Am I Being Stupid?

**denver_nuggs_15** · May 10, 2009

I've decided that for my next golf lesson, I want to tell the guy that I want to hit the ball farther...like a lot farther. I hit my driver 250 average and a 7-iron 155. I'm tall and have long arms, so I feel like I'm losing out on some distance. Should I just tell the guy "Listen, I want to hit it crazy far"? Or will distance come eventually (I really don't want to wait)?

I'm a decent player (playing to a 12 right now). I just want more distance. And I honestly feel it will help my game a lot. Opinions?

Thanks in advance.

***iacas*** · May 10, 2009

I'm a decent player (playing to a 12 right now). I just want more distance. And I honestly feel it will help my game a lot. Opinions?

If you're a 12, focusing on distance before some other things strikes me as an incredibly short-sighted idea.

250 and 155 aren't bad. I'm not much longer. Work on other things first.

**MSDOGS1976** · May 10, 2009

Scoring is with your chipping and putting. My handicap has dropped quite a bit due to my improved chipping. My putting still needs a lot of work. I would focus on the short game first.

**Fourputt** · May 10, 2009

Ditto what Erik said.

Size really has little to do with it. It's a lot of technique and a good bit of natural athleticism. Do you really want to risk screwing up what you have now chasing that phantom ten extra yards?

**right handed phil mickelson** · May 10, 2009

You know, I wouldn't really say that you are being stupid, I would just say that you are missing out on the most important things for your game. Like MSDOGS1976 said, its all about the short game. Work on the chipping and putting aspect of your game. Inside of 100 yards is where most scoring happens.

After that, you should focus on your ball striking. Then, if you still don't like your distances, try and work on that. But, if you lose accuracy for distance, don't take it.

~RHPM

SwissTJS · May 10, 2009

I played off 4 last year but recently my game's been so bad I'm now playing off 5 and it's all down to short irons, putting and pitching. I'm in my 60s and have always been able to generate distance but the shots that count for me, and are where I need to work on, are those around and importantly on the green. If your short game's ok then try to increase distance. You know your own game best! Good luck anyhow.

**mad max** · May 10, 2009

I see no problem with asking your instructor how you can add distance. I doubt that you instructor would set you up with a 47", 7* driver and have you swing as hard as you can. You are a young guy so your instructor could probably give you drills to increase your flexibility and strength as well as things technique wise for you to work on to gain distance.

I think it is important to concentrate on technique when you are young because I believe it is easier to correct bad habits in the short game after you have been playing for some time than it is to do a complete swing change. Also it is harder to gain strength and especially flexibility as you get older. I agree with some of the other posters that working on the short game will pay quicker dividends but I don't think conditioning and fullswing technique should be ignored. I would ask the instrctor "What things could I do to increase my distance" rather than

"Listen, I want to hit it crazy far"?

But I am sure you would know to do that anyway.

**Shindig** · May 10, 2009

I'm a decent player (playing to a 12 right now). I just want more distance. And I honestly feel it will help my game a lot. Opinions?

Everyone thinks distance will help their game, and to some extent, they're right. To get the ball 220 off the tee, I need to use my driver. A friend of mine can hit his hybrid that far; another friend, his 4-iron. Not only can they match my drives with shorter clubs, they can then hit a shorter club from the same spot. Distance is an advantage, if you can use it right.

If your goal is to hit the ball farther, that's exactly what you should tell your teacher: you want to hit the ball farther. If your goal is lower scores, maybe you need to talk to him about what's holding you back - both in scoring and in distance. I've picked up distance - in the form of flexibility and strength - over the past year, but I wasn't hitting any clubs farther than I used to. I asked my teacher about this last month, and we found the issue: I wasn't hitting the irons as well. The increased swing speed I found got me to the same distance on an off-center shot that I used to get on a well-struck shot. Rather than focusing on distance per se , we worked on helping me find the sweet spot again and swinging consistently. In the past month, I've picked up a good 5-7 yards per iron. The workouts helped, for sure, but the big thing was hitting the irons themselves better. So, my suggestion: - Talk to your instructor about why you don't have the distance you want. - See if he or she can get you in touch with a golf fitness expert, if fitness is a limiting factor. - See if you are hitting your clubs well - is your loss due to where you hit the ball? In short, gaining distance is great, but you want to gain it the right way so you don't lose the benefit. Long and in the trees is not better than short and in the fairway.

**Elsfan** · May 10, 2009

I play to around a 13 right now. To me I have spent around the last three years working on iron play(full shots) and driver and wood play. I am very long and quite a fine ball striker when having a shot with some distance. I can go out and shoot around a 40 and never take a wedge out of my bad. I was even one of those guys who would putt off the green because of the intimidation of the short pitches and chips. Recently I have started to tone up my short game skills and my scores have dropped very quickly because I believe it is easier to get good around the greens then to really be a solid ball striker. Whatever part of your game you are working on will need work at some point or another, so it will not be a waste of time. I don't feel I have done it the wrong way, it kept me interested. If I had just payed attention to my short game I might of got bored. I enjoy watching a ball fly. Many guys you see on the course score well because of only having a good short game. Putting it all together is what makes you a solid player.

**Shorty** · May 11, 2009

I've decided that for my next golf lesson, I want to tell the guy that I want to hit the ball farther...like a lot farther. I hit my driver 250 average and a 7-iron 155. I'm tall and have long arms, so I feel like I'm losing out on some distance. Should I just tell the guy "Listen, I want to hit it crazy far"? Or will distance come eventually (I really don't want to wait)?

Yes. You ARE being stupid.

Firstly, if you genuinely hit it 250, you are already a long hitter. You might play with one in 50 players who will outdrive you, regardless of their claims. So, playing to 12, you are pretty much parring a third of the holes. Assuming there is the odd one putt thrown in, what on earth is happening with your shots to the green? With respect, if you hit it 250 on AVERAGE, and play to 12, there must be some pretty damn awful iron play going on, so I think it's obvious where your pro should be helping you. If you really do hit it 250 on average and you pose the question you have posted here, your pro will say this. "Driving is not your problem". My guess is that he might not say that at all. wink wink.

**NorCalGolfer** · May 11, 2009

I will agree that I dropped my HC the most with my putting and chipping, but I will also add that in my situation being somewhat of a long iron player...there's a big difference in hitting your 4 iron 190 into a green and me hitting my 6-7 iron. and remember...distance goes hand in hand with striking the ball pure. So maybe instead of just coming out like "HI MY NAME IS ( ) AND I WANT TO HIT MY IRONS A COUNTRY MILE!" Just say you want to work on striking the ball pure. Distance isn't learned in my mind...

**David in FL** · May 11, 2009

You currently have enough length to hit just about any green out there with a mid iron or less. If you're not hitting greens then the problem isn't with your length, it's more likely your iron play and your short game. If you a are hitting the greens, and are still playing off of 12, then you're really struggling with the putter.

Either way, I wouldn't be so concerned with length at this point. FWIW, I hit driver and 7 iron pretty much the same distances that you do.

**TN94z** · May 11, 2009

Your instructor is probably going to tell you that the distance will come once your swing and ball striking are better....that is what my instructor would tell me. I said something last week about my distance being okay and he said "You are leaving a lot of distance on the table with your swing. When we get your swing where it needs to be, more distance will come."

**wannabe** · May 11, 2009

Your instructor is probably going to tell you that the distance will come once your swing and ball striking are better....that is what my instructor would tell me. I said something last week about my distance being okay and he said "You are leaving a lot of distance on the table with your swing. When we get your swing where it needs to be, more distance will come."

This is what my pro has been saying to me over the last few months of lessons, and it's true. By improving my swing technique, distance has begun appearing with much more regularity.

I say go ahead and tell your teaching pro your desire to 'hit it a country mile'. Don't be surprised, though, if your pro then tells you, "ok, then let's work on perfecting your technique via swing plane, setup, grip, shoulder turn, weight shift, ..., and the distance will come"

**denver_nuggs_15** · May 12, 2009

Yes. You ARE being stupid.

Most are good. It's the putting and pitching (not chipping or sand game) that's been killing me.

If you really do hit it 250 on average and you pose the question you have posted here, your pro will say this. "Driving is not your problem".

I'm not saying that distance is ALL I should be concerned with. Just that it would help a lot. Maybe it would come hand in hand with a better swing, but I'm sure it would help for at least a couple of strokes/round.

Your instructor is probably going to tell you that the distance will come once your swing and ball striking are better....that is what my instructor would tell me. I said something last week about my distance being okay and he said "You are leaving a lot of distance on the table with your swing. When we get your swing where it needs to be, more distance will come."

That makes sense. I just want to maximize potential I guess. I'm built to hit the ball a long way. If I can keep the accuracy, add some short game/putting skills, and gain distance, I'll get much much better. I realize that a key in there is the short game and putting (and that's being worked on too). For me, I just want to maximize the potential of my physical tools. Being tall and having long arms means nothing if you can't use them to the max. That's what I think anyway.

It probably shouldn't be a top concern for me, since my putting and chipping have been shaky at best, but it still is a valuable asset in the game of golf. (I kind of feel it is underrated by better golfers, but overrated by not-so-good golfers.) I'm thinking I'll get a short game or putting lesson instead, but distance is still on my list of things to do. I've gone back and forth on the subject for a while now, so my opinion might change by tomorrow. Anyway, putting/short game, then iron play, then distance...thanks for the advice guys.

**hippyboy** · May 12, 2009

I understand you want to get the most distance you can, but this has much more to do with technique than physical size/build.

I went to my local course last week, my usual golfing partner couldn't make it so I joined up with another group. It was 2 guys, one about 5 ft 2 & skinny as a rake, the other a local club bouncer, usual bodybuilder type, shaved head tattoos, about 6 ft 3 & built like a brick outhouse.

We got to the 1st tee, the bouncer tee'd off, swinging as hard as he could (with arms & very little rotation) ball went reasonably straight about 230-240yds, skinny guy steps up tee'd off, great full rotation & perfect "ping" sound at contact, the ball flies straight down the middle a full 40yds+ in font of the bouncer.

It carried on like that for the whole round, with bouncer becoming more & more annoyed at being outdriven on every hole.

It prompted me to go for a lesson to work on my ball striking, sure enough with a few alterations & a re-routing of the swing, my 7 iron now goes around 160-165 instead of the usual 150. My swing speed is the same & if anything it feels like i'm putting less effort into my swings. If I had been a bit braver (or wearing body armour) I would have suggested the bouncer take a lesson.

**TheNatural** · May 12, 2009

250 is plenty long if you do it 12 or more holes per round. check out your driver and the ball you play, maybe there is an extra 15 yards there.

**HytrewQasdfg** · May 12, 2009

I'm going to be the odd man here.

If you want more distance, then go for it. As long as that isn't the only thing you work on for the next 10 years you'll be fine.

There's nothing wrong with taking a little time to work on one specific part of your game. I know the "imporving your short game will improve your game more quickly" argument (and it's true), but that doesn't mean you shouldn't spend any time on any other part of you game.

I'm of the mind that you are better off improving any area of your game than none at all. If hitting the ball longer is what gets you motivated to practice, fine.

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