Does More Leg Drive = More Distance?

Golf is a game of angles...the fewer the better. That's the first rule you should know about golf and the Peak Performance Golf Swing. This is especially true whenever you're trying to reach back for that little extra power.

Jim Alex wrote in to ask if I could explain how he should use his legs to gain more power and distance. He doesn't think that he is using them enough and wants to see his ball fly farther down the fairway. I can appreciate Jim's request, because who doesn't want more distance? But, the idea that you need to move your legs more to increase your distance is inaccurate.

Hi Don,

I enjoy watching your lessons on the internet. I would appreciate learning how to use my legs to get more power and, consequently, more distance.

Thank you,
Jim Alex

The fewer the angles you have, the better off you'll be. Too much knee movement is going to throw you all out of whack, so you should immediately nix that thought. One of the staples of the PPGS is our setup position with wide knees outward pressure. Having this proper setup will keep you very stable, which will allow you to swing your arms faster. Your power will come from the speed in which you swing your arms, not the amount of movement in your knees.

In the words of my son DJ Trahan (who is playing at the Puerto Rico Open this week), "Hold your legs more and swing your arms faster towards the target." That's how DJ amps up his distance, and it should be the same swing thought for you. We don’t go for a wider stance, bigger turn, or longer backswing because all those things will destroy your angles. My first rule of the PPGS says that golf is a game of angles…the fewer the better.

Swing your arms faster (not your body) and remember that the PPGS is the ultimate energy swing.

Keep it vertical!

The Surge

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