Hit “knockout” drives like Koepka

The three keys to ripping it like U.S. Open and PGA champ Brooks Koepka

“Extend the right arm like a punch to exert every ounce of pressure.”

You don’t need me to tell you that Brooks Koepka is an absolute powerhouse off the tee. You might never be able to replicate the phenomenal distances the Ryder Cupper is known for or get to split the 18th fairway with a bomb like this one at Bellerive Country Club enroute to your third major in six starts. But every amateur can add significant yards to their game by employing these three Koepka driving KPIs.

1. LAGGING IT

▶ The first move in Koepka’s swing is what I refer to as hand lagging. As the picture below illustrates, the threetime major champion achieves phenomenal width in his backswing by ensuring the clubhead doesn’t go past his hands until he completes almost all of his takeaway turn. The other key here is that Koepka has no wrist hinge in his big turn, creating maximum width and shifting the balance of his hips and body nicely. By replicating Koepka first driving KPIs - delay your wrist hinge and maximise that rotation - you’re on your way to career best bombs.

2. CONNECTION

▶ The second key for Koepka is his arm structure in the back swing. Notice his elbows stay tight together in the swing (right). We see a lot of club golfers that rotate the clubhead through impact and this is often because their arms are separated, causing an early release because they’re not able to fully extend their arms at the ball. It’s chiefly caused by the right arm being too far away from the left so keep that right gun of yours tucked in close to his neighbour.

3. KNOCKOUT PUNCH

▶ This is going to sound relatively straight forward but you’d be surprised how few amateurs fully extend the arms through the impact zone. If you look at Koepka’s right arm here, he gets every single possible ounce of power out of that massive gun. There are obviously two levers, the wrist and the elbow, so if you can have both of those fully released on to the ball, just at the moment of impact, you’re imparting maximum leverage onto the ball. Sure, there are players who have a bent left arm through impact, noticably Lee Westwood and Rickie Fowler. Even Koepka here has a slightly bent left elbow but notice how every single muscle in his right arm is flexed through impact. Boom!

To recap, make a full rotation in your backswing with no initial wrist hinge to create maximum width and power. This is also important for your balance shift in the takeaway. Then, for control of the clubface, keep your elbows tight together in the swing before extending the right arm as a knockout punch though the ball to get every single ounce of pressure out of your body. See you down the fairway!