If you have watched some of the PGA Tour tournaments in October and November of 2018, you have likely seen Cameron Champ drill his driver over 400 yards on several par 5s. He has also averaged over 330 yards off the tee with a swing speed around 130 miles per hour. So, how does he generate so much speed and hit it so far?

Cameron Champ hits it so far because he has a phenomenal backswing in which his shoulders are turned well past perpendicular of the golf ball. Cameron makes Dustin Johnson’s turn look short. If you looked at a face on driver swing for Champ, you would see his chest is pointed not only away from the target but well beyond. If you drew a target line from the ball to the target, his chest would be pointing to the right of that target line looking at him from the front.

Almost zero amateurs actually get a shoulder and chest turn. This is what a turn looks like:

Also note that his hands and arms are not tense at all. He gets to the top of his backswing very relaxed. While his downswing matters and he needs to get the club back on plane with footwork and his knees, it is the backswing that gets him the power he has.

Many golf announcers have talked about Champ looking so relaxed on his downswing. You cannot be relaxed on the downswing if you are not relaxed on the backswing.

For anyone that wants to hit the ball further, try to relax your hands, arms and shoulders as you are getting deeper into your backswing. This is not something you can simply “learn” the first time you go to the range. It takes months and possibly years to relax your hands, arms and shoulders as you get deeper into your backswing.

Also remember that the depth of your backswing is created by your back, not your arms or shoulders. Your upper body turns around your lower body. If you use your hands, arms or shoulders trying to get to the top of your backswing, you are not going to be able to consistently hit the ball straight and far.