Golf Skills: 3 Simple Tips to Hit a Golf Ball further
65Every golfer would like to hit their golf ball further. However, hitting the golf ball a long way isn't everything in golf. It won't guarantee lower scores, but...if you can hit the golf ball further you can make the game a whole lot easier!
Just being able to add an extra 20 yards off the tee can mean the difference between an 8 iron and a wedge into the green. When you can use shorter irons for your approach shots, you can get nearer the pin, and your putts get easier. Result: your score should drop!
Take a look at the tour pros. Granted they may not all have the all-round game of Tiger Woods, but they can all hit it a long way, and many of them can out drive Tiger by quite some distance.
Pros are also able to hit the ball these long distances with what appears to be comparative ease. Ernie Els looks incredibly relaxed when he swings, but still averages around 300yards with a driver.
So, how do the pros hit it so far and how do they seem to do it with so little effort?
It really is quite simple: They generate much higher club head speed and they do that primarily with the use of their hands.
Here is how you can do it too....
Relax...Load...Release
1) Relax your grip
You cannot swing the club fast if you are gripping it too tightly as your muscles in the hands and arms will be too tense. So grip it "lightly".
2) Load the club
Make sure you cock the wrists fully at the top of the swing.This will "load" the club into a position where it can be released later in the swing. If you do not cock the wrist fully the club is only going to swing basically as fast as you can swing your arms.
3) Release the club at impact
Make sure you maintain that wrist cock until as late as possible in the down swing then just before your hands reach the bottom of the swing you "release" the club i.e. you un-cock the wrists. Delaying the release as long as possible gives you time to accelerate the arms and then the extra acceleration during the release generates a huge speed increase in the club head. More club head speed equals more distance.
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Test yourself with this drill:
Take short swings (with a 7 iron) concentrating on maximum wrist cock and maximum release with minimum arm movement. You will be surprised how far the ball goes just with the use of the hands and not much else. Now add this movement to the full swing and see how far the ball flies!
So, relax, load and release...and watch the ball fly!
CommentsLoading...
Great tips Mark as I agree that the further twoards the green you can drive the ball, the easier will be your approach shot.
Just one issue though; I like to think of gripping the club firmly or tightly (without tensing the muscles) as opposed to gripping the club lightly. What are your thoughts on this?
Hi Mick
Most amateurs grip the club much too tightly or firmly, and the problem with that is it actually slows down club head spead. Try this test with your driver: hold it as tight as you can and give it a full swing. Listen for the "woosh" sound as it goes through the air. Now grip it very lightly (just enough to keep hold of it!) and give it another swing. Listen again for the "woosh" - this time it will be much louder i.e. the club is travelling faster, or you will make the same noise with less effort.
Also, a side effect of gripping too firmly is that you can block or slice the ball - definitely not what we want.
Give the "grip-woosh" drill described above a go and let me know how you get on.
Hi Mark, I used to ask my students if they held a toothbrush or their fork as tightly as they were holding the club...that always got a laugh! You are right on about grip pressure. Allowing the arm muscles to soften will help just about everybody! Catherine
im a beginner, i am having a little trouble making good contact if i hold the driver loose, i can hit a driver to approx 250 yds plus but only when i grip it firmly. would love to add atleast 50 yds to that but when i losen the grip my contact with the ball off the tee is really bad...help!
Nice hub Mark. I've linked to it in one of my hubs.
i would like to know how to use a golf club and where to go to golf in la junta
What a great tip to start the season (Nebraska)
THANK YOU!!!!!
William F. Torpey Level 2 Commenter 4 years ago
Thanks for a great lesson, Mark. This is just the tip I need to pick up more distance. I'm always disappointed when I make an otherwise excellent swing -- with perfect ball and direction -- but the doggone ball doesn't go anywhere.