How to build power in your backswing

A longer backswing can increase your swing speed and boost your distance potential, but only if you do it the right way. Here are the steps to lengthening your swing enough to maximize power without compromising your ability to consistently stirke the ball solid. —Erika Larkin, one of Golf Digest's 50 Best Teachers in America

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Make a full turn
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  • To effectively lengthen your swing, you need more body rotation
  • If you don’t turn your chest, your arms will just collapse behind you
  • Rotating your upper body will widen the radius of your swing
  • A good thought is to turn your lead shoulder behind the ball
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Load Your Trail Hip
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  • Your hips should turn about half as much as your shoulders
  • Keep your knees soft and responsive as you turn your pelvis
  • Your trail foot and ankle should create a fixed point to turn around
  • As you turn, let your trail hip tilt a little higher than your lead hip
  • Don't overdo that tilt—keep a little bend in your trail knee
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swing with a 1-2 Tempo
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  • A rushed tempo will shorten your backswing and limit power
  • Recite a phrase in your head to help syncronize your swing
  • Pick something with four syllables, like Ar-nold Pal-mer
  • Two syllables on the backswing, two on the downswing
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