Rory McIlroy is one of the best driving forces for golf on Earth.
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Rory McIlroy’s ability to drive long and straight balls is visible. Despite his 5-foot-9 feet tall, the Northern Irish can still wield the big stick with the best of them – he has already hit the superpower with five major titles and professional grand slams.
If you check out the best drivers on the PGA Tour for the 2025 season, you’ll find McIlroy’s name at the top. For him, it’s not a foreign territory either: he ranks in the top ten of the SG Tour: every season of each of the last 10 seasons.
Pair McIlroy’s average club head speed (120 mph) with higher accuracy than tour averages and you have a deadly weapon at the top of the bag. There may not be a better person when it comes to driving the ball.
So, what is the secret behind McIlroy’s enormous driving abilities? Jonathan Yarwood, a golf teacher, explained in the video below.
Rory’s 2 driving keys
1. Steep to shallow
The first thing that makes McIlroy a great driver of the ball is his swing path. He moves the club in this way by steeping the club in the backwards and then shallowing it when descending. This allows him to swing in a way that produces a high towering height.
“That club shallow water is very important,” Yawood said. “Because it can go right and extend the attack angle upward.”
This doesn’t require you to wield as a driver, but when you do, it makes it easier to take a powerful blow.
2. Crash and move
For a strong swing, it is important to know how to properly transfer weight and pressure. This is what McIlroy does for perfection.
He slightly “lifted” his weight when he started swinging. Then, as he approaches the defender’s top, he moves toward the target to initiate a downward tilt. Once he fell, his head hangs backwards and extends to the left.
“You’ll see the pelvis move forward and upward as his head goes backwards,” Yarwood said. “It’s a real key move for many really good drivers. Transfer and then backwards.”
There is no guarantee that following these key moves will allow you to drive with McIlroy. But if you can copy them, you will surely immediately hit the driver into the fairway.
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