The Transition Drill with the Driver: A Drill with Todd Kolb

By Ann Marie Roberts
August 17, 2016

08/17/2016

The nemesis club for some. The big dog. It’s known as the driver.

How many times have you gone to a demo day and tried out a new driver? Borrowed your buddy’s? Cursed it one minute and love it the next? For most golfers it seems to be a love hate relationship with the big number 1!

Put your money away for now because buying a new driver may not be the answer for you, because PGA Teaching Professional Todd Kolb has a drill designed specifically for your driver. It’s called the Transition Drill.

To get the full effect and length out of your driver, you need speed. The Transition Drill is designed to give you that speed at the right moment for the maximum effect of your driver.

This drill will teach your body how to have good transition movement in your golf swing. It will maximize the speed of your club at impact resulting in a longer tee shot. And isn’t that what you want when you pull out the big stick?

So you now have a reason to head to the range with your driver. You can practice and hit it with a purpose. Now this drill will take you some time getting used to, so don’t get discouraged or give up on it because with some time and practice you will get it and be able to see results.

In the Transition Drill you will want to tee it up and put your feet together. Your feet will be together and but they will be back and behind the golf ball. Next take your arms as you are holding the club and put them out in front of the ball. The club will be off the ground out in front of you. Now in one motion swing your arms and the club back together away from your target. As you swing the arms and club back away from the target you will step forward towards your target with your lead foot.

The confusing part of this drill and the parts you will have to get used to with time and practice is the fact you will have two different directions going at once. Your arms and club will be going away from the target and your lead foot will be going towards the target.

What this movement will allow your body to accomplish in the swing is a smooth transition out. With a smooth transition you will have increased club head speed which will equal more distance. The key to all this though is the club head speed will be increased at the right moment, the moment of impact.

Hitting the golf ball further is about center of contact and increasing your club head speed all at the right time.

So instead of cursing that sometimes beloved club or leaving it in the trunk, head out to the range and practice this Transition Drill. With some work you will start to see the results you want. Happy Hitting!!

1 Comment

  1. Great insight and will be very helpful to me. Question: can I use the drill
    when actually driving the ball from the tee? Also, as an aside, I will use this drill with my granddaughters’ softball swing. She seems to be late with
    her bat swing; especially as she gets older and meets faster pitchers.

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