On a Mission - Distance

[HytrewQasdfg]

I'm on a mission to learn the various techniques people use to increase their distance (legally of course.)

Can anyone recommend any books/videos, tips/techniques, or equipment (legal please) that has helped you increase your distance?

I'm really of the opinion that there is no "magic bullet" for this type of thing. The right answer is probably a lot of little things that each contribute a little to the overall goal of increasing distance.

[lolzzlolzz]

Fix your swing. All good swings are powerful. You may not be as long as a pro, but you will be long and straight.

[geezer]

#1; find the centre of the clubface. By all means, swing out of your shoes, but your better off clocking yourself back and finding the sweet spot. You'll loose yards for even 1/4'' from the centre.

#2; grip the club lightly. Tight muscles are not fast muscles.

[Smallville]

I'm on a mission to learn the various techniques people use to increase their distance (legally of course.)

Take a couple lessons and work on your alignment. If you are aiming right (or left) and your target is really left (or right), it's gonna hinder your distance. Once I got my alignment fixed, I began hitting it straight instead of slicing it badly; that didn't so much make my ball go farther, but since it wasn't making a right turn in flight, I was farther down the fairway (and it's almost always better in the fairway!). Then I just started swinging a little harder. Not a ton, but I was trying to swing like it looks like Ernie Els or Fred Couples does, but they just look like they are swinging slow (I guess they release very fast which increases their clubhead speed). So actually, I don't mean to literally swing harder, but to release your hands faster? At any rate, I have increased my distance with my 3 wood by 30 yards this year (I do not use a driver).

[geezer]

Pros (particularly the like of Els and co.) look like they are swinging slow because their balance is so good it disguises the enormous clubhead speed. "Swing slow, hit hard"

[Smallville]

Geezer-

Yes, But I was trying to look like them by swinging slow - - - by speeding up I helped my distance. I know they swing hard. And my balance is something I am always working on. (Forgot to mention that in my reply).

[jambalaya]

Why would you want to do that when at a 36 handicap there are so many other worthwhile improvements that you could make to your game not the least of which is to master a basic swing? Otherwise just lift your arms as high as possible, make a big turn and swing as hard as you can. Every now and then you are going to hit it very far.

[HytrewQasdfg]

Why would you want to do that when at a 36 handicap there are so many other worthwhile improvements that you could make to your game not the least of which is to master a basic swing? Otherwise just lift your arms as high as possible, make a big turn and swing as hard as you can. Every now and then you are going to hit it very far.

1. I'm the curions type.

2. I'm pretty sure that lifting my arms as high as possible and hitting the ball as hard as I can is not compatible with having a good swing.

[Lange]

Even though you may be curious, it's probably one of the last things you should worry about on your game, there is much more then hitting that long ball. It'll come along with new and improved swings you learn. Otherwise try and activate your bigger muscles to your swing by having a solid turn etc.

[m11]

how many times out of 10 would you say you make pure contact?

If you are under 9 or 9.5 times...then its not time to worry about distance yet.

If you routinely pure your irons...then their may be solutions for you now....but until you hit your irons very solid with the proper trajectory and spin....contact is your first priority. Whether you are 6'4 250 or 5'8 165....a solid strike will go plenty far.

[HytrewQasdfg]

Even though you may be curious, it's probably one of the last things you should worry about on your game, there is much more then hitting that long ball. It'll come along with new and improved swings you learn. Otherwise try and activate your bigger muscles to your swing by having a solid turn etc.

Why build a swing, only to later rebuild it from the ground up to develop more distance? Isn't like build a house you know is too small for you, so you'll have to tear it down and build another one as soon as it is finished?

Is a consistent/powerswing and a consistent/accurate swing mutually exclusive? Are all powerful swings inaccurate, and all accurate swings weak? Powerlifters don't use a different technique for lifting light and heavy weights. Swimmers don't use different techniques for swimming slow and swimming fast. I know from my days as a drummer that speed, power, and accuracy are not mutally exclusive (and drumming requires much more precision and accuracy than golf.) If you told a drummer you were going to teach him a method for playing the drums that was very accurate playing slow, but to learn to play with any speed or power he would need to start all over learning a new way to play the drums, he'd look at you like you were insane. Yet that seems to be the attitude with golfers. "Start out learning this swing that will be accurate, but if you want to learn to hit the ball any distance, you'll have to unlearn you old swing and learn how to swing all over again." I'm sorry, I just don't see that an accurate and powerful swing are mutually exclusive.

[lolzzlolzz]

Why build a swing, only to later rebuild it from the ground up to develop more distance? Isn't like build a house you know is too small for you, so you'll have to tear it down and build another one as soon as it is finished?

I agree with your argument.

And to hopefully answer your question(s): A correct swing will be powerful and accurate. You will find that the harder you hit the ball, the more confident you will be that it will go straight. Many mid/high handicappers think their swings are correct because they are accurate, but not powerful. They swing at 60-70%, and rely on hand action to bring the face square. Thus, some days they have it, but on most days they are making mistakes on both sides of the fairways. A correct swing, however, is simple, powerful, accurate, and repeatable . This is why I recommended you "fix your swing" in the first post (and I also recommend you get Ben Hogan's 5 Lessons to do this!). Too add to this: as a beginner, I suggest you go ahead and swing away at the ball. Teach yourself to swing fast; swing out of your shoes! This will build explosive strength throughout the body. When you finally fix your swing, you will be happy you did this. It is always easier to tone it down later than to try add distance later because you taught your body to swing slow at the start. Also, you will truly know if your golf swing is improving because, as I said before, with a correct swing, you will be able to swing "out of your shoes" and still hit the ball straight.

[ssrs8]

Why build a swing, only to later rebuild it from the ground up to develop more distance? Isn't like build a house you know is too small for you, so you'll have to tear it down and build another one as soon as it is finished?

I would like to add that it's fun to go at it with a driver hard once in a while. Even if you are a 500 handicap.

[traviswise]

I struggle badly with distance too. I try to slow the swing down and at least get it in the short grass these days.

[hamletsdead]

I played with a guy last week who shot 2 over and only hit his drives 220. But he hit it 220 down the middle every single time. It made an annoying little "plink!" sound that was driving me crazy by the end of the round, particularly since I was fishing my somewhat longer drives out of the ravine, or hunting for them under the trees and in the gorse. Long is good, but straight is better.

[NBGC]

Although this thread has been hijacked from the OP's request of HOW, to what not to do, I agree 100% with what everyone has said. Once you're capable of "swinging faster, not harder" -Freddy Couples, distance will come.

As for the HOW, my lil secret is my coil. I really coil from the ground up, weight 40/60 on my back foot, 90* shoulder turn, 45* hips, feel the right thigh tighten, then uncoil from the ground up- hips, shoulders, and let the arms ride along- don't start the down swing with your arms. I control my accuracy with my hips. If I'm hitting it a lil left at the start I'll add a wee bit more twist, and same for hitting it right, I don't turn my hips as much. This is just MY method for pounding a long one, and by no means is it the right way. It just works for me. I don't feel I'm swinging harder than I used too, but I went from 95 mph to 107 mph SS just by twisting my torso along my spine in this fashion. Easy way to check to see if you're consistantly hitting the sweetspot is to wipe your driver face with some saliva. It'll let you clearly see about 10-15 shots before you have to re-apply.

Remember, this is comming from a 17 hdcp which I'm sure I'll get flamed for.

[ks8829]

long drives consists of:

1) solid square or slight closed contact
2) club head speed

solid square contact
1) keep the club face square as long as possible just before and after impact
2) hit the driver on the top center of the club

club head speed
1) rotate and be limber
2) use your big muscles
3) keep the lag as long as possible, be Sergio

if you want to hit long drivers you need to work toward mastering solid contact and club head speed.

[jambalaya]

If you are a high handicapper increase distance by building a better swing. When you get a better swing built, and your handicap greatly improves, work on increasing lag to hit longer.