Hard Ball

HOW A SMALLER GUY LIKE ME KILLS IT OFF THE TEE

- Xander Schauffele

WITH RON KASPRISKE

Ever since my early teens, I’ve tried to swing the driver very fast. Back then, it was as fast as I could. But now that I’m 24, I’m working to dial back some of that speed, knowing I have an extra gear if needed. The goal is to protect myself from injuries down the road – especially to my back. That being said, I’ll always swing my swing. My hips will always lead in the downswing, and I’ll always fire off my right foot. I know Tiger and other big hitters keep their right foot down and mainly use their bodies to power through the ball, but I’m not Tiger’s size. Some TV analysts have said that Justin Thomas and I generate big drives the same way. I’m 5-10, 80 kilogramss. Justin is similar. We’re small compared to many other long hitters, so we have to push off our right side – use the ground as much as we can – to hit big drives. He kills it. And I’d like to think I’m pretty long, too. When I outdrive someone much bigger than me, it proves that my motion is more efficient, more “in-tune.” The point I’m trying to make is that no matter what your physical limitation might be, you can always find some extra distance if you know where to look. Let me point you in the right direction with a few things from my game plan. These are feels and drills that my father and only coach, Stefan, taught me as a junior, and I still use them. I think they’re universally applicable to hitting it farther. Give them a try, and see if they don’t boost your distance numbers.