Leaderboards 
Become a Member 
Shop 
Trade In quick coaching
Hit Longer, Straighter Drives: Nelly Korda’s 4 Keys to Copy
By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on
You know what I love about Nelly Korda's driving? It's not just the distance, though she certainly crushes it. It's the effortless power and consistent accuracy that makes her one of the most feared drivers on tour.
The best part? Her fundamentals are absolutely teachable, and I'm going to share exactly how you can start driving it like Nelly today.
Strategic Tip No. 1: The Commitment Factor
Nelly never looks tentative over the ball. She picks her target, commits to her swing, and lets it rip. Too many amateur golfers I work with try to steer their driver, especially when there's trouble lurking.
Here's your action plan: Before you even address the ball, pick a specific target—not just "somewhere down there," but an actual tree, bunker edge, or yardage marker. Once you've committed to that target, trust your swing and swing with conviction. Practice this on the range by calling out your target to your playing partner before each swing.
Strategic Tip No. 2: Course Management Like a Pro
Nelly doesn't try to bomb every drive. She plays percentages and picks her spots to be aggressive. On tight holes, she might take a little off to ensure she finds the fairway.
Your action item: Plan out your attack at the course you're playing. Most courses have tours on their websites where you can see each hole. Identify three holes where accuracy trumps distance, and commit to swinging at 85% on those holes. Then pick two holes where you can let the big dog eat. This strategic approach will immediately lower your scores while building confidence with your driver.
Technical Tip No. 1: Perfect Your Setup Position
The foundation of Nelly's power starts before she even moves the club. Her setup is textbook and yours should be, too. Focus on these 3 keys:
- Ball Position: Place the ball just inside your left heel (for right-handed golfers). This ensures you're catching the ball on the upswing, maximizing both distance and launch angle.
- Tee Height: Tee the ball so half of it sits above the crown of your driver. This promotes that ascending blow we're after.
- Stance Width: Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, creating a stable base for maximum power transfer.
Practice Drill: Set up five balls on the range with alignment sticks marking your ball position and stance width. Hit each ball focusing solely on maintaining this consistent setup. Don't worry about results initially—just groove the position.
Technical Tip No. 2: The Smooth Takeaway
Nelly's takeaway is poetry in motion—low, slow, and connected. This sets up everything that follows in her swing.
The Move: Start your takeaway by moving the clubhead, hands, and left shoulder together as one unit. The club should stay low to the ground for the first eighteen inches, creating width in your swing arc.
Tempo Check: Count "one-thousand-one" during your takeaway. This forces you to start slowly and build speed gradually, just like Nelly does.
Connection Drill: Place a headcover or small towel under your left armpit. Make practice swings keeping the towel in place through your takeaway and into your backswing. This ensures your arms and body work together, creating the connected motion that generates effortless power.
Advanced Practice: Hit 20 balls focusing only on your takeaway tempo and connection. Don't worry about where the ball goes—you're building the foundation for consistent, powerful drives.
The Bottom Line
Driving like Nelly isn't about swinging harder—it's about swinging smarter. Focus on these fundamentals, commit to your targets, and trust the process. I've seen thousands of golfers transform their games by mastering these exact principles.
Remember, even Nelly didn't become a world-class driver overnight. Be patient with yourself, practice with purpose, and most importantly, have fun out there. The game's too short not to enjoy crushing a few drives down the middle.
Now get out there and start driving it like the champion you are.
PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. Check out his weekly Monday column on RG.org, sign up for his newsletter, and visit OneMoreRollGolf.com to learn more about Brendon and his work.
