I’ve always struggled to consistently “hit up” on my driver.

Every time I focus on swinging up on the ball and launching it high into the air, my contact tends to suffer. Because of this, I’ve always been content playing with a relatively neutral angle of attack with the big stick.

This approach works for pros on the PGA Tour. But for weekend warriors, it’s not ideal. Tour pros can get away with a neutral (or even negative) attack angle thanks to their high clubhead speeds. When you swing that fast, a flatter strike doesn’t cost much distance, and they’re content to trade a bit of power for accuracy. For recreational players with slower swing speeds, though, hitting up on the ball is crucial for maximizing distance.

During a lesson last winter with GOLF Top 100 Teacher Jason Baile, something finally clicked for me. I didn’t need to overhaul my swing to hit up on the ball — I just needed to make a small tweak to my setup.

At address, Baile had me slightly “bump” my lead hip toward the target. This positioned my lead hip a bit higher than my trail hip, which naturally increased my attack angle without me having to think about it.

Once I incorporated this adjustment, I saw immediate results. Whereas I used to hover around -1 or 0, my attack angle now sits between 2 and 3. As a result, my drives launch higher and with less spin, making my swing more efficient and powerful.

“No one has ever gotten worse by improving their setup,” Baile said.

When you dial in your setup, the game becomes a whole lot easier. If you struggle to hit up on your driver, give this a try — you’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to deliver the clubhead with a positive attack angle.

3 Things I’m Thinking

1. Data I’m digging. Data Golf has long been the standard for advanced analytics in men’s golf, and now those insights are available in the women’s game as well. It should make for much more informed analysis when it comes to ladies’ game, which is something we can all celebrate.

2. Nelly’s on top. Speaking of Data Golf rankings, it should come as no surprise that Nelly Korda is the top-ranked player in their women’s ranking. And with 2.92 strokes gained per round, she is in the same neighborhood as top-ranked men’s golfer, Scottie Scheffler, who gains 2.95 strokes per round.

3. Rory’s return. Rory McIlroy won’t be teeing it up at this week’s Signature Event at Doral, but he has committed to next week’s Truist Championship. Will the friendly confines of Quail Hollow (where he’s won four times) be enough to stave off a post-Masters hangover?

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