Finally, some distance with a shorter backswing

I have never been able to drive the ball more than 220. It's been very frustrating especially since I'm a pretty muscular dude. I get a lot of "Hey you should be able to drive further than that." I've been working at shortening my backswing at the range and just got finished playing a round in which I hit at least 3 balls further than 250 (verified by GPS) and a few more in the 220-230 range. (I also broke 100 for the first time)

The shorter, lower backswing really helps me feel the coil and I am able to open my hips and come through with loose arms while generating a ton of force. I used to think you guys were all full of shit when you said you drive 270-290 typically. Now I view golf so differently. On the 18th hole (Pelham Bay Golf Course, Bronx, NY) which is 420 yds and uphill to the green with a HUGE bunker in front of it. I never thought I could reach this green in 2. Well today I Hit my driver about 220-230 and hit my 5W out of the rough about 210 yds PAST the green. I usually hit that club 190-200 but this new shorter backswing is working wonders! I've never been a technician in sports (more of a strategist) but whatever I changed was a huge help today. So psyched.....

Now watch me play next week and go back to shanking shit into the woods...

Don't lose hope.  I'm 6'3", 205, pretty strong and flexible, college baseball player.  The first couple years after I got seriously into golf I felt like I absolutely crushed one at my range if I got it to the back fence (at ~235) on the fly.  Now I feel like I mishit it if I don't carry that fence (and it's tall, maybe 40').  I'd guess I've added 50 yards to my average drive over the past 6 years.  It'll come.

Yea I'm 205 but only 5'9". People think stocky and muscular translates to a fast swing when really length is what helps. If I continue to get 250 consistently straight I'll rest easy the rest of my life.

My best golfing buddy is 5'9".  I bet he averages 280 carry+roll with the driver, and I've seen him pump many out past 300 on flat ground.  You don't need length, and muscular is fine.  It's all about technique!

I'm 40 yrs old, 5'6", 145 lbs, haven't worked out in two years, and don't take a particularly long backswing.  I regularly drive it 250 these days.  There is a lot that goes into swing speed that doesn't have anything to do with brawn or length.

I really should work out again, though.

Very true. Hitting the sweet spot on the club face, and syncing up your body with your swing, will produce some good distance. Also, you may try to swing a tad slower, and focus on making good contact with all of your clubs. Example, there's a instructor at the range I go to, he is about 5'6" tall, and weighs about 140 soaking wet, his swing looks slow, yet he crushes all of his clubs, his driver hits the 255 yd net about 20 to 30' high, so the carry is much more.

Stick with it, maybe post a video of your swing in the Member Swing forum here.

One of my biggest issues is I tend to take too big of a back swing and this year I was determined to shorten it. I hit the ball last year on average about 245 yards and this year I am averaging 265 and have hit a few out there around 280 which for me is really good. It all came from just shortening my backswing, something the pro I am friends with has been trying to get me to do for a while. It has made my swing much more consistent as that has been my overall goal this year and my spread in score between a good and bad round is much smaller now, all from that change.

Thanks for this thread.

I have to remind myself of this.

I took some video of myself today and unconsciously I go back as far as I can.

No bueno.

out of curiosity, for those of you who are using it -- does the shortened backswing promote a brief pause at the top??

i haven't ever really taken a 'huge' backswing (so i'm wondering if i've always had a shorter backswing, TBH), but i have had great success concentrating on the slightest of pauses at the top of my swing.  i've recently been able to increase my tempo from what i would consider 'comfortably deliberate' to 'naturally smooth', and the last two rounds i have been killing my 3w off the tee (and oddly with a draw, which was never in my repertoire).  i'm also striking the ball very consistently with my irons, it just feels very comfortable.  turned in my best round ever at league last night.

just wondering if there is a correlation between the two, or if anyone is consciously pausing while using a shorter backswing.  perhaps it just allows us to focus more on the swing as a whole, which contributes to better distance.

I think that's probably going to vary from player to player. I don't feel a pause on my full swings but I do intentionally pause slightly on partial swings or I can get a little chaotic.