Red Bull’s three-part web series Distance Lab features famed golf instructor Hank Haney teaching a trio of action sports stars how to hit a golf ball further than they ever imagined possible.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH
In part one, wakeboarder Steel Lafferty, BMX rider Corey Bohan and 18-year-old skateboarder Alex Midler met with Haney by a mountainside driving mat. The three took turns crushing drives into the valley below, while Haney cursorily took stock of their golf swings. The verdict? There was lots of room for improvement…
DISTANCE LAB
In the second episode, the athletes visited Callaway’s Distance Lab where Haney and his high-tech team established baseline readings of everyone’s swings. With tweaks, Haney was able to coax club-speed increases out of all three.
“A lot of people think if they speed their swing up they're going to lose control. The amount of distance you have is related to the speed you can produce, because it's like 2.5 yards per mile an hour.”
COMPETITION TIME
In the final episode, two-time world long drive champion Jamie Sadlowski showcased his impeccable swing, before Lafferty, Bohan and Midler flexed their newfound power on the driving range.
With Haney’s coaching, Lafferty enhanced his initial driving distance from 281 to 320 yards; Bohan improved from 208 to 275 yards; and Midler improved from 191 yards to 266 yards. If Lafferty ever decides to hang up his wakeboard to pursue a more leisurely sport, he might want to look into the PGA. His max club head speed is already higher than an average PGA Tour pro (120 mph).
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