Emily Pedersen: My four keys to longer drives

Emily Pedersen is one of the longest hitters in the game and it’s not something that happened by accident.

The Danish player, who has won five times on the Ladies European Tour, is currently near the top of the driving distance statistic on the LPGA Tour, with a usual drive clocking in at around 275 yards.

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Compare that to the average distance on the LPGA of around 260 yards and the two-time Solheim Cup player has a pretty big advantage.

But how does she hit the ball so far? Pedersen told bunkered.co.uk four reasons she’s able to hit the ball a super long way off the tee.

From a young age I always chased distance
Hitting the ball a long way was a real focus of the Danish Golf Federation. I was coached from an early age to build up speed. There were times on the range where I was told to just swing it as hard as I could and not worry about where it was going.

My work in the gym is vital
Going to the gym is important for helping to build explosiveness. I do a lot of leg exercises, a lot of squats and a lot of explosiveness work. Equally, though, you need to have a strong core to handle the twists and turns of the golf swing.

I don’t rush my swing
Amateur players need to remember that speed comes by the ball. I often try and take it slower on the way back and then fire from there, but I think some amateurs think they need to take the club away quickly.

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Swing it slow on the way back. Don’t be in a rush to create speed. If you do it that way, you’re probably going to get more control.

I don’t fight the draw
I like to see a draw. I’ve always hit a draw. It just comes quite naturally to me. It’s the shape I like to see when I’m playing well and it gives me more distance. There’s no reason to change that.

Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor