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BackswingSwing and Swing PlaneSpeed, Power, and Distance Driver Beginner / Intermediate ⏱ 3 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Butch Harmon on Distance: A Low, Wide Takeaway

In a 1997 episode of "Academy Live" hosted by Scott Van Pelt, Butch Harmon breaks down his keys to hitting the ball farther. Grip, backswing width, rotation, and extension: it all starts with a low takeaway, using the drill he had been working on with Tiger Woods that very morning.

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Butch Harmon
Butch Harmon · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

2 minNext Level UpJustin Rose's ball drill: rotating without liftingJustin Rose · Intermediate14 minNext Level UpCollin Morikawa's Irons: Clubface on the TargetCollin Morikawa · Intermediate / Expert2 minFrom the same proClosed-Face Shank: The Driver Cover DrillButch Harmon · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

Butch Harmon begins with a slightly firmer grip, with your left hand turned to the right, to release the club more easily. Next is the width: The biggest enemy of distance is raising the club too quickly by staying on the left side, which creates a very steep angle of attack, backspin, and a ball that rises. You need to feel the club start low, straight, and wide, with the end of the grip as far away from your right leg as possible, then rotate your shoulders as far as possible while resisting with your hips and keeping your right leg bent.

This tight grip at the top of the swing allows you to bounce back toward the ball like a spring, with the speed coming from the lower body rather than the hands and arms: weight transfer to the left knee and hip, rotation, then the right arm extends along the body’s line—not toward the right. The image: shake hands with the target. To keep the ball low off the ground, place a ball about 45 cm behind yours and push it off at the start, or knock a tee out of the way. Tiger Woods, when raising his club, would hold a club above the ground behind the ball to force it to go underneath.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Turn your left hand slightly to the right to improve your grip.
  2. Start your backswing low and wide, moving the grip away from your right leg.
  3. Rotate your shoulders as far as possible while limiting the rotation of your hips and keeping your straight leg bent.
  4. From this tucked position, shift your weight to your left knee and hip, and turn.
  5. Let your right arm extend along the line of your body, as if to shake the target's hand.
  6. At the driving range, place a ball about 45 cm behind yours and nudge it at the start of the backswing.

Key Takeaways

A slightly stronger grip helps you release the club.
Lifting the club too quickly creates a steep angle, backspin, and a ball that rises.
Low, straight, and wide grip: with the grip far from the right leg.
Wide shoulder rotation, hips holding firm, right leg remaining bent.
Speed comes from the lower body, not from the hands and arms.
Extension along the body's line: shake the target's hand.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Swinging the club too steeply in the takeaway.
  • Stay on your left side during the backswing.
  • Generate speed with your hands and arms.
  • Extend your right arm to the right instead of along the line of your body.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Ball placed behind the ball, to be pushed at the start
  2. Tee positioned behind the ball, to be swept on the backswing
  3. Hold the club above the ground behind the ball, swinging underneath it
  4. Swing, ending with a handshake with the target

Your Questions

What does Butch Harmon consider to be the biggest killer of distance?

Lifting the club too quickly in the takeaway. This creates a very steep angle of attack, puts backspin on the ball, and causes it to rise instead of moving forward.

How do you keep your takeoff low?

Place a ball about 45 cm behind yours and push it off the tee, or hit a tee planted in the same spot. With Tiger Woods, Butch Harmon would hold a club above the ground to force him to swing underneath it.

Where does speed come from?

Lower body. A large shoulder rotation combined with a limited hip rotation creates a tight position at the top of the swing, from which you return like a spring.

Learn More

All “Backswing” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Swing and Swing Plane” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Speed, Power, and Distance” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Collin Morikawa's Irons: Clubface on the TargetClubface always toward the target, body open or closed depending on the shot shape, finish height to control trajectory, and a glove under the arm on the backswing. Justin Rose's ball drill: rotating without liftingHolding a ball between your forearms keeps your elbows together: your body rotates instead of raising your arms, your hands remain still, and the angle is maintained. Pause at the Top of the Backswing: Matsuyama ExplainsMatsuyama explains his pause at the top of his swing (his left shoulder is too “tucked in” when imitating Tiger), his hands in front of his chest, and his swing mechanics with the irons. Butch HarmonAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Butch Harmon). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.

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