driving distance — from speed training to getting fit for a more modern club — but there are also a few simple changes to your swing you can make to add some extra pop as well.

According to Anne van Dam, the longest hitter on the LPGA Tour, the reason many people can’t get the power they desire is a misunderstanding of ground reaction forces and weight transfer.

van Dam says she’ll see lots of amateurs shift their weight forward during the backswing and then must slide back during the downswing to counteract it. The result is inconsistent and weak contact.

Instead, you should try to shift your weight to your back foot during the backswing and transfer that energy to your lead side as you approach impact.

“You almost feel in your backswing that you can lift your back foot,” van Dam says. “And when you go on your follow-through, you finish completely on the left and you can almost lift your right foot.”

She suggests mimicking this feeling during your practice swing to get the proper feel before you stand over the ball. Too often, practice swings are done with no purpose and without any goal in mind. If you want to add power, you need to focus on rehearsing weight transfer before you swing.

Check out the entire video below to learn van Dam’s tips for hitting longer drives.

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.com, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf.