How to hit the ball longer by properly using your chest

Distance off the tee is a must if you want to compete at the highest levels of golf. Sure, there’s room for short hitters in this game, but to really become a star, you’ve got to have considerable distance off the tee.

Chasing distance can be tricky business, though. If you go about it the wrong way, you can lose your swing and all the things that made it dependable in the first place. That’s not to say you shouldn’t be trying to add yards to your tee ball, just that you need to be exacting in how you go about it.

There is a multitude of tried-and-true training aids that can help you gain some distance, but you can also do it the old-fashioned way and make a couple tweaks to your swing. One tweak you can incorporate comes from GOLF Top 100 Teacher Martin Hall, and all it involves is using your chest better during the backswing.

Like many great golf sayings, the reminder for this swing thought is short and catchy — turn your chest to drive your best.

As Hall explains, he likes to teach his pupils to turn with their chests rather than their shoulders. The reason is that golfers can move their shoulders independent of their torso, and he wants the torso to be fully engaged during the swing.

“If the chest stays still and the shoulders are moving,” Hall says. “We’re reducing the power.”

The more the chest turns during the backswing, the more potential power the swing has.

“I like to think that the chest is pointing down at the ball when I set up,” Hall says. “I feel like I’m, going to get [my chest] pointing almost to the sky — I never quite get there — but the intent to do that makes me turn my chest and drive my best.”

If you can remember that simple phrase when you’re standing over the ball, you’re sure to add a few yards to your tee shots.

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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.