Use the Ground to Hit Harder: Pavon's Drill
As he focused on driving distance, Matthieu Pavon wanted to hit the ball harder without disrupting his swing. With his strength and conditioning coach, he analyzed his foot placement using force plates. At the FFGolf driving range, he explains what he changed and demonstrates the exercise he does every day.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
Pavon didn't want to alter the dynamics of his swing. The focus of the work was on land use: which supports, at what point, to build up speed. His explanation: create a vertical force It absorbs horizontal forces and allows the hips to rotate, thereby generating speed with the lower body. In the gym, he added plyometrics (jumps), weighted rotations, core exercises, and exercises to lengthen the spine: a hunched back hinders rotation.
When it comes to the swing, the drill is simple: start from a normal stance, to pull a foot back, then go continue to provide this support as the club rises and push forward. A few balls each day on the driving range, or mimicking the motion indoors, are enough, in his view, for the body to “copy and paste” the movement. The result: he can now hit the ball hard when he needs to clear an obstacle. And the more he pushes off with his hips, the more his path and his face are in harmony: His powerful drive is straighter, with less fade, than his fairway drive.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- Take your usual stance with the driver.
- Bring one foot back, as Pavon demonstrates in the video.
- Start the backswing.
- During the backswing, get back onto your support.
- Push into the floor and let your hips rotate all the way through the finish.
- Practice a few swings every day, or mimic the motion without a ball.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- Wanting to hit the ball harder by changing your entire swing.
- Focus on generating speed with your arms rather than with your feet.
- Pushing too early or without letting your hips rotate.
- Doing the exercise once and then giving up: it happens every day.
- Neglecting back mobility.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- A few reps a day with the weight-shifting exercise
- Mimed movements without a ball, at home or in the gym
- Series of Jumps and Rotations in Physical Training
- Powerful drives to make sure the ball stays straight
Your Questions
What does “using the land” mean to Matthieu Pavon?
Push off the ground at the right moment to generate vertical force. According to him, this counteracts horizontal forces and allows the hips to rotate, which generates speed from the lower body.
How does the weight-bearing exercise work?
He starts from a normal stance, brings one foot back, and then shifts his weight back onto that foot as the club rises before swinging through. He does this with a few balls each day, or by mimicking the motion.
Is physical training also necessary?
Pavon worked with his strength and conditioning coach on plyometric exercises, rotations with resistance, core strengthening, and exercises to lengthen the spine, since a hunched back hinders rotation.
Why is his drive straighter when he hits the ball hard?
The more he swings through the hips, the better his club path and clubface align. His powerful drive has less curve than the fade he hits on a narrow fairway.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Matthieu Pavon). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.